Can playing a video game really be considered art? I personally think so. Why? Because it instills inspiration into the minds of the players and allows their creativity to be utilized. In Chris Suellentrop’s article, he vividly explains how playing a sports video game is a different way to play a sport; it’s not merely inserting yourself into the virtual world.
By defining what it means to play a video game, specifically those in the sports genre, we, as the players, are able to grasp a better understanding of how playing these games affect us in reality. While many people consider the animations and graphics as art, I feel the act of participating in the game is also art. Video games are not merely for pleasure or for passing the time, they engage and influence the player to act or think in different ways. For example, by playing a basketball game, such as NBA 2k13, players are encouraged to step out of the virtual world and to actually play basketball in the real world. They are influenced to exercise more and to fully participate in the sport of basketball. When people visit an art gallery or a museum, sometimes they are so inspired by the different works of art they take an effort to draw out their own creativity and create some sort of masterpiece. These situations are similar to a video game player desiring to step outside and try out a sport that they had no experience in, other than playing the video game. This shows how much of an impact the virtual world has on a vast amount of people, especially since such a large portion of the population engage in video games.
The article also discusses how the virtual world is part of the real world, because when we play video games, it happens in the real world. I have to disagree with this perception. Games are connected to the mental thinking process, not the physical process. The action of emerging yourself into the game is through your mind, as you use your knowledge and critical thinking skills to endure the game. There are no physical actions involved, other than pressing buttons on a controller. It is more important to reflect on how problem solving skills and creativity is expanded and enhanced by playing complex video games, especially the sports games that require planning a proper course of action to play competitively. The virtual world is where we physically do not exist, and we cannot do so unless we create a technology similar to that in the third Spy Kids movie, which currently seems impossible.
Now imagine walking into a museum and the first exhibit you see is an opportunity to play the newest edition of Mario Kart on the Xbox 360. Would you immediately run to that exhibit? Or would you continue on and see if you could find a different piece of art? Everyone has his or her own idea of what art really is, but you need to be able to open your mind and think outside the box. Once you do so, then you can take the time to indulge in your favorite works of art, even if it’s the latest edition of Call of Duty.
Works Cited:
Suellentrop, Chris. “Examined, The Virtual Life is Worth Living.” New York Times. 26 August 2013. Web. 11 September 2013.
“The Benefits of Video Games.” Abc News. 26 December 2011. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2011/12/the-benefits-of-video-games/
I think that playing video games can be considered to be an art. The art of playing video games to me is getting close to achieving perfection in a game as is a masterful musician. They can take the task, whether it is a new piece or a new game, and become masterful in it. The art of playing video games, to me, may not be as highly-regarded as an artist or a musician, but only a few gamers truly master the games they play. This to me validates the existence of professional gaming, which some people do regard as a sport. I agree that gaming is a mental process than a physical one. An artist’s greatness is measured by the creativity and personality he/she puts into work. It is in this way also that the mental skill required in gaming is an art itself like the thought process artists go through as they visualize their art.
I do think that playing video games can be considered an art, but in a different manner from drawing or writing. This is because when one writes or draws they are creating an interesting work all on their own, using their own ideas and building on them to create something that others might find thought-provoking and intriguing. Thus, when one creates a video game I think it is more artistic than simply playing one. Meanwhile, when someone learns to play piano, for example, I do think that is art because everyone can have their own rendition of a composition. Thus, perhaps playing a video game can be considered an art in the sense that one may learn to master certain aspects of the game better than others, but creating a game in my opinion is simply more artistic.
I believe that a video game can be a form of art. When i used to play video games, i always remember imagining what it would be like in real life. I imagined how it would feel to actually participate in some of the activities. Such as driving a crazy taxi into anything that was in front of me, including people and buildings, but still getting paid for it. Then i quickly realized how absurd that would be.
I also remember playing FIFA soccer on my xbox, then calling a bunch of friends to go play soccer at the park because it really made me crave the game. Now that i am older, i definitely prefer playing the sport and being active over sitting in front of a TV pressing a bunch of buttons. My video game systems are long gone.
Viewing video games as a form of art is certainly a radical idea to me, but I can see the merit of this view in certain instances. I actually believe that the graphics and images displayed in the game are art. Since the article you cited mentioned sports games, I’ll use them as an example. The newest versions of sports games are so precise in the way they capture a player’s physical attributes and talent level, it’s almost eerie. One time my friends were playing NBA 2k13 and I had to do a double take to make sure it wasn’t an actual NBA game. The best games even duplicate the stadiums, referees, mascots, and fans, giving a gamer the sense that he’s in a real-life situation, not a virtual one.
I do not think that playing video games is an art form though. To me, video games have always been a symbol of laziness. Granted, the top video gamers in the world are amazing and they certainly have talent, but the vast majority of gamers I know are just looking to pass the time. I also don’t think that by playing video games, one will be encouraged to then go out and play that sport. If anything, it can have the opposite affect. He or she can say to themselves, “I’m not good at the physical sport, but I’m great at the video game. Why would I ever go outside and play?” However, I thought you were 100% correct in that there is potential for people to become motivated through art exhibitions to create their own art. I just don’t know if the same holds true by video games.
I agree with you that to say “the virtual world is part of the real world, because when we play video games, it happens in the real world” is ludicrous, and they are independent of each other.
I really enjoyed your concluding paragraph, and the real life situation you placed the reader in. It’s definitely true that people must think outside the box when discussing art, and this article and your take on it was very unique!
I think video games can be art but not in the sense you described. I believe art sends you on a journey. Whether it be an emotional one, a physical one or any other sense, it sends you somewhere new. If you ever play a game with an intense storyline you become so involved and into the story that you feel like a part of the game. You become the character you started as, and begin thinking differently whenever you begin playing the game. I think this is similar to when you are reading a very good first person novel, how you begin to sympathize and think like the character but in a video game you get to interact with the world as well, so I believe the immersion runs even deeper. I believe there are a few games out there that have had a deeper effect on me than looking at a masterpiece of art will ever have on me. Video games make you feel, so therefore they are art in my opinion.
I think that video games are a form of interactive art, both in appearance and execution. The graphics of modern video games, as compared to those from the early 2000’s and even earlier, have certainly come a long way. Video game graphics have become so lifelike that there’s even a term to describe how difficult it can be to tell the difference between a virtual person and a real person: the uncanny valley.
However, I think that there are certain games where playing them is an art form in the same way that a chef preparing an excellent meal is an art form. The games I’m thinking of in particular are RPGs (role playing games) or RPG-style games, where there isn’t necessarily a plot, but rather an open, explorable world. RPGs are video games that allow you to create and develop your own story line and, in the case of games such as World of Warcraft, intersect with other story lines. And really, isn’t storytelling one of the oldest forms of art?
One game I have a lot of experience with is The Sims 3, which I would consider art not just for its graphics, but for what it allows me to do. I’m a writer, and by playing the Sims I’m creating stories surrounding the lives of my Sims. Even though I don’t write these stories down most of the time, I can explain them in full detail. Not only that, but I become fully immersed in the virtual world, and I begin to almost obsess over making sure everything is running according to plan. I remember one occasion where I was trying to build a house in the game, and at the end of an hour and a half, all I had was the fence around the house, and the front wall. To any other person, it might seem like a complete waste of time, but to me it was time spent learning how to improve my personal gameplay. After all, they do say you need to spend 10,000 hours practicing something before you become a master.
I’ve actually found that the only time video games really intersect with art is when there is a heavy amount of either visual detail, such as Skyrim or conceptual inventivity such as Fez or Portal. Otherwise I see it all as design- art for strict functional purpose. An interesting cross between art and video games is the new interactive movie type games coming out from the French developpers Quantic Dream. Just watching the trailer for ‘Beyond Two Souls’ or ‘Rain’ is riveting enough to qualify as entertainment but also introspective and open enough to count as art.
I found this article very interesting. I do agree that the playing of video games is an art. I am more interested and give more credit to the creators/artists of the video games. They create an entire world from thin air. One in which the player participates in. Similar to getting lost in a painting many participants get lost in video games. So when your parents say you spend too much time playing video games you can reply that you are lost in art. There is a lot that goes into producing video games. The concept needs to be formed, the setting needs to be constructed, and the background music needs to be decided on. I believe you are correct when you state that the learned techniques in video games can be applied to real world situations. I suppose video games can be considered a useful form of art.
I personally love to play video games, and sports games are one of my favorite genre. I am more inclined to agree that the animation and graphics are the art within video games. But, I do like your point about how gamers are encouraged to be more active after playing. After playing a few games of FIFA13 I do find myself pumped to go outside and try new moves on the field.
I agree that art can be inspirational and produce followers wishing to create similar art. I can also understand the idea of video games inspiring action, but you are right there is a big separation between virtual reality and reality. Video games today just cannot bridge the gap; I do like the idea of an art exhibit of video games though.
I agree with you guys that video games itself are art. Video games are formed with artistic expression especially those without any prior basis. If we consider books art, how is video games not art? They both have main characters, a plot, and they can be interpreted differently depending on the person. The use of computer generated imagery (CGI) also allows the art of a video game seem real.
However, I disagree that playing video games is an art. Perhaps this is because I have a fixed image of art but I don’t understand how playing Madden 25 is an expression of art. For me, art is a form of expression that has a meaning. The rules to be considered are loose but if we start considering everything art then what is not art? This is probably why there are so many different museums within NYC, each with a different perception of art. I don’t think playing video games is an art but perhaps one does and maybe an Xbox will be in a museum one day.
I definitely agree with you that video games can be considered art in more ways than one. Not only is the way one plays video games a form of art, but I also feel that the software and graphic designers can be considered artists in a sense as well.
I particularly enjoyed the part when you campared spectators of paintings getting inspired, to video game players getting influenced to go out and try playing the game in its physical form.
I honestly don’t think I’ve ever discussed video games with anyone and the discussion led to an argument about whether or not video games are an art. Which is why I think that’s an especially interesting topic to zone in on. It’s definitely an issue in which one’s opinion decides the answer to the question whether or not playing video games is considered an art. But the fact that we can have a debate on it is what makes the topic so unique, since how often are you connecting video games to something like art? Although I personally may have never seen video games in that sense, I definitely do so now, and the article gave a valid reason to why playing video games should be considered art. I definitely agree, not only with the points mentioned by the author and Nicole, but also because in a way, if you didn’t consider video games art, you would be rejecting graphic design as art. Video games themselves are so complex and they were created for the purpose of entertainment as well as skill building, which is why the author insists video games are sports. But even the design of the video games is art. The technicalities and especially the design make up the structure of the games. We tend to neglect that aspect as well.
Video game graphics is definitely an art form. Although I do not know the technical steps or the exact skills necessary for the field, I can imagine how much time and effort goes into the visual aspect of the game. We’ve come a long way from the first table tennis video game to the now near-real graphics.
But I do not think the act of participating in the game is an art. In the end, a game is programmed for a set of possibilities. And whatever happens in the game plot or play through is dependent on the program that the game was built on. I do agree that video games have the power to engage and influence and stimulate the mind, but so do books. But then, the act of reading isn’t considered an art because it is simply reading words off a paper. It can be said it’s like how you described it, just pressing buttons.