Video games are art – and it's time they got their own Oscars

Games like The Last of Us are strong enough to merit Academy Awards, argues Nick Robinson

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HOLLYWOOD'S most celebrated actors, actresses and directors are, by now, finalising their outfits and having their manicures in preparation for the impending Oscars ceremony on 2 March. It’s considerably quieter over in the games industry.

Games do of course have their own festivals. The British Academy Games Awards, which will be held on 12 March, are perhaps the most high profile but even these attract limited coverage in comparison to the BAFTAs and are eclipsed by the Oscars and literary awards such as the Man Booker prize. And for the rest of the year, the mainstream media continue to devalue games while filling column inches with serious reviews of theatre, opera and film.

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