Paxman bigs up GTA

I know a lot of people hate the “games as art debate”. But fuck you all ‘cos it’s a worthwhile debate with plenty of interesting facets.

And it was the first thing that came to mind when watching University Challenge tonight. Couldn’t believe it when Paxman asked “Niko Bellic was the main protagonist of which work in 2008?”

The young lad got it, too. And a hearty round of applause, incidentally, suggesting to me that the audience had no idea who Niko Bellic was, but obviously did know what Grand Theft Auto IV was. The applause was most likely due to the astonishment that a lad clever enough to be on University Challenge also knew about those silly computer game things that little boys play.

Which ‘work’. Brilliant stuff. That’s high fucking art right there. A gold badge for Paxman and a manly slap on the back for gaming. Where are ya', Bragg?