In the society today, technology has expanded our knowledge on the mediums of art upon which artists can relay their workpieces and tell their stories. Video games exist as a new art form, where the different shapes and movement used deviates from the traditional artistic expression into a unique experience. Additionally, video games entail a combination of creative elements and forms that create transcendence. Also, technology has enabled artists to personalize the aesthetic experience through an interactive story that has multiple paths and endings. This essay therefore seeks to explain why video games are works of art.
The debate over the philosophical proposition that video games are works of art have remained deeply rooted in the society. Video games are a collision of science and art. According to Jeffrey, no single property is common to all works of art; he suggests artifactuality plus the aesthetic experience as an adequate criterion that differentiates works of art (Jeffrey 1). The sculptures used in games are in the form of 3D modeling, illustrations, and narrative arcs, all of which defines art. One of the aspects used in gaming that gives its aesthetic appearance as a work of art is cell shading. Coleman suggests that cell shading is a non-photorealistic rendering style that makes computer graphics used in the production of games to appear as hand drawn pieces of art (Coleman 1). As such, cell shading makes the elements transcends into one artistic piece that engulfs the mind of the player. The player merely becomes an art observer as he visualizes all the aspects of art that were incorporated from an amalgam of different forms.
As a new artistic expression, video games have deviated from the traditional forms of expression. Koster acknowledges that “video games are composed of rules that specify allowable shapes, movements and a combination of both” (Koster 15). In art, an abstract rule systemizes shapes and actions and through the combination of these two aspects and the merge of story elements, a new form of art emerges. Not only are these aspects altered to create movement but also, this helps in building the visual metaphor and ambiance that selectively distinguishes one game from another. Gee suggests that “humans find story elements profoundly meaningful and are at a loss when they cannot see the world regarding the features” (Gee 58). The story elements are significant in the context of a game, however, without the elements of art in the games, they have no defined value.
Technological advancements have enabled us to view life differently. Burke asserts that technology has allowed artists to personalize their artistic experience and tell their interactive stories through multiple paths and endings (Burke 11). The proactive experience that games provide can only be defined as a work of art. From the onset of the game, the player is engulfed in a visual-motoric-auditory and a symphony that encompasses decision making, to create a new virtual story (Buner 5). The pleasure a game gives to its player is composed of artistic styles that enhance sound, mood, and ambiance.
To sum up, through the visual and auditory styles used by producers, video games emerge as works of art. The player is introduced to an amalgam of different art forms that have deviated from the traditional artist expression into a new experience. Furthermore, through encompassing elements of art and an interactive story a unique adventure with multiple paths and endings are created leading to a new form of art.
Works Cited
Buner, James. Actual Minds, Possible Worlds. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2006.
Burke, K. The Philosophy Of Literary Forms. Berkely: University of California Press, 2013.
Coleman , Jahmel. Visual Styles in Video Games. 8 January 2018. 19 March 2018.
Gee, Paul. "Why Game Studies Now?" Games and Culture 1.1 (2006): 58-61.
Jeffrey, Dean T. "The Nature and Concepts and the Definition of Art." The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism 61.1 (2003): 1-6.
Koster, Richard. A Theory of Fun for Game Design. Scottsdale: Paraglyph Press, 2005.
