Ebert Makes Me Pull My Hair Out [8 comments]

Brittney

“Video games can never be art”. To any respective gamer, that statement is enough to make you clench your fists, grit your teeth and become overwhelmed with the urge to whack your head against a wall. Repeatedly.

Back in April film critic Robert Ebert published an article titled just that. Missed out on it? Need a refresher? Here are a few quotes from that article to, you know, get your blood boiling again.

“Nevertheless, I remain convinced that in principle, video games cannot be art. Perhaps it is foolish of me to say “never,” because never, as Rick Wakeman informs us, is a long, long time. Let me just say that no video gamer now living will survive long enough to experience the medium as an art form.”

“The three games [Waco Resurrection, Braid, Flower] she chooses as examples do not raise my hopes for a video game that will deserve my attention long enough to play it. They are, I regret to say, pathetic.”

“In defending their gaming against parents, spouses, children, partners, co-workers or other critics, do they want to be able to look up from the screen and explain, “I’m studying a great form of art?” Then let them say it, if it makes them happy.”

Well, isn’t that nice.

With over 4,500 comments later, today Ebert has ‘recanted’ his theory that video games can never be art…kind of.

“What I was saying is that video games could not in principle be Art. That was a foolish position to take, particularly as it seemed to apply to the entire unseen future of games. This was pointed out to me maybe hundreds of times. How could I disagree? It is quite possible a game could someday be great Art.”

“This [definition of Art] might exclude video games on a technicality (are they works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power?)”

“Who was I to say video games didn’t have the potential of becoming Art? Someday? There was no agreement among the thousands of posters about even one current game that was an unassailable masterpiece. Shadow of the Colossus came closest. I suppose that’s the one I should begin with.”

ARGHHH. Just stop. Head asplosion in 3…2…

You can the entire shebang, titled “Okay, kids, play on my lawn.” here.

Thoughts? Is Ebert your B.F.FOREVAAZ again?