When do "video games" stop being just "games"

I have begun to ponder the broad definition we give the interactive software we are all so passionate about, but can we do better? '

I was interviewing for an internship position at an accounting firm (Still in college), and the recruiter asked me, "So what do you do for fun", I've always loved video games, and is one of my favorite pastimes, but I was adamant at explaining to her that I play "Video Games" for fun; perhaps due to a misguided perception of what society deems is the demographic of "video games": a "time waster" for teenagers, at least from my experience.

But now, as I am enjoying Bioshock: Infinite, and soon to be enjoying Metro: Last Light and The Last of Us, i got to thinking, when can we transcend these experiences from just "video games", and the negative Stigma that may arise from this title for our medium? How can I explain to an interviewer that these are not just "video games" but artforms.

There is no way you can convince me that Bioshock: Infinite is not a piece of art: the imagery, the gameplay, the story, the dialouge, the setting all work in unison to create one of the most astonishing visual achievements I've ever experienced.

There is no "game" to these "games", no discernible method of "winning"  they are pathways and portals to other worlds created by passionate people to be explored and enjoyed. 

Is the term "video game" sufficient for us in our generation of  Infinite, Metro: Last Light, Journey, Mass Effect, The Last of Us, etc? or can we transcend the medium somehow? 

Just say you like reading.

Anyway, don't let Bioshock Infinite trick you, it's a game about shooting people in the face and going towards the objective marker. All they did is provide you with an unusually involved justification for the face shooting.

When the stigma isn't there in terms of how you feel someone will react in a job interview. As far as in the grand scheme of things frankly I think it comes down to the person. Yeah if you focus on the forum poster community(complete shit heads) or some of the games "journalists" or something like that evo dude who was bashing female gamers or wathever you're gonna have that low opinion of gamers which really has nothing to do with the actual medium itself.

Personally I think games are in a position where it's more than just fun. For starters there is competition or a challenge. In my cases I'm really fascinated by the inner workings of a game. I think it's kind of cool all the little things that have to work right to make something purely fun or well paced, let alone try to convey something that might have some emotional resonance in a videogame.

As far as x or y being art I always found that concept 100% douchy. I never once considered praising something I love as something I love because it's art. That sounds so toolish. As for pretending there is no "game" at play in Bioshock Infinite i would disagree. There is definitely a game at work there.

As long as games serve to satisy the craving to exert dominance over AI controlled opponents by blowing their brains out, I don't really see where you're gonna gain ground in the games as art department. Its also not that its violent that's the problem, its that it can't seperate gameplay for the experience vs gameplay because this shit needs to be fun. I dunno though, I can't take games as art seriously. 

Are you worried you won't get the job because you like video games?GamingVengeance

When someone figures out how to make story and gameplay play nice with eachother. 

Hoepfully, never.

Games are games. Novels are novels. They are best when the focus on what makes them good rather than trying to please both crowds and end up disappointing both.

Sorry you didn't get the job :P

But you're right; many "videogames" are substantively different than their counterparts, so much so they mandate a separate categorization.  The medium has shown glimpses of transcending its own definition, but in ways that are either minute or disregarded by the industry and society generally as niche or outliers.  Eventually we'll figure out a way to refer to these "simulated experiences" with a more specific and necessary distinguishing term, but there are still so many similarities between established conventions and the burden of shrugging off 25+ years of classification that it will take something drastically unconventional and upheaving to the industry and the gaming populace equally for such to happen.

Are you worried you won't get the job because you like video games?GamingVengeance

[QUOTE="GamingVengeance"]Are you worried you won't get the job because you like video games?Dead-Memories

So you're ashamed of the fact that you enjoy games? 

Who cares what other people think? Video games are video games and hopefully the name never changes. Once all the old people die out and our generation rules the world no one is gonna look down on you for playing video games :Pmems_1224

[QUOTE="GamingVengeance"]Are you worried you won't get the job because you like video games?Dead-Memories

[QUOTE="Dead-Memories"][QUOTE="GamingVengeance"]Are you worried you won't get the job because you like video games?Basinboy

[QUOTE="Dead-Memories"][QUOTE="GamingVengeance"]Are you worried you won't get the job because you like video games?seanmcloughlin

So you're ashamed of the fact that you enjoy games? 

Transcend? There have been games that transcended from being games. Chrono Trigger was more than a game when I played it. I got really involved and was pondering everything that was happening and what it all meant. I cared about the characters and all that. It turned from game I was playing into a world I was playing in.

Zelda OOT did that to an extend. I think a lot of that has to do with the games being incredibly good. They suck you in and don't let you go till they're finished.

For me but this is very personal when a game goes deep it can transcend from just being a game. Like Planescape Torment had me thinking about things, and the world of The Witcher.

Most people watch TV. Like. Playing games is way more involved than watching sports, x factor, pop talent, dance cooking competitions. So if people really take issue with you playing a game that would be absolutely ridiculous.

[QUOTE="Basinboy"][QUOTE="Dead-Memories"] No, I didn't even mention games at all; I went the cliche: Outdoors, Reading and doing "volunteer work" and what have you. BrunoBRS

1) :roll: Everyone's a critic
2) A bit more to the point then

At the point people in China and Korea die playing them.

Video games are an art form. Period. People will come to accept it. It's already happening, and quickly. So no, I don't think that video games ever will be "more than video games". But that's not an insult.

Who cares what other people think? Video games are video games and hopefully the name never changes. Once all the old people die out and our generation rules the world no one is gonna look down on you for playing video games :Pmems_1224

The people who rule the world will never be gamers, regardless of the generation.

Although the negative stigma still exists with some people, the whole "video games are a waste of time" and "video games are for children" schools of thought has been steadily falling to the wayside for the past 40 years as gaming continues to become more popular.  Being a gamer in this day is not nearly as alienating as being a gamer even ten years ago, in fact I find it's quite the opposite.  It seems that everyone is playing at least one video game these days, whether it be Call of Duty, Madden, Minecraft, Zelda, Angry Birds or even FarmVille.

Perhaps being a gamer is nothing to be necessarily proud of, but it's certainly nothing to be ashamed of and a completely acceptable hobby for the 21st century.

When we all joined this forum.bbkkristian

When people became pretentious.

Videogames are videogames thats the bottom line imos.

[QUOTE="mems_1224"]Who cares what other people think? Video games are video games and hopefully the name never changes. Once all the old people die out and our generation rules the world no one is gonna look down on you for playing video games :PPug-Nasty

The people who rule the world will never be gamers, regardless of the generation.

[QUOTE="mems_1224"]Who cares what other people think? Video games are video games and hopefully the name never changes. Once all the old people die out and our generation rules the world no one is gonna look down on you for playing video games :PPug-Nasty

The people who rule the world will never be gamers, regardless of the generation.

When our generation (the one from 80s or even 90s) becomes the older one :P

I'm 32 and, while i grew up with videogames, they weren't as mainstream as they are today. Out sons and grandsons, wont know other reality. Games will be part of everyone's lives, like movies and books.

They don't, no matter how hard you try, they're still just toys. If you're insecure about that, tough stuff, play with different toys.TxTech1923

This, the whole art excuse is to justify that we like playing with toys. It's no different than building a model airplane or doing a 10,000 piece puzzle.

Also folks, many jobs DON'T want people that play games especially MMO's cause of the bad stigma attached to it.

So if the choice is lying in the interview and say you don't play so you can get a job that pays for food and bills, or to tell the truth and make some big gamer parade out of it to impress people on online forums, I'd say the choice is easy.

[QUOTE="TxTech1923"]They don't, no matter how hard you try, they're still just toys. If you're insecure about that, tough stuff, play with different toys.m25105

This, the whole art excuse is to justify that we like playing with toys. It's no different than building a model airplane or doing a 10,000 piece puzzle.

Also folks, many jobs DON'T want people that play games especially MMO's cause of the bad stigma attached to it.

So if the choice is lying in the interview and say you don't play so you can get a job that pays for food and bills, or to tell the truth and make some big gamer parade out of it to impress people on online forums, I'd say the choice is easy.

[QUOTE="TxTech1923"]They don't, no matter how hard you try, they're still just toys. If you're insecure about that, tough stuff, play with different toys.m25105

This, the whole art excuse is to justify that we like playing with toys. It's no different than building a model airplane or doing a 10,000 piece puzzle.

Also folks, many jobs DON'T want people that play games especially MMO's cause of the bad stigma attached to it.

So if the choice is lying in the interview and say you don't play so you can get a job that pays for food and bills, or to tell the truth and make some big gamer parade out of it to impress people on online forums, I'd say the choice is easy.

Mass effect makes me steamy while playing game ..... is that wrong??hippiesanta

No, Mass Effect is a marvelous series.

Just one of the many examples that show that a "Video Game" stops being a "Game" and becomes a "Masterpiece".

The Vanilla Ending however is a Prime Example of how NOT to end an epic trilogy.

[QUOTE="m25105"]

[QUOTE="TxTech1923"]They don't, no matter how hard you try, they're still just toys. If you're insecure about that, tough stuff, play with different toys.MBirdy88

This, the whole art excuse is to justify that we like playing with toys. It's no different than building a model airplane or doing a 10,000 piece puzzle.

Also folks, many jobs DON'T want people that play games especially MMO's cause of the bad stigma attached to it.

So if the choice is lying in the interview and say you don't play so you can get a job that pays for food and bills, or to tell the truth and make some big gamer parade out of it to impress people on online forums, I'd say the choice is easy.

[QUOTE="MBirdy88"][QUOTE="m25105"]

This, the whole art excuse is to justify that we like playing with toys. It's no different than building a model airplane or doing a 10,000 piece puzzle.

Also folks, many jobs DON'T want people that play games especially MMO's cause of the bad stigma attached to it.

So if the choice is lying in the interview and say you don't play so you can get a job that pays for food and bills, or to tell the truth and make some big gamer parade out of it to impress people on online forums, I'd say the choice is easy.

m25105

They don't, no matter how hard you try, they're still just toys. If you're insecure about that, tough stuff, play with different toys.TxTech1923

Games are entertainment, nothing more. All that matters is the fun factor and that depends on individual tastes. My wife looks down on games even though she puts up with me playing them. So? It doesn't affect my fun. I'm not interested in glorifying games and putting them on a pedestal. Playing them is enough.