It's a Video Game, Certainly, but Is It Art?

This article left me amazed after reading it. It's a relief that a professional like Dr. Jenkins perceives video game as an art form. According to Dr. Jenkins, in 1999, the domestic box office revenues totaled $7.3 billion, while video game software sales brought in $6.2 billion. He believes that this digital age of video games will soon shake off its label as a diversion for adolescent boys. For a long time, video games has a waste of time that drains away a kid's opportunity to be productive. But now the media is paying much more attention to games by adapting them to film such as Hitman, Resident Evil series, the upcoming Prince of Persia, Doom, etc. Dr. Jenkins states that video games still have yet to reach the same artistic level of movies. That is human emotion. He quotes "I rarely play a video game that makes me cry." I have been told by others that the only game that has achieved that type of emotion from the player is Final Fantasy 7. Simply do to the strong story line. I have seen parts of the game and I can say there is strong human relationship among the characters.

Dr. Jenkins mentions that 10 yrs ago his students wanted to direct films but now they are more interested in being game designers than movie makers. That says a lot about video game's history of achievement. Since the 1980s, games have continuously pushed the boundaries to make the player feel more engaged in the gameplay and story itself. To feel lost in the fantasy created by the developers. Over time, games and movies are beginning to parallel with eachother. However, the only term that sticks to peoples mind about video games is "violence." The majority of games have to do with killing. Although developers have managed to soften that concept by justifying that it's ok for players to kill nazis, zombies, mercenaries, etc., game developers such as Infinitry Ward are attempting a move to make players feel uncomfortable about killing. But that is yet to be seen.