Games as Art? Not Likely, Says Kojima

Millions of aficionados shed a quiet tear on their copies of Ico as the Metal Gear guru shoots down their dreams.

Kojima: Slight blow to proponents of the games-as-art school of thought.

While most people are content to argue quietly about whether games are good or not, there's an increasingly vocal group of game advocates that are trying to convince whoever will listen to them that games are art. Just don't try to tell Metal Gear Solid mastermind Hideo Kojima that.

In a metaphor-heavy interview with US Official PlayStation Magazine, Kojima says that games are trying to do something fundamentally different and so they can't be considered art. According to Kojima, it all comes down to how the audience is approached:

"Art is something that radiates the artist, the person who creates that piece of art."

"If 100 people walk by and a single person is captivated by whatever that piece radiates, it's art. But video games aren't trying to capture one person. A video game should make sure that all 100 people that play that game should enjoy the service provided by that video game."

"It's something of a service. It's not art. But I guess the way of providing service with that video game is an artistic style, a form of art."

This will no doubt come as a severe blow to proponents of the games-as-art school of thought. Meanwhile, Kojima will continue to stick to his guns. His next non-art game is the defiantly pretty but not artistic Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots for PlayStation 3.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games