Are The Press Neglecting Games As Art?

Thanks to the Guardian Online for their article discussing whether the press are rating games seriously enough as an artform. According to journalist/researcher Matteo Bittani, "the games press in general is guilty of treating games as if they had no other relevance than being mere commercial products." He goes on to argue that: "Games are still being assessed by the same criteria of playability, graphics, sound and longevity as they were 15 years ago, causing the analysis to just boil down to 'technological determinism in full effect'." Is there any merit to reviewing games on more conceptual, artistic grounds, or is that idea overly pretentious?

Comments

Oh please, not again.

[jotaeleemeese]

Honestly, why people playing games compulsively need to validate the love for their hooby with spurious claims like this?

Games are an untilitarian product, and as long as this is what takes precedence over aesthetic values, games will rigthly continue to be classed as what they are: a passtime.