Ask GamerDad 7/11/08
Posted on July 14th, 2008 by
At last! Finally! The inevitable hardcore gamer message board topic comes to Ask GamerDad. So, what will the answer be. Are games art? Or aren’t they? Oh and a 13-year old wants me to recommend Metal Gear Solid 4.
July 14th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
regarding the “are games art?” debate, I think that, just like other forms of media, it depends. I could easily describe something like Ico, Okami or Shadow of the Colossus as art but I wouldn’t call something like Call of duty 4 or Halo 3 art.
The real question here is “how do you define art” which is a tricky question to answer.
July 14th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Regarding your post, some guy, I can’t say anything for halo since I don’t own any of them, but Call of Duty does make statements on war and such. I do think that games can be art. Not all are but some are. I would consider games like the GTA series art. Not visually, but if you really pay attention, it makes a lot of statements on our society and America in General.
July 14th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Some Guy: I don’t think the question is “are all games art”, but rather “is it possible to make a game that *is* art?”. I think there are a lot of people who actually believe the answer to the latter question is no — they have either not played anything Warren Spector has ever made, or are idiots (or both).
July 15th, 2008 at 7:24 am
The real question you have to answer first is this: What is art?
Wikipedia describes art as such: “Art refers to a diverse range of human activities, creations, and expressions that are appealing or attractive to the senses or have some significance to the mind of an individual.”
Using that definition then yes, video games are art. All of them. Now, before you go start spewing examples of horrible games that can’t possibly be considered art by any rational person remember this one little detail. Some art is good, some not so good. But even bad, offensive, and objectionable art is still art.
The current debate over video games as art is the same debate that happened when man developed language and art went from just pictures to words. Or when we started making music, movies, fictional books, etc. Any time a new medium is introduced, or even a new genre (like when Elvis started this Rock n Roll thing), there is a period of time when people who don’t like or understand it claim it is not art, while those who do get it know it is.
The debate reminds me of a time my wife and I went to the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) here in NY. We came across a display that as simply a white alcove with a red line painted around it at a specific height and a string going from one point on that line to the floor. I was baffled at how one could consider that art, but it is.
So yes, video games are art. From “Call of Duty 4” to “Final Fantasy” to “Carmageddon” to “Myst”, they are all art, which ones you like is for you to decide.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:49 am
After far too many years arguing this debate I’ve come up with a very simple set of rules on the subject.
1. It’s not art just because you like it.
2. It’s not art just because it’s a game
3. Games are NOT art
4. Game design is an artform
5. So some games are art – but not all of them
This works equally well with music, movies, and paintings. While you can’t get everyone to agree that games are art – it’s easy to logicially prove they’re an art form. A collaborative medium like film. The only difference is the interactivity.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Hey Some Guy
– why not Call of Duty 4? I’m curious because, aside from obvious contenders like BioShock, System Shock, and Half Life 1, I can’t think of a better example of a game that transcends itself into “war film” territory (and you’ll find a lot of art in that world).
July 15th, 2008 at 9:09 am
(note: saying BioSystemHalf are examples of games as art – not war films. I got a little muddled there.)
July 15th, 2008 at 10:55 am
I guess that everyone has a different opinion on what is and isn’t art. I personally don’t see anything in Call of Duty 4 which I consider. The aftemath level is a possible exception but compare that to the thirteenth colossus soaring other your head in Shadow of the Colossus or looking at the huge environments in Ico.
July 21st, 2008 at 9:46 am
I like your list because it *is* generic – you can then easily remind people that not all painting is art, not all poetry is art, not all music is art, not all film is art, and so on.