Evoking the Inexpressible: The Fine Art and Business of Games

This interview with game designer Brian J. Moriarty, conducted in early 2010 and published in Eludamos, explores the tension between games as commercial enterprise and as fine art. Moriarty recounts his path from Atari enthusiast and magazine writer to Infocom implementor and creator of titles such as Wishbringer, Trinity, and Loom, and he contrasts the small, self-taught teams and single-author production of the early industry with today's large, schedule-driven studios. He argues that film benefits from more predictable risk and budgeting, while game development remains uncertain because technology must often be invented along the way, and he sees small-team tools as a path toward more artistically coherent work.

A central theme is the economics of release timing and quality. Moriarty distinguishes between B-titles, which are tied to holiday sales or licensed movie dates and carry modest stakes, and A-titles, whose release can be flexible if their quality is exceptional. He cites the industry's scale, describing it as a $40 billion business, and offers reflections on regional cultures, contrasting the high-pressure environment of the West Coast with the academic character he associates with Boston and MIT.

The interview also addresses the decline of text-based interactive fiction. Moriarty attributes its eclipse to the rise of graphics and sound, and he argues that interactive prose could regain a niche through modern devices such as tablets, improved natural language tools, and audiobook-style presentation. He concludes with an emphasis on the enduring importance of cultured, well-read creators in producing meaningful games.