Games are currently in a stage of self-verification, attempting to force everyone to accept the medium as "art." The idea as games as art is nothing new, and harks back to the founding statements of Electronic Arts, "Can a computer make you cry?" Years later, Electronic Arts's Head of Talent Acquisition, Matthew Jeffery, was so confident that this goal was well beyond reach that during a speech at Swansea International Animation Festival he made several statements as direct jabs pointed at the film industry. The truth is however, the current state of gaming is far from the artistic realm than many of fellow modern mediums, suffering primarily from their incessant need to prove themselves as art.
Many of the games that gamers point to as "works of art" were made with that purpose in mind .The developers of these games set out to make a game that would be defined as "art," and consequentially, the player is left acutely aware during the entire process. When the goal you set out is to make games are, this intent will bleed through your work, devaluing any efforts and strides you may have actually made. The moment your audience stops and thinks "This is art" you have completely destroyed immersion and atmosphere. Though some may applaud your game for this very intent, they are only applauding because they agree with the intent, like a conservative clinging to Atlas Shrugged, gaining pleasure not out of the work but the ideas behind the work.
Great art isn?t great art, it happens upon it. The greatest works of art our beloved for their content, not for attempting to be superior to the works around them. The works of Mozart existed for their own various reasons, as the artist saw fit, and none of them to prove to others how artistically valid operas sung in German are, nor did Verdi write Tosca to validate the romantic period as an art form. Even in a medium?s infancy, such as early film, the works that left a continual impact were works that happened onto art through the process. Citizen Kane had not set out to prove that films were an artistic medium of the future, he had a story, an idea, a premise he was itching to tell, and the techniques unique to his medium to do it. Great art is achieved only in the end, not in the piece?s origin. Starting with the intent to be validated art results in shallow pieces that only serve as minor stepping stones towards a greater future.
However, despite this general flaw that exist through a the general game development world, there are some grand exceptions; games, designers, and development teams that are creating pieces that will likely stand the test of time as beautiful works of their craft, as advancements in their fields, and as great works of art. Among these great achievers is Valve, a company who is rarely mentioned when examples are being sent for games as art. Both Half-Life and Portal are incredible works that excel in their craft and conveying a message through their mediums. Valve has succeeded in creating a game that has grabbed their audience so well that they haven?t even stopped to consider that the game they were playing might be considered a work of art - because there is no need to consider. Valve is comparable to the likes of The God Father series, The Cohen Brothers, and countless others in various fields in that they craft works that have proven to not only resonate with a large audience in a grand way, but can be valued as high as anything else in their field.
My dear, beautiful darling.
My child that I admire.
To my dear, farewell!
My dear girl, why don't you stay away, yes away from science?
My dear, dear girl.
To my lovely.
To my dear.
To my dear.
To my Child.
My dear, dear to me!
- Translated final words of Portal 2
Many of the games that gamers point to as "works of art" were made with that purpose in mind .The developers of these games set out to make a game that would be defined as "art," and consequentially, the player is left acutely aware during the entire process. When the goal you set out is to make games are, this intent will bleed through your work, devaluing any efforts and strides you may have actually made. The moment your audience stops and thinks "This is art" you have completely destroyed immersion and atmosphere. Though some may applaud your game for this very intent, they are only applauding because they agree with the intent, like a conservative clinging to Atlas Shrugged, gaining pleasure not out of the work but the ideas behind the work.
Great art isn?t great art, it happens upon it. The greatest works of art our beloved for their content, not for attempting to be superior to the works around them. The works of Mozart existed for their own various reasons, as the artist saw fit, and none of them to prove to others how artistically valid operas sung in German are, nor did Verdi write Tosca to validate the romantic period as an art form. Even in a medium?s infancy, such as early film, the works that left a continual impact were works that happened onto art through the process. Citizen Kane had not set out to prove that films were an artistic medium of the future, he had a story, an idea, a premise he was itching to tell, and the techniques unique to his medium to do it. Great art is achieved only in the end, not in the piece?s origin. Starting with the intent to be validated art results in shallow pieces that only serve as minor stepping stones towards a greater future.
However, despite this general flaw that exist through a the general game development world, there are some grand exceptions; games, designers, and development teams that are creating pieces that will likely stand the test of time as beautiful works of their craft, as advancements in their fields, and as great works of art. Among these great achievers is Valve, a company who is rarely mentioned when examples are being sent for games as art. Both Half-Life and Portal are incredible works that excel in their craft and conveying a message through their mediums. Valve has succeeded in creating a game that has grabbed their audience so well that they haven?t even stopped to consider that the game they were playing might be considered a work of art - because there is no need to consider. Valve is comparable to the likes of The God Father series, The Cohen Brothers, and countless others in various fields in that they craft works that have proven to not only resonate with a large audience in a grand way, but can be valued as high as anything else in their field.
My dear, beautiful darling.
My child that I admire.
To my dear, farewell!
My dear girl, why don't you stay away, yes away from science?
My dear, dear girl.
To my lovely.
To my dear.
To my dear.
To my Child.
My dear, dear to me!
- Translated final words of Portal 2
