Video Games = Art = Video Games

It's a debate that's neither as relevant or as serious as "Do video games cause violence?", and it has far fewer hilarious consequences due to the supreme court. Nevertheless, it is still an important thing to consider. Important that the work of the creators isn't belittled into something childish and forgetfully recreational, because it isn't. Video games require months of development on the mechanical side, as well as many sleepless nights from the people who drive the concept. Video Games still have that stigma of being something you only do between important things. For some, that's still true, but for an increasingly large number of people, VGs ARE the important things. If it was purely for my own entertainment, why the hell would I be spending time writing about it to the 3 or 4 people who actually care to listen?

Is it valid to accept Video Games as something more than just recreational entertainment? At the dawn of artistic creation, painting and sculpture and pottery were all base things that weren't necessary for survival, but were done anyways because humanity needed to find a way to entertain themselves. Not everyone accepted it as a means of survival or commerce. In the opinion of those people, you were just folding clay into something that can hold water and carving crude shapes in the side of it. As it progressed and evolved, it rapidly became more than just a hobby, it became a bona fide focus, and one of the greatest commodities in the world, as well as an extremely respected field, whether it was painting, sculpture, language, music, pottery, what have you. Video games are the new art for a modern age. Of course they're not necessary for survival, but much in the same way that pottery and painting weren't either, that's part of what makes them so great. As it has moved on and evolved, it has wound its way into millions of people's lives, created good relationships, kept us entertained, and spurred our imaginations to new heights, all things an art is supposed to do.

Film critic Roger Ebert once stated in a blog post that video games, in principal, can never be art. I don't want to spend much time on his statement because he's not what this post is about, but he's the clearest most noticed example of people who say that video games aren't an art form. Well, why not? Fantasy literature is universally recognized as an art form. Graphical composition and illustration is universally recognized as an art form. Musical composition, especially that which is used to complement a scene or enhance/define a mood is universally recognized as an art form. So when you combine the three into one cohesive project, at what point does it no longer become an art form? You have three major medium being carefully woven together to create something even greater than the sum of their parts, and that's somehow not an art form? It may not be one person doing all this, but even the greatest artists didn't work alone. Just like Da Vinci needed Canvas and an Easel, the game creators needs their developers to craft the software into a virtual platform, much like an easel, for him or her to paint their vision upon. The writer needs readers, like the game needs gamers, turning the page with each click of a button and each movement of the joystick. The musician needs an audience and I'm not alone in that I listen to more video game music independently than I do mainstream media. The art I so love to perpetuate has inspired me to write, to play, to read, and given the means, create my own rendition.

One more thing that may hold the genre back from being taken seriously,  is that it's still a young medium. A lot of us grew up playing it to entertain us, and maybe at first it wasn't ever meant to take on such an imposing presence in the market. It was something to put your child in front of while you went about and did your grown-up work. Maybe it's because we were conditioned to love them at a young age, but I know I still play games all of the time, but not because I'm conditioned to. If that was the case, I wouldn't review them, nor would I focus on the many aspects therein. When people hear about my biggest hobby and how much I put into it, their favorite response is "Get A Life." This is what Youtube Lets Player HCBailly has to say about it:

"Maybe it's a sign that I'm addicted to gaming, but I honestly don't know what I would do with my life without it. People often say to me, 'Get a life.' Doing what? What could be better than taking care of my health, working 1-2 days per week, and spending the rest of my time with my fiancee and gaming? I can't imagine my life being much better than this. What would normal people do? Go to bars and get drunk? Knock up their girlfriend and raise a family they can't afford? Or both? If that's what it means to 'get a life' then I don't want one. "

In a society that over-sexualizes everything and has a hard time enjoying things at face value, or permitting others to fully enjoy what they do, I think HCBailly really hits it home here. It's just what we like to do, and it's something we can fully immerse ourselves in, no different than how a musician gets lost in their music, or a writer gets lost in their own world, or an artist implants their true emotions into what they illustrate. Games aren't just for kids anymore. They're for anyone who would see and appreciate fine works and allow themselves to step into the wonderful worlds they provide. We don't need to stop playing them in order to become adults or be respected within the world.

As though it were a sign from the heavens that the powers that be approve of the creation we love so much, The Smithsonian in Washington D.C. has decided to open a new exhibit 360 days from the posting of this entry, entirely dedicated to the art of video games. The exhibit will cover 80 games throughout 5 eras, and will be categorized not only by age, but genre and system as well, which is just about the best way I could think to show this exhibit. If you think you know what should be there more than others, then you have a chance to give your opinion! The Smithsonian has selected 240 games to choose from and only 80 will make it, but your vote can influence what will and will not be shown at this exhibit. Follow this link: http://www.artofvideogames.org/ and let them know what you think.

I'm not going to be so foolish as to demand recognition immediately from those who are of the school of thought that video games could never be art. What I do ask is that those of you who DO believe that, keep in mind that the medium you're so used to were just as ostracized when they first came about. It's still a young creature, video games. I just ask you to give it an honest chance and open your mind to all of the wonderful things that they hold. Give them a shot before you throw them away.  After all, you can't say anything about anything without first immersing yourself into it.