Games As Art - Another Perspective

IGN writes:

"As the ‘Hollywood’ era of the video game pushes our hobby further and further into the public consciousness, there’s a tendency within our community to champion the idea of games as ‘growing up’ – gaining the ability to be something serious, something meaningful or productive, something that can rival the cultural importance of film or literature."

[HebrewHammer]

The games as art debate is stupid.

Art, as it has been defined to me over the years, is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination. With that said, almost anything can be interpreted as art, even if Roger Douchebag Ebert says otherwise.

Now let’s assume for a moment that “art” is NOT in the eye of the beholder. Why should video games conform to something else? Why can’t we do our own thing?

I despise these pompous self-declared “all-knowing” patrons of art. Life is short – pursue what you enjoy. I just so happen to enjoy video games. End of story.

[360ICE]

Definitely agree, but there will always be the people who say that in order to be art it has to be only art. With no focus on entertainment or profit.

Seems like bs to me, given that it's difficult to even determine what is entertainment and what is art. And it is very hard to argue that profit can't at least be a second motivation. I'm sure ThatGameCompany want to make a living, and so does Sony, but that doesn't really change Journey as a beautiful experience.

[HebrewHammer]

People say that? Wow, then now the Mona Lisa doesn't even qualify as art, as it incentivizes ticket sales at the Louvre.