I'm not sure I would characterize this as "Ebert recanted" so much as "Ebert decided it was a bad idea to wade into this debate". If you want to read a thought

I'm not sure I would characterize this as "Ebert recanted" so much as "Ebert decided it was a bad idea to wade into this debate". If you want to read a thoughtful, non-snobbery-based argument that video games aren't art, I recommend the GDC talk "An Apology for Roger Ebert" by Brian Moriarty (who designed a number of classic adventure games circa the late 1980s, and now teaches video game design at my alma mater, where I had the good fortune to hear him give a version of this talk). https://web.archive.org/web/20120510115932/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/123860/Opinion_Brian_Moriartys_Apology_For_Roger_Ebert.php https://web.archive.org/web/20120510115932/https://www.gamas... I don't agree with all of it, but it's thought-provoking and I learned a lot about the history and philosophy of art.