I spent much time in my early youth, to escape the monsters in "Alone in the Dark", to solve the riddles of "Myst" or to build cities with dementia "Sim City".

My parents grumbled, saying that these games were stultifying. And now today, the Gaite Lyrique, and even the Grand Palais devote their exhibitions!

My generation grew up along with the video game. The first game, Spacewar, was created in 1960 but it is mostly in the 80s with the development of arcade games we all been caught Pac-Man and company.

Since then, the economy "videogame" has surpassed film in terms of revenue, and ranks among the cultural industries as well as the music or the book.

However, the video game is an art?

The question is debatable. The ask is already to wonder what a work of art ... In solidarity with the students who took the tray philosophy, I feel I need some floor on the issue!

Well, one definition of art that I particularly like is the one who said that art "makes us see the invisible." It transcends reality. For example, when Van Gogh painted a tree, this tree is unique. At the same time, this tree is so strong, so vibrant, it is a sort of epitome of the tree.

Is there a quintessence of the tree in video 192.168.l.l? Is that reality is transcended in Sonic?

Moreover, the great works of art are also able to reveal to ourselves. For example, we have all experienced great stories to read and say: this writer has expressed what I thought, what I felt so subtle and beautiful! Is there this kind of experience with video games?

Similarly if the art illuminates the world and awakens the conscience, can we say that all games of "Shooter" (literally "kill them all"), participating in an elevation of our moral and political consciousness ? I doubt it!

And finally, we forget that the game is primarily a game of one-Dirait Happy Families game, chess or board game that is art? Certainly not!

Yet video games are original creations, which have their aesthetic and gives pleasure ... They put our bodies and our sense of adventure in the heart and give us to experience sensory and emotional experiences as a novel can do certain works of arts. They immerse us in the universe strong and sometimes poetic.

While art or not? It will probably expect that video games of all recognition to capture an artistic status. And it's not for now! Because the mistrust still rightly or wrongly to the public. Video games are stupid, time, violent and would be detrimental "real" activities.

While for me, spending time clutching a joystick, I have probably more muscular my fingers that my legs so far, this hyperactivity videogame does not make me an antisocial violent and acculturated. The game was never replaced nor the book nor the film or music. It has only become superimposed.

Sony: acquisition of the platform of online games Gaikai

The Japanese electronics giant Sony announced Monday the acquisition of the next U.S. platform video addicting games online Gaikai.

Approval for this acquisition was signed on June 30, and the operation should be completed in late August, allowing the subsidiary Sony Computer Entertainment to use later-developed technologies Gaikai to expand its offering of games via the internet.

"By merging the experience and expertise of Sony's games and techniques Gaikai, we can offer services in the cloud (cloud) extremely successful", welcomed the subsidiary of the Japanese group said in a statement released in Tokyo. Gaikai uses techniques known as cloud computing and "cloud computing".

Founded in 2008, Gaikai has developed techniques to deliver online games compatible with computers, tablets, phones, televisions and various consoles, including Sony's PlayStation 3.

"The game cloud is the future of computer entertainment, because he can play at very advanced levels without necessarily resorting to powerful machines, the necessary resources being provided by servers," said Gaikai.

The games available on Gaikai have no need to be downloaded or launched through a special software, they are handled directly in the internet browser window, like when watching a video online.

 For information, this transaction will be made by the subsidiary Sony Computer Entertainment and the amount that celle.ci is 380 million.

Dungeons & Dragons Online presents the House of Broken Strings

Since June 25, players of Dungeons & Dragons Online benefit from the extension Threat of the Underdark, through which they can visit the underground world of Outland, which is not really a walkover.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment now offers eight new pictures of the dungeon called The House of Broken Strings. A mini-resort for the weekend, obviously ...

E3 2012: Nintendo opens the ball with the Wii ads U

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is arguably the key event for video game professionals. This is in Los Angeles each year market players make their biggest announcements. The new video game consoles and blockbusters are usually made prior to marketing for the holiday season.

The 2012 vintage of E3 is no exception to the rule. From June 4 to 7, the industry leaders will gather at the Convention Center in LA, the conferences of the three big manufacturers (Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft) running traditional festivities.Nintendo unveils the Wii UIf it has been much talk in the first six months of consoles called "next-gen", those who need to replace the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii, it will probably be satisfied with the new home console Nintendo, Wii U, presented at E3 2011.

The Kyoto group has begun to reveal its secrets a little more, probably for marketing later this year.Once again, Nintendo creates the event, attracting just over crowds around a console full of promise. As usual, the Japanese manufacturer knows to be where you least expect it. Last year, he presented the new console control pad-tablet with a touchscreen.

This year, Satoru Iwata presented at a pre-E3 conference Sunday night, a "U Wii GamePad" revised and corrected (the pads were replaced by sticks in particular) offer new opportunities for play and interaction with the television. What upset the gameplay. He also presented the U Wii Controller Pro, a new joystick approaching those existing among competitors.

Nintendo has finally announced the creation of space "Miiverse" to create a community where everyone can send messages, pictures, videos through the Wii GamePad U but also any other platform (smartphone, tablet PC .. .).

No Next-in console from Microsoft and SonyMicrosoft should by no cons unveil its new console, and more focus on its big franchises and the success of Kinect and Xbox Live. The U.S. company has already announced Forza Horizon and should ride the wave Halo 4.At Sony, same story.

Do not bet on a PS4 at this E3. By cons securities mess, as The Last of U.S.. The giant Japanese consumer electronics should also offer more titles using PlayStation Move. The E3 will also aim to boost future sales of the PS Vita who is still struggling to take off by enriching its line-up.

Sony France did he not launched Operation "on vacation" to boost sales by offering special discount of 50 euros for every purchase of the portable console ...The editors at the rendezvousE3 2012 will undoubtedly be a great year in terms of games.

The show will include the opportunity to discover titles that will evolve on the Wii U. Ubisoft has announced seven games for the release of the Nintendo console showing once again that he knows to be the appointment of new platforms.

The French publisher will present especially Assassin's Creed III, the next installment in the franchise a hit and everyone waits before its release in October.

It will also depend on Far Cry 3, an "Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation" on PS Vita confirmed by the magazine Game Informer and many more surprises are to believe the editor.

Video games: the salon every desire

All that matters in the video game industry is now at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). Players boil with impatience to learn what to expect in the coming months or years. The tension and the stakes are such that Nintendo (111.54 -0.76%) attempted a coup.Normally, the festivities were to begin today at 19h (Swiss time) with the show from Microsoft. (MSFT 28.45, -2.54%) It did not count on the designers of the console Mario. To draw attention to his lecture, the head of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata, has launched a pre-show.

The buzz was immediate, but it brought forth a mouse. We know that the famous mablette (pad tablet of the future next gen console Wii U) is a bit larger than the prototype, it is called U Wii Gamepad and it allows video conferencing while playing: a sacred revelation! Otherwise no release date, no price and no play It was not until Tuesday for details.Microsoft and its competitors can breathe. For the U.S. giant, guests crowded already at the gate to get the best seats. As always, this is the rat race to be the best boxes.

Electronic Arts, Ubisoft and Sony (12.65 -4.46%) will follow in the wake.All the rumors on the machines and games that spread in recent weeks should have their answer. As do we know more about the future PS4 or the new Xbox (Orbis or Durango, only God knows what name they will eventually)? Not sure, but, despite denials and other ad-cons, we should learn more during the next four days.

And if the machines were disappointing, the game should console gamers. Is there a new "Gears of War" and Killzone "in the basket of Microsoft and Sony? Unless it is a" Gran Turismo "or" Forza Motorsport "?" God of War: Ascension "and" Halo4 "will it be convincing? Controller in hand to those in Los Angeles, you can also discover" Dishonored "(Arkane / Bethesda)," Tomb Raider "(Square Enix)," Assassin's Creed 3 "(Ubisoft)," BioShock Infinite "(2K Games)," Far Cry 3 "(Ubisoft)," 3 Crysis "(EA)," Borderlands 2 "(2K Games)," Hitman Absolution "(Eidos / Square Enix) and" Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 "(Activision). Besides the surprises and all games designed for smartphones and tablets. Replies, joys and disappointments in the hours and days ahead.

Video Games: The most anticipated titles from Electronic Arts

The E3, which takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) from June 5 to 7 for Electronic Arts will unveil its line-up video games, most anticipated of The Journal of the Next-Gen, Battlefield 3 video game, Medal of Honor, Crysis 3, to 3 and Dead Space Sim City, here are the details of video games this year 2012.

Program at his press conference under the sign of the digital platform and its
Origin, EA will present its best titles like Battlefield 3, Medal of Honor, Crysis 3, Madden NFL 13, FIFA 13, SimCity and the highly anticipated Dead SpaceTM3 and the next Need for Speed ​​Most Wanted from Criterion Games.

The event is an opportunity to discover and gameplay videos of his greatest unreleased tracks and unveil games that are not yet announced that a new social game for Facebook. The call can be followed live on the site dedicated to EA, Monday, June 4 at 22h (French time) / 13h (local time).

Siberia in the middle, a company creates games for the whole world

The premises of a scientific institute decrepit, full Siberian forest, Daria Pavlova, a young designer, focuses on the setting of the next online video game of Alawar Entertainment, a Russian company that now sells worldwide.

Like her, about fifty other designers, programmers, writers and animators, almost all aged twenty years, working in the development studio located in Akademgorodok, a university town founded during the Soviet era suburb of Novosibirsk , the third largest city of Russia.

Far from the flashy studios of California or Europe, Alawar Entertainment has yet managed to break into the world stage, with games like "Farm Frenzy", "The Treasures of Montezuma" or "Robber Rabbits".Although less famous names as the video game Tetris, also created in Russia by mathematician Alexey Pajitnov in the 1980, but for some that are downloaded over 50 million times on websites such as Apple Store or Android Market.

Of tsunami modeling to video gamesAlawar's success story began in the mid-1990s, when Russia was recovering with difficulty from the fall of the Soviet Union, remembers Lyskovsky Alexander, CEO of the company today released a number of annual turnover of "tens of millions of dollars"."I was a student in Novosibirsk, and with my friends, we loved playing video games," said the little brown 35 at the beard, originally specializing in tsunami modeling.Few Russians then had a personal computer.

"However, there were at university and we sat there every night to play," he says.Until one of their teachers suggest they make a study plan: their vocation was born. Then they manage to get finance their first real game for PC by businessmen from the oil industry.But in 1998, Russia was hit by a terrible economic crisis and should devalue the ruble. Lyskovsky Alexander and his friends give up their games for sale in the country, and decide to make the creation of video games on the internet, called "casual games", to sell U.S. dollars and reap, currency much safer.

Then, the company is gaining fame and launches, in addition to the creation, in publishing and distribution of games designed by other companies. A venture capital company, Almaz Capital, then decides to invest funds.Today, Alawar Entertainment has six studios located in Russia and Ukraine, and also distributes hundreds of games from other small companies, mainly in the U.S. and Europe.A cheap laborThe benefits of being in Russia? Of outstanding academic quality, and cheap labor, says Lyskovsky.

"The further away from Moscow, wages become more normal and can be created for a very reasonable amount of good quality products", which would be much more expensive if they were created in Europe, he says.With the rise of smartphones and digital tablets, the group hopes to strengthen its position in its own country and covets new markets in Asia and Latin America.

A recent study by the consulting firm J'son & Partners, the global online gaming weighed 20.2 billion in 2011 and is expected to grow to $ 26.7 billion by 2013.In Russia alone, the market is forecast in 2013 to one billion dollars against 668 million in 2011, the firm predicts.