Roger Ebert's Article: Video Games Can Never Be Art

Roger Ebert’s article “Video Games Can Never Be Art” was published in April 16, 2010 on Roger Eberts Journal. He sets the stage for his argument by describing a specific scenario where he was requested by one of his readers to watch a presentation by a producer and designer of video games on Ted Talk. Ebert contends that it is true games can be fun and rewarding to some extent but to no extent should they be compared to the work of arts because they do not evoke the emotional complexity that art has successfully done throughout the ages. Contrary to the opinion of designers and producers of video games, Ebert does not believe that video games will evolve just like speech has evolved from being used as a way to warn and later progressing as

The philosophers’ definition of art is “art is the imitation of nature”. This among other definition of art spurs different opinions on whether games can be compared to art or not. He has used the concept of defining art in different ways as one of the reasons why some works cannot be considered art. Folkerts has illustrated his position by defining art as something defined to evoke emotion through fantasy (pp 2, 2011). Depending on the definition an individual subscribes to, some work can be considered art, for example he states “ I tend to think of art as usually the creation of one artist, yet Cathedral is the work of many and is it not art?”. He successfully brings out the logic that based on the definition that art is accorded some works can be considered art and some will

Santiago, narrates in her presentation that, playing video games can enable one to examine their relationships in the past. Ebert is adamant on this persuasion because he cannot understand how taking back mistakes in video games can help him learn about his real life mistakes. This is a rational explanation to his stand that supports his use of logic in proofing his argument that video games can never be art. Maybe a realistic benefit like social integration could have captured his attention. . “There is a social benefit associated with playing games since most games require a partner, (Granic , Lobel and Engels, pp 73,