New Gaming Awards Show Backed By Major Publishers, Streamed to Consoles

[Sarah LeBoeuf]

New Gaming Awards Show Backed By Major Publishers, Streamed to Consoles

Airing December 5, the Geoff Keighley-produced Game Awards has the support of major publishers like Microsoft, Nintendo, and EA, with many industry guests slated to appear.

Look out, Spike TV's VGX awards show [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/129681-Spike-TV-Video-Game-Awards-Renamed-VGX-Airs-December-7]: there's another game in town. Simply called "The Game Awards," the first-ever iteration of the new show to celebrate achievements in gaming will be streamed on consoles and Steam on December 5.

Produced by Video Game Awards veteran Geoff Keighley, the show aims to "acknowledge the place of video games at the center of modern entertainment and culture--and make it available to a far larger audience," Variety [http://variety.com/2014/biz/news/videogame-industry-rallies-around-first-game-awards-exclusive-1201352339/] reports. That doesn't mean it won't come with a fair amount of hype; like Spike's show, the Game Awards will tease upcoming projects via new trailers and announcements.

Fans who are tired of seeing uninterested Hollywood stars present at the VGX event year after year might be pleased that the Game Awards' line-up appears to be mostly gaming-related. Game developers, eSports competitors, and "online content creators" (which I assume means YouTube stars) will make appearances at the show. More impressive is the list of advisors, which includes Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime, Yves Guillemot of Ubisoft, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima, and EA head honcho Peter Moore.

I'm not sure what to think about the award show's advisory board being made up of publishers, as opposed to journalists or other more neutral parties, though it's unclear just how much influence these advisors have over the show and winners. I am happy to see another show challenge Spike TV's reign, as the efforts of the self-described "first television channel for men" had a tendency to be on the embarrassing side [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/106191-Spikes-2010-VGAs-Were-Lowest-Rated-in-Programs-History]. As always, I'm more interested in the announcements than the awards, so I'll be tuning in on December 5 to see what the Game Awards are all about.

Source: Variety [http://variety.com/2014/biz/news/videogame-industry-rallies-around-first-game-awards-exclusive-1201352339/]

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[fix-the-spade]

The people in charge of deciding the awards also being the people who's products are eligible for them? Totally legit bro...

It's an interesting idea, but it kind of torpedoes itself for any long term credibility with it's list of backers. From my completely cynical perspective I take it as the major pubs wanting an extra 'winner of' sticker to put on their boxes just in time for Christmas.

As for having Youtube personalities on stage, fair enough to have guys/girls who actually talk about gaming for a living doing the presenting, as long as they have Matimio back flipping his smiley self along in the background all will be well!

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Oh great. This will finally give some much needed credit to the indie scene and in no way will be a huge masterbatory advertisement with disgustingly divided budget...

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

Yeah... I can't trust the publishers to not turn this into one massive ad event.

Excise the previews and keep it on discussion and giving actual awards, then we're good.

But hey, at least Geoff Keighley is there. Doritos Pope is looking to better his image year-by-year, and I'm glad for that! Also including actual gaming personalities is good too!

 

[Rozalia1]

Considering the start of the OP here it was looking like we were about to see a Microsoft, Nintendo, and EA stable. Which admittedly looks strong on paper but from a story perspective would only result in endless amounts of DQ losses when the two on the outside jump the face when it looks like their stablemate is going to lose. Than of course for the finale the top heel in the group would get pinned clean on PPV while his two stablemates get knocked out with finishers when they try to run interference.

...but than I read the article and Sony is clearly mentioned...heck the big three is the first mentioned while EA is only mentioned with all the rest further down...making the choice of putting Microsoft, Nintendo, and EA look very odd indeed.

So...its the slammys than.

Anyway...I have to question why considering all that has recently gone down and how trigger happy people are why "as opposed to journalists" is written in the OP. Just seems to me to be obvious bait for people to take.

 

[Baresark]

It literally still sounds like another VGX... which has not been worth watching pretty much ever. I don't think it's the so called "stars" that make the VGX unwatchable, it's the fact that it's just a huge advertisement for a few big Triple-A releases.

 

[RicoADF]

So another game event paid for by the big publishers to show off, advertise and sell give awards to games that have the biggest marketing budget are good.

Seems legit.....

 

[Dr.Awkward]

Now's the time to throw in a catch: Anyone on the board immediately forfeits their games from competition. Yep, if you published it, developed it, or both, you can't nominate your or any other board member's game. Additionally you cannot nominate friends, or have to disclose your relation to your nominee if there is any. I see both rules as only fair to everyone, and to an extent prevents collusion within the board.

Additionally, non-categorize the awards. Let's not do "Best Xbox One Game" or "Best PS4 Game", and keep the awards ambiguous.

Hopefully Geoff will realize such things prevent rage in the community.

 

[ron1n]

Oh eff off Dorito Pope, you are a joke and a douche of the highest order.


This interview so perfectly brings across the kind of person this guy is. Doesn't deserve to be producing anything.


Oh and of course, who can forget:

Spoiler: The Disaster of the VGX Awards

When the least cringe worthy and most entertaining thing is watching a host take the piss out of your own show, you know you've set the bar high.

 

[Rozalia1]

So another game event paid for by the big publishers to show off, advertise and sell give awards to games that have the biggest marketing budget are good.

Seems legit.....

Hey now every industry that is legit needs a show like that. To make it as accurate as possible Sony should pick up something like a "Best Publisher" or "Best Game" (has to be the award with the highest billing) award every 3 out 4 years, even when it makes zero sense for them to pick up such an award.

They'll than have as much integrity as the Slammys.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

"I'm not sure what to think about the award show's advisory board being made up of publishers, as opposed to journalists or other more neutral parties"

Uh, do ANY entertainment awards ever have journalists involved? I don't see how pointing out how industry members are the most involved in this would be surprising.

 

[Fireprufe15]

"streamed on Steam"

That's a thing? You can do that?

 

[Andy Shandy]

I don't mind Keighley producing, but please don't let him host it. His way of speaking doesn't lend well to hosting an awards show.

And don't let Guillermot get involved too much, either.

Aside from that, go nuts. If Keighley insists on hosting, get McHale again, then at least we'll get something.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

*sarcastic* Sexism! It's all about sexism! Look at it all! Just lying around being sexist! Stop harassing women, you nerds!

To be truthful though, an award show sponsored by the exact companies getting awards? Hey, what could go wrong?! If it's good enough for the VMAs, Tonys, Emmys and Oscars, hey it's good enough for the gaming community right?

 

[seditary]

As far as I can tell from what they're saying, the only difference from the VGX over the years is the absence of a rap segment.

 

[Riotguards]

sounds like something GamerGate was against, self interested devs giving themselves high reviews

 

[Objectable]

Considering the start of the OP here it was looking like we were about to see a Microsoft, Nintendo, and EA stable. Which admittedly looks strong on paper but from a story perspective would only result in endless amounts of DQ losses when the two on the outside jump the face when it looks like their stablemate is going to lose. Than of course for the finale the top heel in the group would get pinned clean on PPV while his two stablemates get knocked out with finishers when they try to run interference.

Oh God, it's Immortal all over again!

 

[Remus]

The Spike VGAs were at least semi-tolerable. When they changed format last year and went all minimalist, with Joel McHale (complete asshole) and the guys from Workaholics hosting, the show went from semi-decent shit to complete, week-old rotting in the basement shit. I cannot stand Joel McHale, he was obviously just there for the check, and game designers should be, and likely were, insulted by his very presence. Celebrity hosts aren't always bad. Sam Jackson was at least enthusiastic about the gig. Put simply, if the VG award shows aren't willing to put in the effort to give the show some style, then they shouldn't bother trying. A flatscreen and some scaffolding just will not cut it.

 

[garjian]

Even if this goes the best possible way, they should've thought about their name a little longer.

'The GAS Awards'.
'Our game is up for a Gassy'.

...yeah... :/