Are video games art? --- Part 1

That question that is on everyone's mind. Are video games art? Many people have different opinions on the matter. Some claim that since video games are a form of storytelling and expression, they are an art. Others argue that video games are not art themselves, but made up of other assets that are art (I.E. music). I'm writing a series that will examine what art is, and whether or not video games fit into the category.

The most important thing to ask is what defines an art. According to this dictionary I have with me, "human creative skill or its application" is the definition of an art. That's pretty broad. So do video games fit into that category? Obviously video games require creativity, but this comes back to the argument of whether or not video games are art, or their assets are. One could argue that the story in the game is what makes it art, but is that just not a form of creative writing?



Now that we know the definition of art, we have to decide exactly what makes art. All art has one thing in common: a theme, idea or emotion is conveyed to the audience. You hear the music, watch a play, etc. Obviously a video game can do all these things. If you've ever played a good game where one of the main characters die, you'll probably feel sad. So it seems that video games can do everything that art can.

For the final argument, some say that video games require no imagination to play. I strongly disagree with this. Almost every time I played Faster Than Light, I imagine a little backstory for each of my characters. I imagine them interacting. I imagine the fear in their eyes as they hope that the next battle will not be their last, and then they suffocate.

In the end, video games appear to be art. However, the art is not just in the game itself. In the next part, we can examine whether or not the design of it, the code itself, is actually art.