Video Games Are Legitimate Art

Video games have touched on many subjects throughout their history. They have explored everything from emotional stories to the most violent plots. There have been a wide variety of stories that touch on historically significant events, but in my opinion there has been a disconnect somewhere on how games are allowed to bring emotion and history together. Games can be a significant art form instead of the social stigma that “games are just games” that have nothing to offer society.

Games can be a viable way to teach children.

When I was growing up I always used to play math games on the classroom computer and I used to take little typing test to see if I knew how to spell correctly( and those games were my favorite parts of the day). Not only that, but I learned how to read better, I learned how to do math problems in my head and I learned how to do it faster. The one thing I don’t understand is that it is always “finish your homework before you play your games,” but what if we were able to combine the two? What if instead of just math and spelling we brought kids games that were based on history? I’m talking about games that let you play through history, serious discussions. There is a game in the works that is called Imagination is the Only Escape, which is based on the holocaust. Many people might find this subject too heavy for a video game, but why? Why can’t a video game bring heavy subjects to life?

The idea that a video game can’t accurately discuss deep topics discredits the art form.

Not every video game has to have a lighthearted tone in order to give a pleasant experience. People go to art galleries to not only view the art but also experience it. I think that video games have a lot of catching up to do with books and film, but it is not impossible. Video games are an immersive experience in and of themselves but with technology like the Oculus Rift, games now have the platform they need to make the leap from a casual activity (yes, I am aware of professional gamers) to a truly informative and credible form of art, not only for gamers but for people who may have never wanted to play games before.

Many game developers and teams have actually gone to art school.

Whether it was for writing, drawing, animation, or anything of the sort, most of the developers have an appreciation for different types of art. We all have to take a million art history classes to even graduate. I am not discrediting the games that are already made, but I am just saying that art can provoke sadness, anger, or joy. Art can provoke many types of emotions and there is no reason that videos games can’t form those same emotions for their players. Like other forms of art, no one can force you to play games that you are not interested in, so why not have more options? A lot of the games I see today are first or third-person shooters, role-playing games, or puzzlers, and it seems that the same formula goes into just about every game. I would like to see more variety from the developers/artists and wouldn’t mind playing games that everyone seems to be afraid to make. Would you play games that have heavier content? What do you think about the direction games need to go?