The video game industry has long been criticized as not being an art form. Roger Ebert has gone as far to say “that no video gamer now living will survive long enough to experience the medium as an art form.” (source)

Art is defined as “the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others. Art is something that stimulates an individual’s thoughts, emotions, beliefs, or ideas through the senses.” (source) The gaming industry has proved time and time again its ability to create emotional experiences parallel to those of other art/entertainment industries; even Ebert’s own film industry.

Who can forget the adrenaline rush in Half-Life 2 when the chimney stack collapses and you have only moments to race to safety, or the relief of catching a flag-carrying friend on your hovercraft mid-air in Tribes.  What about the thrill of accomplishment at dinging level 60 in Diablo III?. And who can deny the breathtaking scenes of God of War III, feeling the sand between your toes in Journey, or the slumber party-esque fun of Little Big Planet?

Chris Melissinos @CMelissinos has been a long time advocate for the art of gaming. At his current exhibit at the Smithsonian, Melissinos shows video games as not just mere play, but “richly textured emotional and social experiences that have crossed the boundary into culture and art.” (source)

So the question becomes, how will mobile affect the art of gaming? More after the jump »