Do You Even Art?

I'm sure that I've discussed this somewhere on this blog before, but I want to talk about it again. Are video games art? Yes. I'd like to think that they are. There is a lot of work and care that go into them, and they are an expression of the developers. The people who made the game what it is, did so in a way that only they could. Therefore, making video games art. Quite simply, art is an expression. It can be whatever you want it to be. It is a creation, an action, a performance, or just whatever. So long as its creator did so in a way that only they could, it is a unique creation. But, why does this conversation of games as art matter? It's because games have become a part of our culture.

there are several cornerstones of society that make each civilization distinct. One of those is art. Art can be dismissed sometimes, as people will write it off as "oh, it's just a painting" or "it's just a book". No! these are works of art that a lot of great care went into. These pieces of art have changed peoples lives! They have given others hope when they had none! They opened up someone's mind to think differently than they had before! Games have certainly done so for me!

However, video games are still written off as only pop-culture. Yet, pop-culture is still culture. It may be more prevalent than other forms of art, and I can spout off statistics of how much money the video game industry makes each year, but that wont convince you of why it is still a major part of our society.

Games have evolved so much from when they started. Before, they were just challenges, and children's playthings. Now, with games like Minecraft, they have become creative tools. Children all around the world work at their games of Minecraft to build, create, explore, and learn. There is even a school in New York City that uses Minecraft to teach children. You couldn't even imagine that was a possibility in the days of the arcade.

Games now tell engaging stories, that players can get wrapped up and engrossed in. Mass Effect creates an entire universe that is full of life, culture, politics, peoples, technology, economy, war, turmoil, and all of that which makes it feel like a real place. I love Mass Effect, so I may be a bit bias here, but it is one of the greatest games I've ever played. I have spent hours just wandering around the Citadel taking in the views, and eavesdropping on random citizens having conversations about whether or not there are fish in the fountains of the Presidium. That's just a random kind of thing that real people would talk about, and it only ads to the illusion of realism that Mass Effect creates. The writers of Mass Effect took great care to make a world that was believable and one that players would want to learn more about. There is a novels worth of information in each Mass Effect game that describes the smallest of details about everything in that universe. I can tell you all about Quarian Society, or how long an Asari lives to be, or how many hearts a Krogan has (it's two, by the way). I have fallen in love with this game, and it's all because the people behind it made something that only they can make. They have told a great story, full of character and heart. To dismiss this as "just a game" would be an injustice.

Video games are most certainly an art form. We, as gamers, as a society, need to view them as such. This is a conversation that is worth having, because games are worth while. Players can explore, and express themselves in the realm of video games. They can become someone else, and escape the trappings of reality for a few hours. These video games mean a lot to many different people. I cherish my video game experiences, as do many gamers. Video games have come so far, and so fast, that they are doing things that nobody could have imagined. They break the mold of what games can do, and what art can do, further pushing the envelope of expression and storytelling. Games are a part of our culture, and it is important that we recognize that. They do more good than we recognize, and that too should be a part of the conversation. To shame someone for playing video games is an insult on who they are. No, you do not know what is best for them. You have not walked in their shoes, and you do not yet understand the joy that video games have brought to that individuals life. Do not shame someone for playing video games. Instead, let them explain to you why they love them so much. Open the conversation, and your mind, to video games. Together, gamers and non-gamers alike, we can change the world.