Talk

Games are art, most game developers agree. But what does that mean? To many, "art" comes with a very narrow definition: works that are personal, intimate, autobiographical. And there's nothing wrong with that in and of itself, but I'd like to argue that more is possible. By placing games in the greater framework of art, we are acknowledging a wildly varied history that stretches back millennia - and we shouldn't be afraid of that!

In gaming, the word "epic" is used constantly, but never with its actual meaning. We tell stories that are huge in scale but so rarely huge in ambition. Why? I'd like to illuminate some of the philosophical and historical ideas surrounding the decline of the epic, drawing a line from the Odyssey to Paradise Lost to modern indie games, arguing that there is no shame in accepting both the ambition and the responsibility that comes with reclaiming the epic.