Video games are art

Video games of any genre can have an emotional appeal to them. There are many video games which seek to tell a powerful narrative through the gameplay and storyline. Whether they be RPGs (role-playing games), action/adventure, shooter, or even puzzle games, video games offer a wide array of interactive avenues in which one can experience an emotional story or impact.

Video games may not live up to the standards of art aficionados of the past, but times and cultures are changing. In the history of art, there have always been new and rising art forms whose legitimacy in the world of art were vehemently debated. Video games are the new Picassos; widely criticized, but art all the same.

One could argue that art is interactive; a dialogue between the work of art and the viewer. A person sees a work of art and connects their personal experiences with the image portrayed. The viewer influences the art, and vice versa. Video games go a step beyond this to where the player can not only experience and influence the art on screen, but can directly manipulate it.

Hundreds of hours are spent on the artwork and aesthetic appeal of the modern video game. With so many talented concept artists, 3D modelers, and texture artists involved in the making of a single video game, one would be hard-pressed to deny the artistic power behind a video game.