Why No Lester Bangs of Gaming?
Why aren't there any famous critics of video games? — Chuck Klosterman wants to know. In a recent column for guy mag Esquire, he argues that games are the most important cultural medium of our times — "the culture equivalent of rock music in 1967" …
Context & Ripple Effects
The question follows a May critique of the lack of independent video games, which framed the medium's creative ecosystem as less mature than its cultural reach. Chuck Klosterman's comparison places games in the same conversation as the cultural forms that produced recognizable public critics.
A June appearance by author Steven Johnson discussing games on television also points to games entering broader intellectual media, while the article asks why that attention has not produced a similarly prominent critical voice.
First-order effects
- Klosterman's argument raises the profile of game criticism as a distinct cultural beat, rather than treating coverage chiefly as consumer guidance or enthusiast commentary.
Second-order effects
- Game publications and general-interest outlets face pressure to make room for criticism that interprets games' cultural role, broadening the kinds of writers and editorial formats they commission.
Third-order effects
- If games continue to gain standing as a major cultural medium, authority may shift toward critics who can connect design and play to wider culture—not only reviewers who evaluate releases.
The trend: Video games are moving from a specialist pastime toward a cultural medium seeking the critical institutions and public voices associated with music, film, and literature.