Video games so good that they belong in a museum
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Photo: Gene Phillips
Video games long ago moved beyond 8-bit bleeps and balls bouncing off walls and today are captivating and puzzling works of art. A new exhibit at MODA explores the wide-ranging creativity, design and storytelling power of the medium.
Why it matters: Video games, especially those with rich stories and immersive worlds like those highlighted at "Level Up! Pixels, Play and Progress" offer opportunities to better understand another person's experience, Miranda Johnson, one of the exhibit's curators, told Axios.
Details: On display at the Midtown design museum until Sept. 17, the exhibit showcases the ways that games can bring people together — and better understand each other — in an increasingly digital world.
- Among what's featured: award-winning games like Gone Home (a simulator of a mysteriously empty home), Assemble With Care (a puzzle-driven story about an antique restorer) and Bury me, my Love (a journey tale about a Syrian refugee that's designed for mobile phones).
What they're saying: "The design of characters, narrative, and virtual worlds reflect, and in many cases, inform culture, and can help change our realities for the better," Johnson said.
- "[I]n a game like Endling, a player can better appreciate nature and learn more about the harmful impacts our actions have on it through the eyes of an endangered species."
👾 Thomas' thought bubble: I was blown away when my friend showed me "Stray," where you play as a cat exploring a city and solving problems. Though it's not featured in this exhibit, it's also worth checking out. It's art!
Tickets: $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, students and military — and it includes museum admission. Grab yours here.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify that "Stray" is not among the games featured in the MODA exhibit.