Video Games are now Officially an Artform

Escapist Article link

Long story short: The National Endowment for the Arts now recognizes the creation of video games an actual art form.

While this is only in the US for right now, it is definitely a step in the right direction. I believe it also means they are now protected under the First Amendment if I'm reading this right.

...So? I mean, in the heel of the hunt what difference does it make? Woo, some artsy fartsy council says video games are on the same level as TV shows and movies.

Mostly it matters for the artists who spend every bit as much effort on their works as, say, a painter. It's recognition that they are really artists.

It also means that video games can be covered under First Amendment law, hopefully, which is a problem the gaming community was facing. We didn't want to become Australia or Germany.

Electron Blue wrote:

It also means that video games can be covered under First Amendment law, hopefully, which is a problem the gaming community was facing. We didn't want to become Australia or Germany.

Yeah. And it should stop idiotic blowhard NYC mayors from threatening video game makers with charges of crimes against humanity if they don't censor themselves.

Yeah, I've never understood all the hate on video game makers, and the claims of "corrupting children". If the game says "MA: 17+", that means don't buy it for your 13-year-old.

I just really don't get parents who want to blame everyone but themselves for their kids.

Penguin wrote:

Electron Blue wrote:

It also means that video games can be covered under First Amendment law, hopefully, which is a problem the gaming community was facing. We didn't want to become Australia or Germany.

Yeah. And it should stop idiotic blowhard NYC mayors from threatening video game makers with charges of crimes against humanity if they don't censor themselves.

WTF? I haven't heard of this particular brand of idiocy before.

Aggie wrote:

Penguin wrote:

Electron Blue wrote:

It also means that video games can be covered under First Amendment law, hopefully, which is a problem the gaming community was facing. We didn't want to become Australia or Germany.

Yeah. And it should stop idiotic blowhard NYC mayors from threatening video game makers with charges of crimes against humanity if they don't censor themselves.

WTF? I haven't heard of this particular brand of idiocy before.

Bloomberg got on the bandwagon against Grant Theft Auto: Vice City back in the day, over Cuban/Haitian gang war missions. Apparently a violent Cuban psychopath telling Tommy Vercetti to "KILL ALL THE HAITIANS!" was a call to video gamers everywhere to actually kill all Haitians. In real life. Or something. Unfortunately, a bit of googling so far hasn't turned up the old articles where Bloomberg actually mentioned "crimes against humanity" but that was some of the legal action Rockstar was threatened with.

Elsewhere, Roger Ebert gnashes his teeth

....well, I'm sure he would.