The debate as to whether or not video games are art has raged pretty much since the first narratives started appearing in the medium.
For dedicated gamers that are fans of titles like The Last of Us and others, this question is really a no-brainer. But for non-gamers it seems that coming around has taken a lot longer than anyone thought it would.
But they are, in fact, coming around – with the Tribeca Film Festival announcing that as of next year video games will be eligible for consideration.
Tribeca Film Festival co-founder and CEO Jane Rosenthal explained in a press release that video games deserve the recognition.
“Broad recognition for voices at the forefront of this ever-changing landscape is long overdue, and we intend to be a home for these creators whose incredible work should be celebrated,” Rosenthal said.
As for how games will be evaluated, it looks like much of the same criteria that apply to films will transfer over to games, albeit in their own unique way. It will be interesting to see how that works out in the real world.
Tribeca Games is expanding in response to the enthusiasm we have seen from the games community and our audiences. Games have proven to be one of the most sophisticated storytelling vehicles today — not only with narrative but also with incredible artistic mastery, the creation of highly immersive worlds and providing meaningful connections to communities all over the world. We’re excited to celebrate games and game creators alongside film, immersive, music, art, and more at next year’s Festival.
Casey Baltes, Vice President of Tribeca Games
Overall, the announcement is a pretty awesome step forward for video game creators and the artists involved in helping to bring these pieces of work to life. When you consider the hundreds of hours people spend making the art and music alone for even the most basic games, the idea that games are not art becomes somewhat questionable. It almost becomes natural to honor a medium that is so much like film but with an interactive element added into the mix.
Hopefully we will see more moves like this in the coming years by major media festivals seeking to maintain a grasp on the ever-evolving world of digital art.
What do you think of this move by the Tribeca Film Festival? Do you think video games should be considered art like many films are? Why or why not? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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