--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a believer that players are good…" description: "\"I'm a believer that players are good self-directors, and I think one thing that's good about video games is they can direct their own experience.\" — To..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/todd-howard-14571_experience_i-m-a-believer-that-players-are-good-sel_1591666.jpg" --- # I'm a believer that players are good self-directors, and I… ![“I'm a believer that players are good self-directors, and I think one thing that's good about video games is they can direct their own experience.” quote by Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/todd-howard-14571_experience_i-m-a-believer-that-players-are-good-sel_1591666.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/todd-howard-14571_experience_i-m-a-believer-that-players-are-good-sel_1591666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/todd-howard-14571_experience_i-m-a-believer-that-players-are-good-sel_1591666.jpg) > “I'm a believer that players are good self-directors, and I think one thing that's good about video games is they can direct their own experience.” [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Video games empower players to shape their own experiences, fostering autonomy and personal agency. **In simple terms:** Games let players control their journey. Key Takeaway Design games that offer meaningful choices. Themes autonomy creativity player agency design engagement Mood enthusiastic inspired Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - game design - education - therapy - team building Key Concepts self‑directed learning flow intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - How can designers balance freedom with structure? - What choices most enhance player ownership? A Different Perspective Players may feel overwhelmed without guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Video](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/video/) [Video games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/video-games/) ## Related quotes > [“Stop comparing yourself with others. If they are good at something, you too are good at something else. Self-confidence is not measured by your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/stop-comparing-yourself-with-others-if-they-are-good-at-something-you/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [Anything that's any good is self-perpetuating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/anything-that-s-any-good-is-self-perpetuating/) [Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/) > [I think meditation is good for the self. Having that moment with yourself and your mind is essential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omarion/i-think-meditation-is-good-for-the-self-having-that-moment-with/) [Omarion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omarion/) > [Having a good self confidence day!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-ashley/having-a-good-self-confidence-day/) Tina Ashley > [“He had, for a few days, forgotten that wherever he traveled, he must take his own familiar self along, and that that self would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/he-had-for-a-few-days-forgotten-that-wherever-he-traveled-he-must/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“Good self-esteem comes from positive self-imaging. Positive self-image make you to resist wrong definitions others give about you, guiding you to live life with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/good-self-esteem-comes-from-positive-self-imaging-positive-self-image/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Do good, and you'll always be a constant reminder of your good-self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mapogo-chuene/do-good-and-you-ll-always-be-a-constant-reminder-of-your-good-self/) Mapogo Chuene > [It is always good to self-analyse and be self-critical. That is how I've got through so far and improved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stones/it-is-always-good-to-self-analyse-and-be-self-critical-that-is-how-i/) [John Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stones/) > [“A good self-esteem level is mostly dependant on how we value ourselves without any bias.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/a-good-self-esteem-level-is-mostly-dependant-on-how-we-value/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [That nature only is good when it shall not do unto another whatever is not good for its own self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-steichen/that-nature-only-is-good-when-it-shall-not-do-unto-another-whatever/) [Edward Steichen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-steichen/) > [I'm a big fan of working out on my own. I put my headphones on and I'm pretty good at self-motivating. At the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-evans/i-m-a-big-fan-of-working-out-on-my-own-i-put-my-headphones-on-and-i-m/) [Chris Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-evans/) > [Mentally, I am quite good at self discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-edmonds/mentally-i-am-quite-good-at-self-discipline/) [Noel Edmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-edmonds/) > [There are, no doubt, as many conceptualizations of the good life as there are lives that aspire to it, but surely one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/there-are-no-doubt-as-many-conceptualizations-of-the-good-life-as/) [Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/) > [It's very hard to be good. It is self-destructive thinking to think that there is too much good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-blodget/it-s-very-hard-to-be-good-it-is-self-destructive-thinking-to-think/) [Henry Blodget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-blodget/) > [“But whenever we do good to another self, just because it is a self, made (like us) by God, and desiring its own happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/but-whenever-we-do-good-to-another-self-just-because-it-is-a-self/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## More by Todd Howard > [Don't define the game by the list of the features. Define it by the experience you want to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/don-t-define-the-game-by-the-list-of-the-features-define-it-by-the/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [I liked that line in the movie 'Shakespeare in Love': 'How is this going to work out? I don't know, but it always does.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/i-liked-that-line-in-the-movie-shakespeare-in-love-how-is-this-going/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [We do not focus test our games and never had. People ask why we don't, and I say, 'I have so many opinions in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/we-do-not-focus-test-our-games-and-never-had-people-ask-why-we-don-t/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [Time makes a bigger difference: just making a game, shipping it, looking at what you did, how you did it, what you did well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/time-makes-a-bigger-difference-just-making-a-game-shipping-it-looking/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [You never know how your work is going to be received, and to have it be not just received by the people who wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/you-never-know-how-your-work-is-going-to-be-received-and-to-have-it/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [With 'The Elder Scrolls', you're looking at a 25-year-running franchise. It has stood the test of the 'Lord of the Rings' movies becoming popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/with-the-elder-scrolls-you-re-looking-at-a-25-year-running-franchise/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [Every year, there's a new idea we can't do and a new technology for something that excites us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/every-year-there-s-a-new-idea-we-can-t-do-and-a-new-technology-for/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [Great games are played, not made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/great-games-are-played-not-made/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > ['Minecraft' is like that, where you might say to one of your friends who doesn't play games, 'Hey, just sit down and try this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/minecraft-is-like-that-where-you-might-say-to-one-of-your-friends-who/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [Your plan is not as important as your culture. That means you will run into problems that will disrupt your plan and schedule, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/your-plan-is-not-as-important-as-your-culture-that-means-you-will-run/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [The main thing that excites me is that games are successful everywhere now. Now it's successful everywhere, and that's really important for the health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/the-main-thing-that-excites-me-is-that-games-are-successful/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [I loved playing 'Ultima.' Getting my computer in college and playing 'Wing Commander.' I hear a lot from our fans, and they are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/i-loved-playing-ultima-getting-my-computer-in-college-and-playing/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [Eventually, there will come a day where I'm not making games at Bethesda. Hopefully that's a long time away. But I want to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/eventually-there-will-come-a-day-where-i-m-not-making-games-at/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [When you start over and jump into new tech, you don't know what the negatives are going to be until you go through a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/when-you-start-over-and-jump-into-new-tech-you-don-t-know-what-the/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [People tend to look at processing power as how to gauge a piece of hardware is powerful for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/people-tend-to-look-at-processing-power-as-how-to-gauge-a-piece-of/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) [Explore all 46 Todd Howard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) ## More Experience quotes > [Experience makes a lesson to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-makes-a-lesson-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) Michael Bugeja > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/) [Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I've had a great experience with pretty much everybody I've worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/i-ve-had-a-great-experience-with-pretty-much-everybody-i-ve-worked/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [It wasn't a mistake, it was a fun learning experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-wasn-t-a-mistake-it-was-a-fun-learning-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) [Browse all 11,792 Experience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a believer that players are good self-directors, and I think one thing that's good about video games is they can direct their own experience.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Todd Howard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/i-m-a-believer-that-players-are-good-self-directors-and-i-think-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Experience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/i-m-a-believer-that-players-are-good-self-directors-and-i-think-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/todd-howard-14571_experience_i-m-a-believer-that-players-are-good-sel_1591666.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/todd-howard-14571_experience_i-m-a-believer-that-players-are-good-sel_1591666.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/todd-howard-14571_experience_i-m-a-believer-that-players-are-good-sel_1591666.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm a believer that players are good self-directors, and I think one thing that's good about video games is…” — Todd Howard", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Todd Howard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm a believer that players are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/i-m-a-believer-that-players-are-good-self-directors-and-i-think-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/i-m-a-believer-that-players-are-good-self-directors-and-i-think-one/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```