The Friday Debate – That Belongs In A Museum?

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Naths90 can take credit for suggesting this week’s discussion topic, although it’s such an emotive topic, I have no doubt it would have cropped up at some point. Yes, it’s that old chestnut: can a game be considered art?

da-vinci

To discuss this, we need to open up another can of worms that has divided opinion for centuries: what is art? In its broadest sense, the term can be defined as “A skill at doing a specified thing, typically one acquired through practice” (Oxford English Dictionary, 2005 Ed.). This how we get ‘martial arts’ and ‘the art of war’.
More specifically, OED also lists this definition: “The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination… producing works to be appreciated purely for their beauty or emotional power.”
I’ve always preferred to compare my favourite games to galleries, as opposed to ‘works of art’. They are showcases for the creative powers of many different people, from artists to coders to musicians, and just as a visit to the Guggenheim in New York is as much about seeing that fantastic building as it about viewing its contents, the whole is an experience greater than the sum of its parts.
Over to you – can a good game be considered a work of art? Perhaps more importantly, does it matter either way?
Chew the fat in the comments section and don’t forget to mention any future topics you’d like to debate (thanks Naths90).

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