Video games use images, actions, and player participation to tell stories and engage their audiences. In the same way as film, animation, and performance, they can be a compelling and influential form of narrative art. The Art of Video Games explores the forty-year evolution of video games as an artistic medium, with a focus on striking visual effects and the creative use of new technologies. Covering five eras of game technology, from the beginning of the home game revolution to the current generation, The Art of Video Games features some of the industry's most influential artists and designers, from early developers such as David Crane and Warren Robinett to contemporary designers like Kellee Santiago and David Jaffe. Author Chris Melissinos examines the many influences on game designers, and the pervasive presence video games have in the broader popular culture, with new relationships to video art, film and television, and educational practices. Lavishly ilustrated and impressive in scope, this is the story of how video games capture our imaginations and influence our world.

Author Biography

Chris Melissinos, founder of Past Pixels, is the curator for the exhibition The Art of Video Games, at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. Melissinos has been engaged in the ongoing dialogue about video game technology, social trends, and the application of technology for more than a decade. He is a frequent speaker at game and technology conferences. Melissinos is currently vice president of corporate marketing for Verisign. Previously, he served as chief gaming officer and chief evangelist at Sun Microsystems. During his 15-year tenure with the company, he contributed to and led numerous technology developments, including the formation of the company's GameTechnology Group, which developed Java Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) focused on media and entertainment markets and mobile technologies.