There are several major art forms in the 21st century, including music, film, literature, photography, paintings, sculpture and video games.

How are video games art, you may ask?

The concept and definition of art depends on a person’s personal views of what art really is.

Through my studies as an artist, mainly as a musician and composer, I have developed my own personal, and very general, definition of what art is that I will use for the purpose of my argument: Art is the embodiment of human thought, expression and values.

Since video games were developed using human thought, express emotion through storytelling and project the values of the society around it, that is the basic reason why video games should be considered the new “Ars Nova,” or “new art.”

Criticism

The idea that video games can be art has been criticized in the art world. Roger Ebert, film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, has stressed quite simply on his Sun-Times blog that “video games can never be art.” Why?

Ebert states that one of the reasons present-day video games are not art is that “no video gamer now living will survive long enough to experience the medium as an art form” in his blog titled “Video games can never be art.”

However, the issue with his argument is this: how long must something exist for it to be considered “art?” Painting, sculpture and music have certainly existed much longer than film and photography. So why must video games be singled out as a medium that cannot be considered art?

“No one in or out of the field has ever been able to cite a game worthy of comparison with the great poets, filmmakers, novelists and poets,” Ebert states.

I disagree.

Games as human thought

Just like any painting, sculpture or musical composition, an extensive amount of time and effort can be put forth in order to develop a new video game.

Like many a composer’s magnum opus, game creation can take years to complete, in which case many people from different disciplines, like writing and art, must collaborate carefully with one another to reach the end product.

Designers must work with artists to render models that will represent characters in the game. Musicians must work with producers in order to create a score that will add depth to the characters created.

Games as an expression of emotion

Video games also appeal to human emotions, just like any other art piece. Like any classic piece of literature, many game series, such as the Final Fantasy series, can have in-depth elements of storytelling that can be applied to modern times.

For example, when you look at the story of Final Fantasy VII, the game is an allegory to the present day. It emphasizes the importance of earth and energy preservation and defending people from the injustices of mega-corporations. Sound familiar?

Other modern topics that are discussed in Final Fantasy VII — and can be compared to other situations happening here and around the world — are the concepts of terrorism, the function of government in society, and governmental control of the media.

Games as a mirror to society

Video games also play a large role in our society by reflecting societal values and ideals.

In the world of painting, artists portray these ideas through the brush. Painters may use imagery to portray an intimate religious scene that reflects their beliefs, or paint a Greek allegory that may describe their community’s views on love, war and humanity.

Games can also express these beliefs in two different ways: by conforming to a community’s thoughts and standards or by totally pushing them away. Games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time mirror society’s appreciation for heroism.

Ocarina of Time embodies values that we were taught when we were young, such as perseverance in tough situations, good overcoming all, courage and even modesty. (You never hear the hero brag about his achievements in this game. In fact, he never talks.)

Like any controversial painting or piece of music, certain games also conflict with community standards. Series like Grand Theft Auto, Naughty Bear and other explicit games definitely can pose a problem to society’s standards.

However, the shroud of controversy surrounding these games only helps elevate the publicity of video games, as well as the idea that games, like art, are allowed the freedom to express ideas. Games help shape the mind of the people who play them, just as art has helped shape culture and the understanding of the world around us.