Making Statements With Video Games

You may have heard about the recent controversy at the Leipzig Games Conference over a modification of Space Invaders in which the invaders are slowly demolishing the World Trade Center. The creator intended it as an artistic expression, but has since removed the game, saying, "it was never created to merely provoke controversy for controversy's sake." Kotaku took this occasion to ask whether "statements" can and should be made via video games, and how it affects the ongoing question of whether video games should be considered art. "The entire issue begs comparisons to Danny Ledonne's Super Colombine Massacre RPG!, an unsettling and involved title that tasks players on the most basic level with acting out the 1999 Littleton, Colorado school shooting in the role of killers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. Ledonne told the Washington Post that his intention with the title was never to glorify the tragedy, but to 'confront their actions and the consequences those actions had.' Like Stanley's Invaders!, Ledonne and his title stopped short of providing a direct interpretation - neither artist has been especially specific about 'what it means,' or in instructing players on how they should interpret their work or what 'message' should be taken away."

Oblig. Southpark

[halsver]

Too soon?

Re:there is no question

[HappySmileMan]

From the summary:

Kotaku took this occasion to ask whether "statements" can and should be made via video games, and how it affects the ongoing question of whether video games should be considered art.

From parent:

Video games are art. It is long settled. No one of consequence is disputing this.

From the mod:

(Score:1, Offtopic)

This is why I love slashdot.

Re:Anybody capable of programming a game...

[WK2]

Statements and expressions are requirements in most programmings languages.

Re:Anybody capable of programming a game...

[CaptainPatent]

...should on no account be allowed to make "statements".

printf(%s, "Why no... whoops"); //well if we can't make a statement, we should just leave a comment instead.

That's just wrong

[clarkkent09]

a modification of Space Invaders in which the invaders are slowly demolishing the World Trade Center

I can see why people were upset. That's not how it happened!!! A mod of MS Flight Simulator, now that would be more realistic.

But he said "World Trade Center"!!!

[Joce640k]

Everybody knows that the FBI appears if you say "World Trade Center" three times in front of a mirror.

Re:there is no question

[pcolaman]

I'm going to make a bold prediction that somewhere in this discussion there will be a debate over the meaning of the word "is."

Re:there is no question

[neumayr]

Please note how I did not use the word 'art'.
Concerning those bridges, go on, please tell me more.