Games are not taken seriously as an art form

I remember when Hollow Knight: Silksong came out and people playing the game demanded an easier and less punishing experience. Soon articles came in questioning the decisions Team Cherry made while developing the game. Terms like "Artificial Difficulty" were thrown around, players venting online that the game was too hard, unfair and inaccessible. Some parts of that discussion show me that games are still not taken too seriously as an art form. The defining property of a video game is interactivity. The player makes an input and the game will react. This is what video games are good at and what differentiates them from other forms of media. What people often forget is that interactivity can also be a distinct artistic medium in its own right. The interaction between player and game does not only deliver art on the screen and to the ears, it alone is a vehicle of artistic intent. It can make you feel many things only through input and its consequences; it can make you feel like you are…