US government declares games are art
Devs can now apply for endowments.
US film critic Roger Ebert famously ignited passions back in 2010 with his assertion that video games were not and never could be labelled as art.
Well, it seems that his government disagrees, having now officially recognised video games as an artform.
As reported by Icrontic, a US government program called the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) now considers games eligible for funding.
The Arts on Radio and Television funding category has been renamed The Arts in Media, with its remit expanded to encompass interactive digital media.
"Projects may include high profile multi-part or single television and radio programs (documentaries and dramatic narratives); media created for theatrical release; performance programs; artistic segments for use within an existing series; multi-part webisodes; installations; and interactive games," reads the new assessment criteria.
Developers in the US can apply for a grant of up to $200,000 for any project that might "enhance the public good."
Anyone interested should probably be aware that they're only eligible if they intend to release their game for free. Still, it's the thought that counts.
