All I could think of when reading Roger Ebert article was that he was simply not exposed to the right video games. His opinion that video games are not art was simply startling. Some of the video games out on the market are truly beautiful. They bring together graphics, stories and music. While they aren’t literature, or written on the ceiling of cathedrals – they are a piece of our anthropology -which I consider to be art. Listen to the following song and tell me it isn’t art.

This song, while not the entire game, is moving and beautiful. Personally it evokes more emotion in me than any painting, sculpture or cave drawing. Added to the actions of a character which I have a vested interest in… It’s beautiful. The way graphic designers are able to create new worlds which can transport me into a different age is amazing.  Ebert gleefuly announces that the Kellee Santiago, a designer and producer of video games said that, “video games are art” and conceded that Ebert was correct in saying, “No one in or out of the field has ever been able to cite a game worthy of comparison with the great poets, filmmakers, novelists and poets.” I had to laugh a little to myself. He sounded like a spoiled child that was declaring victory in a game against himself.

Respectfully, I would like to disagree with his thought process.  Ask anyone who has played a real video game (not that Zynga nonsense or the pre-programmed games that come on your computer) and they will tell you that video games are art. Watch this COD: Modern Warfare 3 trailer and tell me this isn’t art.

Video games are the new paintings in our society. We’ve graduated to false realities and modern warfare. Look at the first version of Frogger and then COD and tell me video games aren’t a form of art.