In this blog post, we’ll explore whether video games can be recognized as a form of popular art—on par with film—beyond mere entertainment, focusing on the “aesthetics of choice” unique to video games.
The history of video games is relatively short. The first commercially successful video game was “Pong,” released in the past, and compared to other art forms, the history of video games is quite brief. However, today video games have firmly established themselves as a form of entertainment for many people. According to a survey, a significant proportion of all respondents stated that they own a video game console, and among younger age groups, more than half reported actually playing video games. Furthermore, the average daily playtime for gamers was recorded at over two hours. As such, video games have become a form of entertainment enjoyed by a significant number of people today, particularly among younger demographics. However, the general public’s perception of video games tends to be unfavorable. The survey also included questions about the general perception of gamers. When the results were tallied—including multiple responses—negative answers such as “people who have nothing better to do when they’re idle” or “people who rarely show up in public” accounted for a significant proportion. This suggests that many people’s perception of playing video games is by no means positive. So, are video games merely a pastime enjoyed by people with nothing better to do or those who rarely show up in public? I would like to argue that games are not merely a pastime, but a form of popular art, just like movies.
Video games released recently boast a much larger scale than those of the past. They feature uniquely crafted settings and characters, and the gameplay typically involves the player controlling the protagonist to uncover the game’s story. This structure shares significant similarities with movies, a medium with which we are all familiar. The difference lies in the fact that movies capture scenes acted out by real actors on film, whereas games use programming code to bring virtually existing characters to life as they move about the in-game world. In other words, movies and games are two media that share many common elements.
Despite these many similarities, public perception of the two media differs significantly. Most people do not dispute the statement, “Movies are art.” In fact, within the art world, film is recognized as a branch of popular art. But what about the statement “Video games are art”? Generally, people interpret the word “art” to mean “something possessing aesthetic value.” In the case of film, it is recognized as a work of art that embodies visual aesthetics—expressed through various cinematographic techniques—and auditory aesthetics—conveyed through sound effects. However, many people are reluctant to readily agree with the statement “games are art.” Where does this difference stem from?
In fact, in its early days, film was also perceived not as art but as crude, lowbrow entertainment for the masses. However, as technology advanced and filmmaking techniques evolved, film began to be recognized as a work of art for the public. As sound films became widespread and filmmakers began using sound and cinematographic techniques to elicit diverse reactions from audiences, a new genre of aesthetics—cinematic aesthetics—was established. Furthermore, films are recognized for their artistic value because they draw audiences into the narrative, enabling them to receive important messages related to reality and, ultimately, prompting them to reflect on what truly matters in human life.
The history of video games parallels that of early cinema. Strictly speaking, video games began by imitating the medium of film, with which we were already familiar. Early video games had simple structures, consisting solely of elements such as scoring points or clearing stages. However, as technology advanced and computers became capable of performing more computations in less time, video games also began to grow in complexity. Many game developers began incorporating video clips into their games and adding detailed settings for the game’s settings and characters. By introducing cinematic elements into video games, this approach effectively drew interest by mimicking the medium of film, which was already familiar to the public. At some point, gamers began to care not only about gameplay but also about the game’s setting and character development; as a result, today’s video games have come to incorporate these cinematic elements as standard features.
This naturally raises the question: Are video games merely imitations or derivatives of movies? Given that most video game direction resembles techniques used in film and that the elements composing games are not significantly different from those of movies, this question is understandable. However, there is one crucial difference that distinctly sets video games apart from movies: the player’s choices. Movie audiences passively accept the content of a film exactly as it is presented. The film’s ending is predetermined regardless of who the audience is, and the sequence of events and the interactions between the story’s elements all unfold exactly as the filmmakers intended. In other words, the interaction between the audience and the internal elements of the film takes place in a one-way, passive manner. Video games, on the other hand, grant players the power of choice. Video games also contain predetermined elements. However, rather than simply accepting these elements passively, players are presented with various possible choices based on them. Depending on the player’s choices, the game’s progression changes, the elements that appear change, and new choices emerge. Therefore, the interaction between the player and the game’s internal elements is not one-way, as in a movie, but rather two-way in nature.
These player choices are a distinguishing feature when compared to other traditional media. Of course, there are forms of traditional art—such as participatory art—where the audience’s choices are important, but in video games, player choice is not merely a component but a core element. Even when playing the same game, players can choose which path to take, and the progression of the in-game narrative changes depending on each chosen path. Through this process, the game conveys various messages embedded in each path to the player and, furthermore, encourages them to reflect on what is truly important in human life. I believe this can be viewed as the “aesthetics of choice”—a unique and distinctive aesthetic specific to video games that is rarely found in other traditional media. Moreover, as computer technology advances, this “aesthetics of choice” is being realized in increasingly diverse and innovative ways.
Some people argue that no matter how lavishly video games are adorned with visuals and sound, they are essentially nothing more than a form of play. However, this criticism could just as easily be applied to movies. Among films, there are those—such as comedies or blockbusters—that exist solely for the audience’s entertainment. Yet even these films designed for entertainment possess aesthetic elements such as visual and auditory appeal. There are even low-quality films that are not recognized for their aesthetic value. Yet the existence of such low-quality films does not mean that cinema is not recognized as art. Clearly, well-made films do exist, and good films elicit aesthetic responses from people and effectively convey thought-provoking messages. These good films are remembered by people as “masterpieces” and recognized as works of art. Similarly, there are games that focus on the player’s enjoyment. Of course, low-quality games are inevitably produced from time to time. However, well-crafted games also exist, and these possess the visual and auditory beauty found in masterpieces. Furthermore, by maximizing the element of choice—unique to games—they evoke aesthetic responses in players in their own distinctive way. Therefore, it can be said that well-crafted games also possess sufficient elements to be recognized as works of art.
Consequently, I do not view today’s video games as merely a form of consumerist entertainment for young people. Popular arts such as film and literature do not merely seek to entertain the audience; they also convey messages that prompt reflection on human life and, through the various techniques employed in the process, evoke aesthetic interest in the audience. Video games not only possess visual and auditory beauty, much like films, but also, through their narrative progression, prompt players to reflect on what is truly important in human life. At the heart of this process lies the player’s choices, and this “aesthetics of choice” presents us with a new form of aesthetics that was previously difficult to encounter in traditional media. Furthermore, as technology continues to advance, we can expect the methods for realizing this aesthetics of choice to become even more diverse. Video games remain a new art form with boundless potential.
