video+games+are+art

Video games certainly qualify as a form of art. They may not fit into the category of classical painting, but they fit into the broader, less restrictive definition of art that is accepted today. Because video games are a new, innovative form of art that is different from other forms of art in may ways, people are reluctant to label it as an art form. Video games are different from other forms of art popular today such as literature, movies, and music in that video games are interactive. Art appreciators of video games are actively engaged in the art form, changing it and reacting to it. Art appreciators of other mediums passively view the art form. Even with film, which involves action, movement, and surprise, viewers are not free to participate in the process. However, video games are not the first interactive video game, they are just the only one that is popular right now. When William Shakespeare was creating plays and putting on performances, plays were a much different art form than they are today. First of all, they were interactive. People in the audience would interact and speak with the actors who would respond and react to what they were saying or doing. It was not the formal and rigid setup that it usually is today in which the audience is expected to be silent and the actors are expected to ignore everything that happens in the audience. Plays were different during Shakespeare's time in another way as well. Like video games, the dominant opinion did not consider them an art form. They were considered a lewd, morally corrupt activity that only the lower class engaged in. This is similar to how the dominant opinion regards video games. They are viewed as something inappropriate for highly educated, polished adults. They are seen as morally corrupt—mostly that they are too violent. And most importantly, they are not viewed as art. For some reason, society has a problem with art that is interactive. However, the fact that art is interactive gives it another level of complexity.

**History**
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**Opinion**
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**Future Trends?**
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