Since the birth of the medium, many have debated whether video games have the potential to rise to the level of artistic significance. Roger Ebert famously weighed in on it in 2010 in an article titled Video Games Can Never Be Art.

Ebert maintained that video game designers are not “worthy of comparison with the great poets, filmmakers, novelists, and poets.” While Ebert’s piece accurately depicts the medium’s current shortcomings, he fails to see that video games hold the same artistic potential as any other established medium. Furthermore, it is difficult to see any merit in Ebert’s statement, given his lack of experience with the medium.

I believe that artistic potential becomes apparent when a creation is driven by the human need for self-expression.

However, I recognize that most contemporary video games can not be viewed as genuine, because many modern, big-budget, popular titles seem to be spawned not from the desire to share a feeling or an idea, but rather, by the corporate need to make a profit.

The commercial sell-out is apparent in games like Grand Theft Auto V (which has gone on to become the fourth selling best game of all time). Whereas the series’ previous iterations have been successful satire of masculine fantasies in contemporary culture, GTA V appeals solely to the crowd that craves this content. As a result, it drops its potential to compel. While the franchise’s previous titles have taught me to be more critical of the media I consume, GTA V has done nothing of benefit for me — or anyone.

The title also houses some pretty glaring issues, such as an obviously inconsistent story. Nevertheless, the game went onto receive rave reviews.When one reviewer gave it a favorable review but criticized the game’s unfavorable representation of women, the reviewer received a flurry of unreadable comments with sexist insults.

This is largely the reason why video games have yet to widely become art. It is because the most immature fans are the most vocal ones. Unfortunately, these fans have come to represent gaming as a whole. As a result, developers cater exclusively to these types by constantly producing unoriginal big budget action games, because they are too afraid to branch out and make compelling and original content. This will repeat until enough people stop supporting them.

Furthermore, this is the reason behind the general perception that video games are only for children, angsty teenagers and adults who can’t let go of their childhood. Unfortunately, big-budget games are the only ones that return a large profit. They are able to market themselves effectively, making them gain undeserved recognition. And while genuinely compelling and moving games are still released occasionally, they receive next to no recognition, besides from reviewers. Sadly, it is the industry itself that has lost sight of the artistic potential of mainstream games.

There are also mainstream games that many gamers hold up as artistic, such as 2013’s The Last of Us. Fans defend it for being an emotional and captivating experience. Though, in reality, it is just another attempt at the Walking Dead, as it takes the same tropes and also puts them in a realistic perspective. It also presents itself in an unconventional manner. It is far more akin to a movie, rather than a game, which is no surprise given its lack of originality. More or less every mainstream game praised for its story in recent years are just as derivative.

That is not to say that I disagree with the notion that games can be art. There are some titles I have placed on that level, such as 2000’s Deus Ex and 2001’s Silent Hill 2.

However, as I have stated before, the debate is irrelevant. It is impossible to say everything in a single medium is artistic. Furthermore, by definition, art is entirely subjective. As a result, one shouldn’t even bother defending their favorite mediums as a whole.