GameFest

The Smithsonian has a serious ghost infestation.

Days like today don't come around too often.

Today was day two of GameFest, a three day celebration of video games at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. The weekend extravaganza kicks off a seven month exhibition called "The Art of Video Games" that should be very well attended, if today's audience is any indicator. It was absolutely wonderful to be in the company of so many video game fans from all over the country, representing many different age groups. It was an honor to sit and listen to living legend Hideo Kojima talk about his craft. And it was thrilling to see some of my favorite video games, indeed any video game, on display at a Smithsonian museum. Video games have come a long way over the past 40 years.

Note: photographs that didn't make it into this post can be viewed by clicking on the picture below.

GameFest 2012

There was plenty to see and do at GameFest, but the highlight was a one-hour conversation between guest curator Chris Melissinos and producer/director Hideo Kojima, most famous for the Metal Gear Solid series. I was lucky enough to get two tickets to the sold-out show. Kojima spoke (via a translator) about his career as a video game developer, his dreams of becoming a filmmaker at an early age, and his opinions about video games and their place in popular culture, society, and art. One of Kojima's most intriguing remarks followed a question from Melissinos about comments Kojima made in 2006 that video games were not art. Kojima used some rather ambiguous language in his answer, I think to avoid saying explicitly that he still feels the same way, but also admitted that video games represent a composite of several different artistic forms, and "interactive" art. His answer was very nuanced and very sophisticated, and I cannot do it service here, but suffice it to say that it made me think long and hard about my own definition of art, and how that definition applies to video games.

From left to right: Sean Eyestone, Hideo Kojima, and Chris Melissinos.

Other highlights of GameFest included video game kiosks, live video game music, and "Live Action Gaming," all set up in the courtyard at the museum. Live Action Gaming was particularly hilarious. Guests at the museum basically walked through a live-action video game, complete with obstacles and enemies, accompanied by video game sound effects. It had to be seen to be believed.

Mario's job is safe for now.

Then there was the exhibit, which thankfully will be around for several months. The line was rather long – it took about 40 minutes to get in – but it moved quickly and I had time to strike up a conversation with a couple of very nice fellow video game fans. The exhibit fills several rooms, one with videos, screen grabs, and concept art; one with video game demos; and one with interactive kiosks chronicling the last seven generations of video gaming. The latter were my favorite. Each kiosk represented a system, and displayed information about four of its landmark games. It was interesting to watch guests flock to their favorite systems and admire their most treasured games.

Hello? Yes, I AM interested in long distance savings. VERY interested.

The best thing about The Art of Video Games is its replay value. Get it? See what I did there? I could easily visit the museum every weekend for the next month, testing out each demo, and listening to the history behind games like Doom, Mass Effect 2, and Final Fantasy VII.

In the end, it was a real honor to share the artistic medium I love with other kindred spirits, young and old. Like Kojima said in his panel, video games have arrived at a place where they rival other, long-established media much sooner than expected. I can't wait to see where they go next.

__________________________

Photographs by Elizabeth Frazier