Should Video Games Change their Names?

[Balmong7]

So this was mentioned on one the Extra Credits a month or so ago (I don't entirely remember when), and what they said was that most mature comics did not get truly taken seriously until they were renamed "graphic novels".

So if mature video games need to be renamed in order to be taken seriously as well as stop being considered as things for children, what do you think this name would be?

I have been stumped for like a week.

 

[JeanLuc761]

Interactive entertainment is the best option I can think of but in all honesty, I hate euphemistic language with a fiery passion.

 

[BenzSmoke]

Hmm... How about Interactional Narratives?

 

[Thaius]

It's a video.

It's a game.

Video-game.

Don't fix won't aint broke.

But they are no longer simple games, just like movies are no longer simple "motion pictures." They have evolved into an art form, and they are being seen as worthless toys because of the word "game." It's not broken, it's just trite, and it's hurting the medium.

OT: Interactive Fiction is the best I can come up with, though that would leave out nonfiction games like Six Days in Fallujah (assuming it ever gets made). The term "interactive" would have to be there to separate it from other narrative forms of art. It's a tough one: we'd likely have to borrow a word from Latin or Greek or something if we want a good, universally acceptable term. But I agree, it wouldn't be bad to change it.

 

[Netrigan]

So this was mentioned on one the Extra Credits a month or so ago (I don't entirely remember when), and what they said was that most mature comics did not get truly taken seriously until they were renamed "graphic novels".

Well, a lot of that was a group of people who were trying to differentiate what they were doing from the stereotypical comic book fare. If you're releasing an anthology of tragedies in Depression Era New York, then having your work lumped in with talking animal and super-hero comics is a drawback when shopping it around for publishers (see the story behind Will Eisner's Contract With God).

But if you're just going to publish a more expensive She-Hulk comic (which is exactly what DC & Marvel did the second the term "graphic novel" started gaining traction in the early 80s), then who the fuck are you trying to fool? These days, it's basically a marketing term to separate the monthly magazine from their more expensive book editions. In the end, the rising tide of quality books did more to gain the respect of the mainstream world than the name change; but the name change did allow you a moment to explain why a graphic novel was different in the nano-second it took the unwitting public to realize that this is a comic book (also see story behind Will Eisner's Contract With God).

If someone came along doing something truly different from what people think video games are, then it would be worth a name change. Otherwise, you're just a Trekkie who wants to be called a Trekker. Stick with the horse that brought you.

Video game describes exactly what's on the tin and 99% of the games released are exactly what people think of when you say video game. No need for a name change. Want respect, you have to earn it the hard way by creating much more intelligent offerings.

 

[minoes]

You´ve got to remember that the original graphic novel were not actually comic books, but a sub genere just like visual novels are a sub genere of video games.

 

[badgersprite]

Ah, corporate speak. Beating people at their own game, are we? Huh. Just put some derivative of the word 'synergy' in the name or description somewhere and it will make executives and marketers happy. They like that word.

 

[Stuntkid]

Graphic Interactions?

I could think of a better one later. But that's what I have right now.

 

[spartan231490]

Interractive entertainment sounds alright, although I hate political correctness, so I'll still call them video games in all likelyhood.

 

[DustyDrB]

Doesn't bother me. Besides, the suggestions people are coming up with sound too "mechanical", if that makes sense. You could just say VG instead of Video Games, like they did with VHS and do with DVD. But then it sounds like the Beegees. And nothing kills me day like getting "Stayin' Alive" stuck in my head...oh, shit. It's happening.

 

[starwarsgeek]

I can't really think of something that fits without sounding kind of boring. Of course, many other media have an important-sounding name, so I guess someone will need to come up with one eventually...

 

[Scars Unseen]

"Mind Withering Time Sinks," perhaps?

Ooh, ooh, I know! "Innocence Devouring Devil Spawn!"

Oh wait, you mean you wanted to improve their public image.

 

[Treefingers]

That's a silly idea.

They're called video games. Leave it at that.

 

[spacepope22]

It's a video.

It's a game.

Video-game.

Don't fix won't aint broke.

Agreed.

To me, it's the only name that makes sense.

 

[Omikron009]

Electromotive Man-Powered Interactive Entertainment Engine. I can't think of a more steampunk name than that.

 

[Trogdor1138]

Changing names to be more "mature" would be a waste of time, it would just be a really pretentious snobby thing to do. Video Games is exactly what they are and what they always should be.

The whole graphic novel vs. comic thing makes me sigh too. Watchmen is my favourite comic and whenever I call it that I get a bunch of people going "OH NO IT IS A GRAPHIC NOVEL BECAUSE IT'S INTELLIGENT BLAHBLAH". What a bag of crap, they're called comics, they only came up with the other term to sound more sophisticated. Not to mention Watchmen was originally published in 12 issues, so technically it doesn't even fit the fans definition of Graphic Novel anyway (usually reffered to as a self contained larger comic).