Games as art - why do we even care?!?

[AD-Stu]

The implication is that recognition gives legal coverage. That's pretty much a self explanatory rationale right there.

Of course it is, but you can't tell another government how to operate. Getting recognition in even a few countries is all that you need really. And the majority of the countries that still ban films have far more pressing concerns for their freedom than not being able to see the new Rambo.

I just don't see it as an immediate concern as you do. Which I suppose is fitting when considering those countries that still ban movies.

FWIW I live in one of the countries (Australia) that still bans movies. Well we don't call it "banning" as such - the government just refuses them classification, which means they can't be shown. And TBH, our other concerns really aren't that pressing.

Now movies being "refused classification" doesn't happen often, because there's not an awful lot that won't fit into our R18+ classification. But what we do ban on a much more regular basis (as any regular Yahtzee viewers will be aware) is games. Usually they just get sent back for a heavy edit or label change or palette swap or whatever, but it's still an issue.

Here's the thing: it's got nothing to do with whether games are art or not.

Which is why I've been saying all along that the "games as art = protection from censorship" argument doesn't fly outside the United States. Am I wrong about that? How many countries are there outside the USA where that's actually a valid protection from censorship?

 

[KRAKENDIE]

The implication is that recognition gives legal coverage. That's pretty much a self explanatory rationale right there.

Of course it is, but you can't tell another government how to operate. Getting recognition in even a few countries is all that you need really. And the majority of the countries that still ban films have far more pressing concerns for their freedom than not being able to see the new Rambo.

I just don't see it as an immediate concern as you do. Which I suppose is fitting when considering those countries that still ban movies.

FWIW I live in one of the countries (Australia) that still bans movies. Well we don't call it "banning" as such - the government just refuses them classification, which means they can't be shown. And TBH, our other concerns really aren't that pressing.

Now movies being "refused classification" doesn't happen often, because there's not an awful lot that won't fit into our R18+ classification. But what we do ban on a much more regular basis (as any regular Yahtzee viewers will be aware) is games. Usually they just get sent back for a heavy edit or label change or palette swap or whatever, but it's still an issue.

Here's the thing: it's got nothing to do with whether games are art or not.

Which is why I've been saying all along that the "games as art = protection from censorship" argument doesn't fly outside the United States. Am I wrong about that? How many countries are there outside the USA where that's actually a valid protection from censorship?

That's sort of what I've been getting at. Not even in the USA can you get around people legally getting things censored on the basis that those things are art. It's just really hard to, I suppose.