While both arcade machines and interactive art pieces invite user participation, their core purposes and philosophies are fundamentally different. Arcade machines are designed primarily for entertainment and commercial profit. Their objective is to engage players through gameplay mechanics, often challenging them to achieve high scores and progress through levels. The experience is typically structured, goal-oriented, and housed in a standardized cabinet designed for public venues.

Interactive art pieces, conversely, are created as a form of artistic expression. The primary goal is not to entertain in a conventional sense but to provoke thought, evoke emotion, or convey a conceptual message. The interaction is often more open-ended and exploratory, with no predefined notion of "winning" or "losing." The technology used serves the artistic concept, leading to diverse and often unique physical forms. The value of an interactive artwork lies in the personal, subjective experience it generates for each participant, rather than a quantifiable score. Ultimately, the key distinction lies in intent: arcade machines aim to entertain through structured play, while interactive art seeks to communicate and connect through experiential engagement.