The Verge's Version History podcast delves into the story of the Nintendo Power Glove, a flawed yet influential controller from the late 1980s. Hosts discuss its origins, shortcomings, and lasting impact on gaming and virtual reality. The episode features attempts to use a vintage glove for gameplay.
The Nintendo Power Glove emerged in the late 1980s during a pivotal era for the gaming industry, when Nintendo dominated as a major innovator. Described as ambitious and impressive, it was one of the first mainstream devices allowing body movements to control games, predating innovations like the Wii, Kinect, and VR headsets. However, the controller was widely acknowledged as ineffective.
In the latest episode of Version History, a chat show on old technology hosted by David Pierce, Fandom’s Chris Grant, and Game File’s Stephen Totilo, the trio explores the Power Glove's backstory. It began as a research project, evolved into a toy, and gained Nintendo's branding following a key pitch meeting. Despite its technical flaws, a strong marketing campaign and the allure of futuristic VR helped it achieve brief commercial success.
The hosts detail the projects that inspired the glove, the numerous reasons it underperformed as a product, and its unexpected influence on future Nintendo offerings and the broader VR sector. They even attempt to set up and play with a decades-old Power Glove, an effort that does not go smoothly.
As Pierce notes, "The Power Glove was ambitious, impressive, even important... but it was not good. In some ways, its not-good-ness is a key part of the story." The episode highlights how this 'crappy controller nobody liked but everybody wanted' shaped gaming's trajectory.
Listeners can access the podcast via The Verge’s feed or YouTube channel. Additional resources include articles on the glove's marketing, oral histories, and related media like the 1989 film The Wizard.
