Are Video Games Art ?

[ciro64]

I don't think they can be art. Don't get me wrong: it's not that I consider them to be inferior than other human artifacts, it's just that they do something different. Aristotle made a relevant distinction between primary arts and secondary ones, and that distinction can be seen in, for example, eroticism and pornography: the first one implies contemplation, while the second one... Well, you now what happens: it makes you want to participate. And that applies to videogames: they don't favour contemplation nor any inner exploration: we lost ourselves inside them, and they take control.

While yes, games can be consumed purely as an activity, in a lot of cases games made me feel something more... such as the sense of wonder, or feeling immersed on it, or admiring the whole thing as some sort of interactive play and wondering what was the creative process behind it. And I'm not necessarily talking about deeper or more complex games, I felt this sort of stuff even with old ass Atari games!

I can admire a brainless kaiju movie for the effort they put into the costumes and scenario, or a puppet theatre for children for that matter. The same way I can admire a gorgeous character sprite that isn't trying to convey any deeper meaning, and I know for a fact people don't hesitate calling pixel art, well, art.

The fact something was made primary for engagement, doesn't mean you can't take your time admire all its layers, or to feel wonder by it. If something made you feel that, then there probably was artistic skill and/or human expression behind it!

and that distinction can be seen in, for example, eroticism and pornography: the first one implies contemplation, while the second one... Well, you now what happens: it makes you want to participate.

My view applies to pornography as well. I could even make a point that certain specific works overlaps eroticism and pornography.

There is an distinction I make, however: was it made with passion or purely for money? There are plenty talented artists that likes to draw pornography out of passion. On the live-action medium, on the other hand, you can tell the actors are just doing their job.

 

[_Lorenzo_]

As far as I am concerned, ABSOLUTELY YES! For me, they began to be especially so with the advent of fifth-generation consoles, where the way games were developed changed radically. Much more sophisticated artwork and engaging storylines.
As for remakes, it depends on how much they respect and improve the original game, otherwise, as we all know, they are pure commercial operations. This is my opinion, of course.

 

[solidbatman]

nothing is art, but everything is also art. all about your personal perception of what is artistry to you. is playing a particular sport super well an art form? what about cooking soul food where presentation doesn't really matter? so yeah, nothing is art but everything is art.

 

[RanmyakuIchi's icon RanmyakuIchi RanmyakuIchi]

Video games are art in the same way other forms of media are, are far as I'm concerned.

 

[Azuris]

Even a simple Game of Chess can be full of Art and is a perfect Example of how difficult it is to draw a Line.

 

[fake-kun]

No.

 

[Gafek Urslef]

Video games are art, don't care if anyone outside the hobby says they're not cause I'm not looking to impress them at this point like I used to try and do. Also I liked posting this video every time the subject of video games being art comes up, which was a lot more frequent 10 years ago.

 

[Graves Ruinwalker]

I think Videogames are more than art.

Its a collaboration of many different and creative artforms combined into a piece which is made by different people/groups/teams .

In single aspects alone , it is art but as a whole , its more than art . Its an creative project for entertaiment first but admiration and inspiration second .

But i would say that Retrogaming is artistic , while modern mostly aint .

Modern gaming is more as a consume-product (look at all the NFLs , Fifas , NBAs, CoDs) , propaganda-piece (Dustborn as an example) and Throw-away-trends (look at all the cancled live-service-games that hold up few years and arent playable anymore ) . While there are some diamonds inbetween that counter this kind of gaming consumption and are art-projects for themselves, most of these are sadly bad and soulless products .

 

[WesternYokai]

I don't consider videogame a form of art, but sometimes an specific videogame could be. Don't know how to explain.

Here in Brazil we had a controversy like 2-3 years ago because different groups tried to turn gaming to be considered as sports and art at the same time, both looking to receive financial incentives by the government. Not really the discussion here but funny how people always try to label things for different reasons.

 

[Gafek Urslef]

I don't consider videogame a form of art, but sometimes an specific videogame could be. Don't know how to explain.

Here in Brazil we had a controversy like 2-3 years ago because different groups tried to turn gaming to be considered as sports and art at the same time, both looking to receive financial incentives by the government. Not really the discussion here but funny how people always try to label things for different reasons.

The only game I had any luck convincing people to view as art is Silent Hill 2, otherwise it's just simple entertainment to them. I get it cause most people aren't all that invested in gaming as a hobby, so they're just looking to be entertained and nothing more, nothing wrong with that either.

As a side note I'm convinced E-sports is a money laundering scheme at this point since I don't know anyone who watches it whether it be on ESPN or online.

 

[happymasksalesman happymasksalesman]

It more related to game. Some games made for fun and a bit hollowed.
but I think some of them are real arts.

 

[Ne0Griever]

They are not art, they are products to be sold.

Nevertheless, the many people that made them were so inspired and some even had artistic inclinations that at the very end are reflected in the final product.

There is art in them, they are drawn, music is composed, scripts were wrote, but all in the name of profit for a company and a completed work for the development team.