Roger Ebert - "I was a fool for mentioning video games in the first place."

[Unicornucopia]

To answer your question "How can someone say that something isn't art when it most definitely is?"...well, they're not using your definition. You kinda answered your own question. Ebert *certainly* doesn't use your definition. I'm not saying I agree with him, but he holds art to a higher standard. Your definition encapsulates pretty much everything, making the debate of what is and isn't art pretty much meaningless.

Yeah, that is all true.

But it seems more like people aren't debating whether or not something is art most of the time. They're debating it's merit and using "It's not art." as a platform to state that it's not "good" art.

Like when someone says, "That's not music. It's just noise.", about a band or something like that.

I think if everyone looked at all the non-subjective definitions of art, they would find that video games certainly can and do fall in to the category of art.


"Your definition encapsulates pretty much everything, making the debate of what is and isn't art pretty much meaningless."

The way I've always seen the concept of "art" is extremely broad, yes. Because I've never seen the definition of what art IS to include whether or not it's any good, or about it's contribution. That's a debate about it's merit as art. Just like a shittily drawn picture, or poorly taken photograph. You can say they're no good, but you can't say that they aren't a drawing or a photograph.

[Unicornucopia]

For all the people that think video games AREN'T art, let's hear your stated definition of what art is. I'm curious to hear.

Same thing for those that think video games ARE art.

[Jonathan Callan]

After years of dickishly arguing what is and isn't art, I have reversed myself substantially. This is my view: if you set out to make art, congratulations, you did.