Are video games art?

[flamingzaroc121]

Just as the title says.
Roger Ebert certainly doesn't think so:
http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/04/video_games_can_never_be_art.html
But Adam Sessler does:
http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/7...x-Adam-vs-Ebert---Can-Video-Games-be-Art.html

Where do you stand? Are all games art, or just certain ones?

 

[Narz]

Yes, of course they are.

 

[Lillefix]

Imo games are art, as much as movies, books and plays are. They manily deliver entertainment, but some of the good ones make you think(and some would say they are the ones that are art).

 

[Tani Coyote]

Roger Ebert is clearly a ******. Just look at the production process of a game.

First off, most games have a neat little thing called concept ART. Where you sketch out the characters, and then after finding a good design, finalise it and add all the little details like the colors... it is the finalised concept art that makes into the game. Of course, it takes a lot of work to finalise concept art; characters go through tons of designs - in some cases, HUNDREDS - before a final one is settled on.

Since most videogames have characters, and characters need to be designed, then art certainly has its role.

And post-production, animators have to render the characters into the gameplay, which means more or less drawing the finished character all over again, but in a digital medium that can be manipulated.

The same goes for items, environments, etc. They all need to be sketched out and then have a finalised concept art.

Since art in terms of drawing/sketching/etc. plays a key role in the concepts of characters, environments, items, etc. and their rendering into the videogame world, then yes, I'd say videogames are an art.

Furthermore, if you extend art to mean all creative activity, HELL YES. Musical art needs to be composed by a variety of methods - A Capella, synthesizers, or all natural instruments. Then, the art of literature factors in at times, since somebody has to write the damned plotline.

Seriously, did that guy even think about all the creative energy that goes into making a videogame a reality? Concept sketches, rendering, musical composition, writing, and all the rest?

 

[TheAlamo]

All the same can go into bomb making, TF. Well maybe not musical composition, but that's hardly a deal-breaker.

 

[emzie]

9: The Last Resort is more artistic than 90% of films I've ever seen.

 

[aelf]

I'm also an art elitist, and I agree with him in the sense that art that is made for money is at best compromised art. Hence, I think only non-professional art is secure in its artistic status.

 

[Tani Coyote]

All the same can go into bomb making, TF.

Indeed. Hence the term, "Art of War." I suppose war is its own art form... even if a very perverse kind, where paint, ink and graphite are replaced with blood, tears and rubble. Example: Leonardo da Vinci designed many weapons alongside all his peaceful contributions.

Well maybe not musical composition, but that's hardly a deal-breaker.

What do you think the sound of the air being pierced by falling bombs, the ear-piercing sound of impact and explosion, the dance of the flames, and the screams of the slain innocents below count as?

...I really am evil, huh?

 

[Lillefix]

I'm also an art elitist, and I agree with him in the sense that art that is made for money is at best compromised art.

What's left then? Fingerpainting by children?

 

[emzie]

I'm also an art elitist, and I agree with him in the sense that art that is made for money is at best compromised art. Hence, I think only non-professional art is secure in its artistic status.

Yeah, the whole Renaissance thing is over-rated

 

[Tani Coyote]

Yeah, the whole Renaissance thing is over-rated

Well, since the Renaissance was spurred on by the patronage of the wealthy(read: enemies of mankind in left-wing dogma), it would make sense for a forum with a leftist slant to complete disregard it...

/crazy partisan rambling

 

[MobBoss]

Parts of videogames are most certainly art. To this day, I still think the cutscenes from Starcraft some of the most cool artistic representations of storyline I have ever seen in a videogame.

 

[Narz]

What's left then? Fingerpainting by children?

word.

 

[aelf]

What's left then? Fingerpainting by children?

word.

So all amateur (in the non-professional sense) art amounts to is fingerpainting by children? How insulting.

Yeah, the whole Renaissance thing is over-rated

Perhaps. But in those days there wasn't really a marketplace for art in the same sense, but more of a marketplace for artists.

 

[lovett]

I'm also an art elitist, and I agree with him in the sense that art that is made for money is at best compromised art. Hence, I think only non-professional art is secure in its artistic status.

OK guys, who's going to tell the Pope that the whole Sistine Chapel ceiling thing ain't art? I can tell you right now I'm not, it'll be final straw for him. It'll break the poor guys heart. You really shouldn't kick someone when they're down

 

[Narz]

So all amateur (in the non-professional sense) art amounts to is fingerpainting by children? How insulting.

It was a joke.

Seriously though, 99% of professional artists try to sell their art. How does that make it "non-art"?

 

[bigdog5994]

art is suffering and video games are fun

so video games are not art

 

[kulade]

just because some video games are actually entertaining and at times edifying doesn't mean they aren't art.

 

[Tani Coyote]

art is suffering and video games are fun

I've heard making videogames can be quite suffering for anybody who does it for the money and not the thrill of the job; most of the money is apparently taken by those who came up with the concepts, with those who actually engage in the actual design(i.e. programming) not making anywhere near as much. I'm not sure how valid that claim is, but given the nature of the market, I wouldn't be surprised...

So, therefore, doing so much work for relatively poor wages = suffering, which means videogames are suffering, which means they are art.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

It depends how you categorize art.
If movies are art than video games are art. If video games aren't art neither are movies.