About

Art Thief Games is an independent game studio/art collective based in Minneapolis, Minnesota making human-focused and playful interactive art. It is currently comprised of Samuel Fletcher and Sydney Smith, and you can read more about the team here.

What’s In A Name

Our moniker was born originally from a blog post Sam wrote for a graduate seminar and a couple shared values: that art is a social practice, immaterial theft can (and should) be reclaimed, and “games” are art (and art is probably a better word for what we do anyway). 

Art is a Social Practice

At Art Thief, we recognize creation as a social practice. Games are frequently crafted in teams, art schools emphasize research and critique, and great songs have come from improvisatory jam sessions between friends. Whether in direct collaboration or abstract conversation, great art comes from this cycle of communication, implementation and revision using what we share with each other. Ideas and thoughts are shared through art, and when built upon, get remade into something larger. This value drives our work to be made stronger by community.

Reclaiming Theft

Imitation has become a dirty word and the subject of numerous frivolous lawsuits by rights holders in the music world. But as the old adage goes, “good artists borrow, and great artists steal.” If art is a social practice, then shared ideas are what we respond to, borrow, iterate on, and grow. Deconstructing relevant work, analyzing it, and scavenging what parts are useful makes art stronger. Intellectual property is a legal principle, not a creative one. In a world where generative AI is being used to steal the ideas of others profanely, without regard for context or craft, we find it imperative to refocus on this truly creative “theft” of intellectual property, where we, as humans, thoughtfully engage with the art around us and treat it with the reverence it deserves. 

Games are Art

At Art Thief, we recognize games as an art form where rules and systems create a playful, interactive experience. We also feel that “game” has come to carry a heavy connotation of commodification and a certain culture, and doesn’t quite encapsulate the full extent of experiences we are interested in creating. For example, an interactive sound installation or performance may technically meet our stated definition of a game, but may not be best described as a “game.” So while we are a self-described game studio, it may be more accurate to say that Art Thief is an art collective with an interest in creating playful, interactive art.