Can Videogames Be A Work Of Art?

Aaron Smutz, a philosophy professor at Rhode Island College, in his rhetorical essay “Are Video Games Art?” asserts that video games are indeed art. He first puts forward three critically well-received games to be considered art, then determines what can be used to determine art by considering “sister media” like art and music as well as competition such as chess, football or ice-skating. After establishing an “informal” definition of art, Smutz comes to conclude that since the games he provided cover several facets of game-types and since those games can reasonably fall into the definitions provided of art, then most video games should be considered art. Smutz forms his essay in order to explore the artistic merit of games. Smutz also writes

Although Ebert did not engage with the issue again and his view remains mired in controversy, the notion that video games are ineligible to be considered fine art due to their commercial appeal and structure as choice-driven narratives has proved persuasive for many including video game luminary Brian

The video game world is full of wonders, fantasy worlds, and even real life scenarios that we see on television. There are games based off of television shows, popular movies, and even comic book universes. In David Perry’s speech and presentation, “Are Video Games Better Than Life?” he brought up a lot of points about gaming both from its humble beginnings to where we are today. However, he made it clear that the discussion was to be about the video game world. Are video games better than reality? This is a hard question with various and diverse answers. It is something that people from just about all walks of life have an opinion about. Through the use of a media presentation, he showed the diverse evolution of games; how since

disbelief about video games not being considered art. In the article by Nick Gillespie, Are Video

It is true that there have been many debates over this topic of video games but most people don’t really understand the world of video games and technology. In “Dream Machine” by Will Wright explains to us that many people only view video game as a negative and don’t think beyond that point. “Most people on the far side of the generational divide-elder-look at games and see a list of ills (They’re violent, addictive, childish, worthless).” (Wright 211). I believe that there are a few flaws in playing video games. There are a few games out there that have crude acts of violence, language, and also display sexual material. There are labels on them to help parents know what their children are playing. However, not a lot of people know that there are also a positive side of playing video games. Non-gamers need to understand that playing video games can enlighten the mind of people. It can help with creativity and imagination is one of the main benefits of playing video games. “They [videogames] will allow us to express ourselves, meet others, and create things that we can only dimly imagine.” (213) I strongly agree with what Wright is stating, it is amazing how people can play with each other around the world and also there are some games with good problem solving and also how to work as a team. Technology devices are also a big part of the argument, it can of prevent us from speaking face to face and it has a different way to communicate around the

In response to the article titled, “Are Video Games Art? No – But Playing Them Can Be,” by author Phil Hartup, he makes the argument that video games are not art, but rather the audience that engages themselves in playing them makes it art. The author uses examples such as Mona Lisa and Michael Bay just to support his claim, and while his claims are interesting,some of the stuff he says can be ridiculous, in my opinion. I, myself, disagree with most of his claims. Video games have a big influence on communities just like art, and not only that, but without graphic ARTISTS, we wouldn’t be able to have these video games that we have today. Video games, in my opinion have so much creativity in them that they should be considered as art.

Video games have come a long way since Pong rid children of their quarters in 1972. In the past few years, a dramatic shift in the publics’ view of games has occured. What was once considered a kid’s toy capable of turning brains into mush is now enjoyed by the average age of 35 (Essential Facts). In recent times, another paradigm shift has begun for gaming: the road to becoming an art form. Today, museum curators from across the globe continue to accept video games into their collection, adding to its legitimacy. However, just as movies struggled to be considered art in the 1970s, the path for video games has not been smooth sailing. Many critics, such as the late Roger Ebert, have been increasingly vocal about their reasoning for why a

Do you consider video games as a sport? Personally, when I think of sports, I think of an activity that includes running, jumping, or using any kind of exercise. Also sports have to be able to have a team that can compete. However, when people say that playing video games is a sport; i would have to say it is not, because you don´t use any kind of physical activity. According to gamers; people who are very committed to their games and who are willing to succeed in them, they think that playing games is a sport,but since you don´t use physical activity, playing games is using as much work as making a beaded necklace. Now if you think about it, there

In an article titled Video Games Can Never be Art, the author, Roger Ebert, a famous film critic and well known journalist, shares his opinion that video games will never have the same status as other great works. To specify, he claims that ”no video gamer now living will survive long enough to experience the medium as an art form,” (Ebert). He then subsequently explains that the definition of art is “the creation of one artist,” (Ebert) meaning that a dance is an art because of the choreographer, and architecture is art because of the architect. (Ebert) Very early in the article Ebert makes his point exceedingly clear, he states that not only does he consider video games as something not worth his time, but that they will never (in this lifetime,) amount to the works of any great artist such as Michelangelo or Picasso. He then furthermore contrasts art mediums, including composing,

Art is very conceptual and can have many interpretations. However, I believe that if something wasn’t created or displayed for the purpose of presenting an idea or representation, then it is not art. For example, if someone makes a chair to sit in, that doesn’t qualify as art. The chair was made to sit in, not to represent or display an idea. I think film is a perfect example of art because there are so many great films like Citizen Kane and The Stanford Prison Experiment that convey a message about human

Video games are a form of art, in which the players are painting the picture. Video games are very creative and the creators use their greatest imagination to create them. Video games are like “poetry in motion”, the way everything moves and interacts is simply

In the Article “Why Video Games Are Works Of Art” Kyle Chayka states his views on Roger Ebert’s argument made in the article “Video Games can never be art.” In Eberts article he says that video games are something that can be won, and include rules and objectives, where art is a visually pleasing, and emotionally powerful experience. As a result in Ebert saying this, Chayka comes back and states many of the things he has experienced in video games. For example, he states “I’ve stood at the top of a grass-blown knoll overlooking the sea, a view that stretched to cover a land of sprawling islands traversed only by my sailboat and me. I have played a musical instrument that controls the wind. I’ve been a sword-wielding teenage adventurer, a ghostbuster,

One may assume that playing video games is a waste of time and “rots your brain,” but to me, video games are one of my lifestyles. My dad used to tell stories of the three-year-old me sitting on his lap playing a racing game with him. I would immerse myself in the game and giggle whenever I had won. Video games are an integral part of my childhood and is one of the components that have definitely shaped me into who I am today. Growing up playing all types of games, I always wondered about the process behind the creation of games. I remember being amazed at the moving images and flashy visual effects, wondering about

“The reason why people find it so enjoyable is that games are usually the right degree of challenging and the player takes an active role (unlike watching television) so there is an incentive to achieve” (Gee). Ever since video games were invented there was an immediate attachment and an unwillingness to release them. They present chances to accomplish things one may not be able to do in their life, and provides an escape from reality. Video games also imprint and teach new skills to the gamers who play repeatedly; these skills are very useful in later life and can be applied to nearly every situation in life. However, there are those who have differing opinions and, unfortunately, society and media have constantly berated video games, always painting them in a negative light, brainwashing people to believe that video gaming only harms them...this is incorrect, as video games are neither good nor bad and possess positives and negatives to them.

Video games should be considered a form of art because they take time to create, are protected under the same rights as other art forms, and include many other forms of art.