Online Games which are ow Considered Works of Art: Classic Games that have moved online and have been reinvigorated within NFTs & other platforms.
Now more than ever before the boundaries of art are being pushed to their limits as the likes of NFTs and other digital art forms disrupt one of the oldest industries in the world.
Part of this push to have digital artforms recognized is coming from online games, many of which are being viewed as works of art in their own right because they are every bit as technically and conceptually complex as any painting or sculpture.
Here we take a look at just some of the online games of both yesteryear and today which some people in the know are beginning to openly recognize as bona fide art.
Many retro arcade games of the 80s and 90s are now viewed as genuine works of art and their creators revered as masters of their respective artforms
Classic Games That Have Moved Online
Some of the most artistically sound games that exist today are ones that have be honed for hundreds or thousands of years offline, before being brought into the online fold by games developers with a taste for the classics.
A selection of the games that fall into this category are chess, blackjack, and backgammon, all of which are beguiling brand-new generations of players online at the same time as turning the heads of art critics. Chess is perhaps the game whose art credentials hold up the best, with lots of NFTs being inspired by the game and going for big bucks online as a result.
Elements of games like online blackjack certainly qualify as being art-worthy because there are plenty of works of art and photography that borrow the game’s elements. Similarly, the making of luxury backgammon boards has become an art in itself, a trend that has now found its way online at places like Tavli.com.
NFTs have become big business online and have reshaped the way that art is bought and sold, as well as opening up the once mysterious art market to the wider public
Mobile Games Get an Artistic Makeover
In the world of mainstream console and PC gaming there is a general lack of imagination holding developers back as they all race to create the next great battle royale title and steal the throne from Valorant or Call of Duty.
However, the same cannot be said of mobile games, some of which are the most artistically innovative creations available anywhere online or in app stores.
Some of the titles that are particularly interesting from an artistic viewpoint are those which cleverly blend genres such as platformer and puzzler. These include the stunningly weird Samorost 3, the ecologically minded Botanicula, and LIMBO which is a beautifully atmospheric take on the noir aesthetic. App stores and streaming sites such as Steam are packed with many of these games which have the power to entertain players for hours on end, all the while looking like masterpieces.
Retro Arcade Titles the Most Sought-After Art Pieces
While newly created games certainly can pack a punch on the art scene, it is always those games with proven longevity and long-term appeal which really get art critics and online auction houses excited.
This is evident in the inexorable rise of classic arcade games like Pac-Man and Space Invaders, which still to this day garner huge amounts of attention if a new version of the old game is released on Nintendo Switch or elsewhere.
Some modern arcades have now even become places that are part art museum and part gaming center, as players come to pay homage not only to the games that have a special place in their hearts but also to the artists and designers who made it all possible. This is further displayed in the realm of NFTs, where many of the most desired NFTs are connected to games like PONG and Centipede. This is one trend that only looks set to proliferate further as people hark back to a more wholesome gaming age.
