Indie games – a new generation of art

Disclaimer: This DevLog is intended to help anyone, who is in a similar situation we are in at the moment. Everyone has to make their own decisions. This merely is our own honest view and opinion, based on our experience. We would love to hear from you, what you think about it all. We wish you all the success and fun you deserve with the development and release of your game! eXplore Studio

Art: ‘Something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings.’* - When the word ‘art’ is mentioned, a vast majority of people immediately associate it with terms like sculpture, painting, or music but less frequently with indie games. Indeed, until recently, developing indie games was not recognised as a creative process, rather a distractive, and unworthy activity where individuals were only wasting their time playing in front of a screen! Fortunately, the gaming industry and its community are continuously nurturing and promoting the creative components so that indie games can be fully acknowledged as art.

Moreover, when looking closely at the seven elements that constitute art: line, shape, value, colour, texture, space, and form, one can easily realise that the creation process of games is undeniably all of these components blended together. From the first concept drawings, sometimes sketched on a small piece of paper, to the final released product, indie games are definitely true masterpieces that need to be showcased. Usually supported by vibrant, engaging music and powerful messages, indie games are unquestionably defining a new generation of art.

Furthermore, indie game exhibitions start to flourish around the globe, from game conventions to museum expositions. For instance, if you happen to be in London or have the opportunity to come to the UK, a visit to The Serpentine Gallery is a must – and it’s free. The current exhibition ‘Third World: The Bottom Dimension’ is an experimental video game, exhibition and web3 project led by Gabriel Massan with Serpentine Arts Technologies that invites guests to reorient their understandings of reality, and themselves.** Visitors are particularly encouraged to play the video game as well as discovering an unfamiliar part of the Brazilian culture. A truly new generation of art.

“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” – Andy Warhol.

“The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So, write and draw and build and play and dance and live only as you can.” – Neil Gaiman, English author.

*https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/art

**https://www.serpentinegalleries.org/whats-on/third-world-the-bottom-dimension/