More than just mindless fun

Following this section is a space equipped with sofas, surrounding vintage computers and consoles.

"This is a relatively private zone for visitors to reminisce about the time when personal computers brought the joy of the arcades right into their living rooms, with no limit to time or tokens," says Chen.

Over the net bar and esports sections, visitors are whisked away to the period in time when players no longer had to fight over controllers, as local area networks and the internet allowed them to play virtually. Exhibits in these zones include the classic first-person shooter video game Counter Strike.

Another highlight of the exhibition is the 112-square-meter playground filled with trampolines, slides and ball pits.

"This is exactly how kids originally played for joy, and it shows people's original thirst for games, either by playing with sand or jumping up and down the stairs," Qiu says.

The essence of gaming is also illustrated by a 4.6-meter-long and 7-meter-high installation on the wall. A steel ball about the size of a fist passes through the installation and runs through various routes each time according to different rules.

"Gaming is a course where players familiarize themselves with rules and are constantly led by the rules to reach different results. Exploring uncertainties in the process is perhaps why most people love games," Chen says.