Whether games are art (the way movies are) is an actual debate. There are arguments on both sides. Most notably Roger Ebert who definitively says games are not art and can't be art because the players CHOOSE what happens. (Or something to that effect) Even the most classic games have never been considered art. How could anyone thing chess or checkers being considered art?
It's and interesting debate. Me, I think they are art. Not art in the classic sense, (Cave paintings, canvas, Rembrant and all) but the sense that someone (or a group of people) create something out of nothing and GIVE of themselves to the world. Art is about bestowing gifts. Every time someone gives of themselves into the ether and says "Look what I thought of this, want the world to have it and don't you think its fucking AWESOME" So yes, games are art – especially, the original flash indie games. Those guys? They are the artists of the games world.
Does that mean, every Mochi powered, WordPress hosted flash portal is an art gallery? Maybe.
Originally appeared http://laurent-courtines.com/if-games-are-art-why-are-there-no-galleries-o from http://laurent-courtines.com
