A horror story set in the 1970s, on a Scottish oil rig. A surreal comedy in which a travelling salesman gets lost in a strange Yorkshire town. And a fantasy about overthrowing a corrupt government. 

These are not descriptions of books or films, but of video games. On Tuesday night, all of them won big at this year's BaftaAn award given at the British Academy Film Awards ceremony. game awards.

The pick of the crop, however, was Astro Bot: a freneticFast, frantic and uncontrolled. PlayStation 5 platform game starring a cute robot. It took home five trophies, including best game.

This came as little surprise. Astro Bot has been a critical and commercial smash. Gaming Bible calls it "one of the greatest games of all time". It has scooped up a total of 195 Game of the Year nominations and awards.¹

Astro Bot has been praised for its joyful tone and extraordinarily detailed world. It uses the PlayStation's vibrating controller to immerse players in its world. You can feel the patter of rain and the crunch of leaves beneath your feet.

It also serves as a tribute to PlayStation games of the past, with cameosSmall parts in plays or films that are played by celebrities or well-known actors. from 150 previous characters and special levels in the style of classic games. The New York Times critic Harold Goldberg writes: "All history lessons should be this fun."

Gaming is now one of our most popular cultural forms. In 2024, 3.3 billion people played computer games on consoles or mobile phones.²

The sector is also phenomenally lucrative. According to the Financial Times: "Research suggests that it is not far off generating as much revenue as publishing and filmed entertainment combined."

Gaming was once regarded as frivolousNot serious. . It was a pursuit for basement-dwelling nerds. Games were seen as either childish or violent.

That has changed enormously. Games have become more expansiveCovering a wide area in terms of space or scope.. They can have complex stories and richly drawn characters. One of the most celebrated TV shows of recent years, The Last of Us, is a faithful adaptation of a game. 

Today games rival the novel as our main medium for storytelling. Gaming writer Tasha Acres says that The Last of Us can be thought of as an "interactive novel". Like the best books it "offers insight into the human condition". 

As games have risen in popularity, books have declined.  There has been a dramatic decline in reading for pleasure among young people.

In 2024, the UK's National Literacy Trust reported that just 34.6% of 5-18 year olds said they enjoyed reading in their spare time. It further claims: "Reading enjoyment levels have decreased by 8.8 percentage points over the past year alone."

Yet not everyone is convinced that games are the new literature. When we read a book we have to imagine the world it describes. Reading is a collaboration between reader and writer. Every reader's experience is different. Games demand far less of us - and give us less in return.

The novel also allows us to see how writers and their characters think. For now at least, games can only skim the surface. They are about action. But the novel can be about thoughts impossible to express in a visual medium.

Are video games the new literature?

Yes: Games are more popular than much classic literature. They have a much larger cultural impact than many contemporary books. In a few decades, games might have become our go-to source for stories.

No: Games may seem more imaginative than books because they present fully-realised worlds and non-stop action. But they are limited by their reliance on rules. Literature will always be more expansive.

Or... There is no reason that both mediums cannot exist and thrive. For decades books have competed with film and music for our attention. Games just add another flavour to this rich stew.

BAFTA - An award given at the British Academy Film Awards ceremony.

Frenetic - Fast, frantic and uncontrolled.

Cameos - Small parts in plays or films that are played by celebrities or well-known actors.

Frivolous - Not serious.

Expansive - Covering a wide area in terms of space or scope.