Can Something Interactive Be Considered Art?

One of the strongest arguments against video games being art is their interactive component. For some, this makes them more akin to board games such as Monopoly or Life. However, this criticism fails to account for the uniqueness of gaming and its evolution over the last sixty-plus years. Gaming today is more than reacting to something on a screen. Almost every video game is a unique experience created by one or multiple artists, with some intent to evoke certain emotions similar to those experienced in cinema or literature, which distinguishes gaming from something like Monopoly or Life. Video games also use other artistic mediums to create distinct aesthetics and emotions, such as cinematic cutscenes rivaling the best movies, areas looking similar to live-action paintings the player can interact with, or a soundtrack that leaves a lasting impression. These emotions are not far from what a movie or book evokes. Emotional states such as sadness over a character’s death, awe over the visuals and music attached to a particular area, and so much more are available in unique and creative ways within video games. Countless examples of this exist. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim engrosses gamers with awe-inspiring landscapes and a sublime soundtrack. Chrono Trigger killing off its main protagonist, Chrono, creates a complex series of emotions. Chrono is a silent protagonist who acts as a conduit for the player’s experience in Chrono Trigger, so killing him leads to a peculiar sense of detachment from this world and an urgency to seek revenge through utilizing the other playable characters; these characters range from a robot to a prehistoric female of immense strength. All these facets present a particular artistry in video games meant to capture emotions. So yes, video games qualify as art. Video games express themselves as such through their interactivity and use of different media to create unique experiences not possible for most of human history.