"The reason the world is so fucked up is we're undergoing evolution. And the reason our institutions, our traditional religions, are all crumbling, is because... they're no longer relevant. They're no longer relevant. So it's time for us to create a new philosophy and perhaps even a new religion, you see. And that's OK 'cause that's our right, 'cause we are free children of God with minds who can imagine anything, and that's kind of our role."

-Bill Hicks

I realize to some it's just video games, but I say, everything is what you make it. So with that, I'd like to start a dialogue on the topic of video games as art. I realize this has been done before, and quite well in some cases, but largely, video games are not considered (potential) art as it stands, and I'm hoping to offer something new here.

So. Games as art. The idea to write this was provoked by a conversation online with a friend yesterday, who, said, "games isnt art. It's a form of commercial entertainment whose soul purpose is to raise money" (I was particularly amused by his mispelling of the word 'sole'). Capitalist, much?

To me there are so many disturbing implications with that. The first is that art cannot be entertainment. I think this is a big source of confusion and debate among people. I used to feel this way about music. I would say "most of the stuff on the radio is entertainment, it is not music, it is not art. If I want entertainment, I'll go see a f--king movie". How ignorant, how contradictory! But I was just a teenager, and my views were just really developing. Meanwhile, I thought I'd had it all figured out. Also in the words of Mr. Hicks: "since when did thinking stop becoming entertaining?"

The election, for example. Were people not entertained by that? Were their minds not stimulated? I would say it's very entertaining, and yet it's a very political and emotional event. I think with modern society has come some warped connotations with certain words, and entertainment is a big one in that sense. So, Final Fantasy makes me think. Lots of RPGs do. I mean, they're very political, really. Heck, even Virtua Fighter has gotten me interested in martial arts. I've researched Shaolin-Ken after playing the series extensively with my favourite character, and have learned and thought a significant deal. This is thinking, this is entertainment, and I would argue, to some extent, these games are artistic.

I'm not going to bother trying to pin down a definition of "art" -- it's too abstract. I'm just going on a feeling. I get a feeling playing those games; it's stronger in some than others, but it's there. No, I don't get it playing every game, and I don't really consider every game art. Like music, some things are purely entertainment and it's not meant to be artistic; it's created for the "soul purpose" of making money, and well, probably more often in the case of games, for the fun of it too. And if it's just for money, that's fine if the creator is a capitalist and the gamer is fine with supporting capitalism (I'm not condemning anyone here) -- just don't try to disguise what you're doing as art to make more money.

The second disturbing implication is that video games are, for some reason, limited from being art. Why? Why are books not limited, when RPGs are essentially interactive books (other genres usually share this characteristic to some extent as well, of course)? Why is visual art not limited, when it is such a strong element in video games? Why is film not limited, when CGI is such a prominent element in video games today? Why is music not limited, when music is in video games?

I will say I think one requisite of art is to make you feel something, and I've played many games which have made me feel something. Would some (those who play more than just shovelware) say different? What is the difference between these mediums and video games? The only one I can really see is the direct interactivity. Is this saying interactivity limits games from being art? Why can't it add to it? Video games have the potential to combine every element of every other form of art and allow you to live the creation. The fact it's not lauded as at least a potential artform bewilders me.

This got me thinking maybe a lot of the problem lies with the very name: maybe we should stop calling them games.

I'm excited to debate this matter with you guys, so bring on the comments.

A part two to this article will come tomorrow, delving into the piracy issue and the relationship between gamers, developers, and publishers.