Are video games art?

I have enjoyed video games since the days of the Genesis. Would I consider games to be a form of art? Absolutely not.

In recent years, I have been hearing more and more about how video games are a form of art. I actually haven’t heard much of an explanation as to why they are viewed as art. Development takes creativity, but is that really enough for the label?

Video games are a form of entertainment. Art and entertainment are two different things. Calling a video game a work of art is worse than calling the latest blockbuster movie a work of art. They are not built around artistic vision. They are not designed to be viewed for all their nuances. Their purpose is entertainment.

Much like movies, people can add artistic components into the entertainment. That is insufficient to alter the primary purpose. That is also something that can distract from the primary purpose. When films try to be too artistic, they become less entertaining. A lot of people avoid artsy films because they find them too pretentious. This can be even worse in video games due to the interactive nature. When people are playing a game based on a developer’s artistic vision, the experience of gamers’ playing their way is diminished.

I think the reason that people are referring to video games as an art form is because they want to view themselves as cultured. They want to view themselves as being able to enjoy art, so they redefine art. Playing the latest role-playing game is nothing like crossing the Bridge of Glass. Shooting bad guys in the face is nothing like going online and seeing what people who are not me can portray with a camera. Playing video games is not the same as enjoying art.

I really hope developers don’t listen to those skewed perceptions of art. I want them creating video games to entertain. Unfortunately, I think the developers are letting the thought of being viewed as artists go to their heads. They are trying to add symbolism and more artsy stories. They tend to resort to cinematic sequences in order to relay their artistic vision. A lot of modern video games are essentially bland movies with interactive components between scenes.

Over the years, I have found myself playing fewer games. The rise of the “art” component of games has been catastrophic for gameplay. I really wish developers would stop letting others convince them that they are artists. If you want to be artistic, find an artistic medium. If you want to develop games, you need to embrace the idea of entertaining. There’s no shame in providing others with an entertaining experience.