Moving Forward by Looking Back: Using Art and Architectural History to Make and Understand Games

Background: The State Of Game Art

Like in many industries, trends in game art dictate how artists earn jobs. Commonly, these trends are tied to the state of computer graphics technology in home computers and video game consoles. They can, however, also vary based on the size and structure of art teams for games. Large studios more closely mirror technological advancement, as they possess the resources to create “state of the art” graphics for games. Small studios, especially those identifying as “independent”– studios who create games without the backing of large publishers and often within a community of other independent studios (Crecente, 2013) – are more agile in adopting new styles, but are still subject to follow what is “in vogue” to meet consumer demand.

This section will establish art trends within the game industry and offer insight into how these trends are affected by studio sizes, technological trends, and accessible digital art software.