If you know Jack Thompson, you’ll recall that he had spread a whirlwind of controversy as he publicly denounced the influence of video games and its ties to real world violence. Lawsuits were following in his wake as he sought to attack what he believed was obscenities in modern culture. However, about 27 years ago, one super-hero had a different and sophisticated stance on the matter of gaming.
In a treasured video game magazine article dated 1983, actor Adam West, who portrayed the original character of Bruce Wayne and Batman, poured out his intellectual mantra on the future of video games. And believe me, it’s very poignant.
“In the same way a painting allows us to gaze upon the faces and souls of people from another age, or a book permits us to linger on the thoughts of great figures from history and fiction, videogames can expand our awareness of the world as it is, was, or might be.
“The medium is still in its infancy, but read this again in a few years and see if this prediction hasn’t come true: as video gaming grows, we will grow.”
Well Mr. West, we are reading this now, and society must admit that you are right. Multiple titles have recently begun to receive recognition for their music and art direction through organizations such as BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts), AIAS (Academy of Interactive Arts and Science) and surprisingly MTV for music awards. There is also a team that tours the world to bring orchestrated music of video games to sold out crowds, known as Video Games Live (VGL).
Reading your revered statement also makes me feel humbled to be a gamer. And might I add, quite sophisticated. It’s one emotion to be in a heated battle while stacking up my frag count, and another feeling to be reminded that I’m engaging in an evolving art process.
Either way, Mr. West, I applaud you.
