Some in the art world have been reluctant to place games in the same category as some other mediums and to consider them as art. But is this fair, or do games have just as much right to be considered a form of art as other mediums of expression?
What is the Definition of Art?
The definition of art, much like art itself, is open to interpretation and the subject of much debate.
A basic art definition is that art is making objects, images, sounds, or similar in a way that is beautiful or that expresses emotions. Therefore, fingernails screeching down a blackboard can’t be art, but a drawing on that blackboard could be.
While it’s possible to use almost every philosophical school of thought to frame art in a different way, we’ll use the dictionary definition here, since it is a simple and broad explanation of what art is.
A Canvas For Telling a Story
Games are often just a canvas for telling a story, no matter whether they’re short casual titles like Angry Birds or much larger and elaborate creations like Grand Theft Auto.
In Angry Birds, the lore is that the birds have had their nests raided by a gang of greedy green pigs and they’re on a quest for revenge and to recover their eggs. It’s told through levels of geometry-based puzzles that see you catapulting birds at the pigs and their ever-more elaborate shelters.
Meanwhile, GTA tells a multi-layered story of a criminal(s) overcoming major setbacks to take on a city’s dangerous underworld to build an empire. This is complemented by a bunch of sub-plots involving other characters that live entirely separate lives.
Players familiar with casino games will also know that video slots are the perfect example of this. Leading brands like Betway offer players hundreds or even thousands of different slots, each with its own unique theme and bonus features. Every game has its own lore, with some becoming so popular that they have several sequels created to satisfy demand from fans of these franchises.
There are several slot titles featuring the Big Bass name, including Crash, Secrets of the Golden Lake, and Bonanza, each one returning the angling theme but with a new twist.
This makes games just like books, music, motion pictures, and actual physical canvas as a medium for telling a story. Games combine many different story-telling devices, similar to what you’d find in a film or TV show, but add an interactive element that isn’t available in other formats.
Commercial Elements
Some argue that art cannot have a functional purpose, but this would mean movies or television shows could not be art. Taken at its extreme, it would also mean a painting you place on a wall to cover up a hole would also cease to be art because it’s become practical.
Others try to argue that the commercial aspect of a game can stop it from being classed as art. This argument, however, doesn’t hold much water since every other form of art has huge commercial elements.
After all, there are very few people who would argue James Cameron’s Titanic (1997) nor are any of the huge theatre productions that fill Broadway and West End theaters. Similarly, there is a huge market for paintings with famous auction houses like Sotheby’s helping to connect wealthy buyers and collectors with the artists and sellers of some of the world’s most famous and most expensive fine art.
Therefore, video games being sold for profit should have no bearing on whether they can be considered art.
The Ultimate Form of Interactive Art
As technology has evolved, art has become more immersive. While humans have always told stories, it wasn’t until the invention of the printing press that books became accessible to the masses.
The invention of movies and television helped to make this storytelling much more immersive. Instead of relying on their imagination, audiences could physically see and hear what was happening in the story.
Video games are merely an extension of this. They contain the same moving pictures, music, and sound effects to set the scene and communicate the plot. However, they go further by placing the player at the heart of the story, giving them control over how events unfold.
With all of this in mind, it’s clear that games should count as art. They are an exceptionally good way to tell a story thanks to their mix of interactivity and multimedia elements and their commercial aspect and functionality should have no bearing on this definition.