They are constantly evolving – but are computer games art?

I still get a lot of surprised looks when I tell people that, starting in October, I'll become the Victoria and Albert Museum's first ever games designer in residence.

It could be because I'm only 23, but I suspect it's really rooted in the fact that a traditional arts institution – more commonly associated with porcelain, fabric and furniture – is employing a games designer at all.

When asked to name the very first video game, many people in my field point to Spacewar!, created at MIT in 1961. It's a lot like it sounds: two players controlling space ships attempt to destroy each other whilst avoiding being destroyed themselves. In the great genealogy of video games, this is the Adam (or Eve) that gave rise to an art form so impactful, it's possible for a video game franchise to sell more copies than The Who sold records.

Although not everyone agrees. As long ago as 1980, film critic Roger Ebert argued that games could never be art – because art can't be 'won' – and in 2005, he decreed that "video games represent a loss of those precious hours we have available to make ourselves more cultured, civilized and empathetic".

And yet, video games have come a long way since those first steps in the 60s. As designers, we're no longer bound by the strict constraints of nascent technology, and new games are even questioning what it means to 'win'. That's why the V&A residency is so important. It recognises the fact that the changing digital and technological landscape has caused us to expand our concept of what the term 'video game' means. It's evident from the output that video games can be inspired by art; they can inspire art; and, ultimately, they deserve to be bracketed – along with film, TV and animation – as art.

Even from a young age, my interests in games and art have coincided. As a child, I found our Amiga 500 computer much more interesting than the cartoons I watched on a Saturday morning, and Deluxe Paint software inspired me to create my own graphics and animations. This led me to pick specialised courses in games at Norwich University of the Arts and Abertay University once I started to think about my future.

The residency is also a signal to a new generation – and their parents – that gaming can be just as much about art and design as it is about computers and coding. In the emerging digital economy, it's vital that young people and their parents adapt their view of what a successful career looks like. Plenty of parents will encourage their children to look to a career in technology; fewer will encourage a career in the arts. But how many even know that they can encourage a career in both?

I recently spoke on these themes at Campus Party, where I also heard O2 CEO Ronan Dunne talking about the problem young people face in getting the right advice and support in building a career in the digital age. That really struck a chord with me – it's not about young people's aptitude, it's about making sure young people are aware of the opportunities so they can make the right choices.

I'm a good example of this myself: women now account for 47% of gamers, but just 18% of the game design students at my university were female. We need to give young people, especially girls, the inspiration and support to make the most of the continuing evolution in the games industry and the wider digital revolution.

Even in the next few years, the economy will need 745,000 additional workers with digital skills. We have to steer young people toward these opportunities, now and going forward – especially those who may not normally consider a career in technology.

Within gaming alone, the potential for further change is enormous. Even five years ago, who could have imagined I would be working as a game designer in the V&A? I certainly couldn't have. With the right tools and encouragement, the next generation of artists and game designers will be able to do things that me, you and Roger Ebert could never have imagined.

Sophia George, BAFTA winner and chair of Swallowtail Games, will become the Victoria and Albert Museum's first game designer resident this October

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