How Do Video Games Represent Art?

With the advent of video games, the world was exposed to not only a new form of entertainment, but a new form of art as well. As is the case when new mediums are born, there are always innovators, copy cats, and purists to which that medium is paramount to. Video games have risen to become a shining example of this. In the beginning, these electronic gaming consoles were nothing but small pixels on a tiny screen. But as technology has gradually advanced, so too, has the ability of developers to create new and impressive video games. With these advancements, there has emerged several generations of graphics and mechanics that together create specific eras in gaming history. For example, when we look at the original Super Mario Brothers on the

With a popularity as such, there is sure to be a huge base of consumers that are willing to throw their hard earned cash at the new and interesting concepts being cranked out by developers on a monthly basis. So when we considered this, it is easy to see the appeal of utilizing video games as a form of artistic expression. Just as art galleries and theater were the quintessential forms of entertainment in the past, video games have become one of the top forms of entertainment vying for consumer (and human) attention today. Because of this, artists and developers alike have started to recognize the potential for the medium as their new canvas. A study conducted by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) shows that 67% of U.S. households play video games (Video Game Industry Statistics, ESRB.org). This study shows the popularity of video games and only stands as a testament to their increasing appeal. With such a massive audience to extend to, one of the most difficult problems to solve was getting the game itself into the hands of the player. With the help of the internet and services such as Steam, Origin and other digital catalog sites, gamers are no longer required to go out to the store to purchase the newest games; instead, a few clicks and some patience will reward you with the same title in a digital form on your personal computer or console. Because of this ease of access, more and

This audience only continues to grow, meaning that video games may one day become even more popular than movies or music, ultimately culminating in a wide stage with an even wider audience for artists to present their creations. I then talked about how video games are starting to veer off into an avant-garde direction, with developers steering clear of traditional gaming rules in favor of cutting edge and artistic designs. This has resulted in a growing array of games that challenge the very definition of games as well as establish themselves as avant-garde specifically in the field of video games. My final point supported how video games, much like art you would find in a gallery, has so many diverse and unique characteristics that there would never be a shortage of distinct creations. Any combination of art style, graphics, story telling, game play mechanics or others features give way to so many new creations that it makes one wonder if they will ever all be explored. Brian Schrank, an Assistant Professor at the College of Computing and Digital Media at DePaul University, says in his book “Avant-garde Video Games: Playing with Technoculture” that: “Rather than carving out a perfect definition of videogames and holding each game up to that ideal, we can reverse the process. Each avant-garde game