Rockstar Declines BAFTA Showing for Red Dead Redemption

[John Funk]

Rockstar Declines BAFTA Showing for Red Dead Redemption

One of 2010's finest games won't be making an appearance at the other, less-sleazy gaming awards.

Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption was Spike VGAs [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/7607-Review-Red-Dead-Redemption], yet for some reason RDR won't be in the running for a more prestigious award.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has been presenting videogames' finest - and CVG learned [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/98574-Shigeru-Miyamoto-to-Be-Awarded-BAFTA-Fellowship] that Red Dead Redemption was not one of the nominees for any of the most prestigious awards, like Best Game, Artistic Achievement, Gameplay and Story.

A BAFTA spokesperson said that while RDR had certainly been eligible, publisher Rockstar had "decided not to put the game forward for consideration."

Huh? There's something about this that just doesn't make any sense. Why would you accept an award from the VGAs but not even put yourself into the running at a significantly more prestigious event? Did someone at Rockstar just forget to file the paperwork or something?

One reason we can think of here at The Escapist HQ is that for whatever reason, being nominated for a BAFTA might disqualify you from something else - but what? Another potential consideration would be that most awards shows - including the BAFTAs - require a content creator to pay to be considered, whereas media outlets like Spike do not. That said, Rockstar hardly seems like it's strapped for cash these days, especially given that we've seen BAFTA awards a mere £335 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/90338-BAFTA-Awards-Spark-UK-Sales-Boom], or ~$529. That's less than it cost to buy an original PS3 at launch!

Otherwise, Rockstar's failure to nominate one of the year's finest games for a high-profile award makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Maybe I'm missing something.

(CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=280562])

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[Latinidiot]

Well that is certainly interesting. Why would they do that?

 

[NeedAUserName]

Maybe they just felt it unfair if they won all the awards.
[/Rockstar Fanboyism]

 

[Ubermetalhed]

Perhaps Rockstar feel that their game doesn't deserve BAFTA awards and should really be given to a classier more artistic/original game, so keeping with the prestigious nature of the awards.

I mean if you made a slasher movie that was very good and highly acclaimed and the guys in the Oscars were considering it for top awards, you might feel like there are other more derserving films which fit better with the reputation of the awards and deserve it more. Consequently you might ask that your film be removed from the running.

If that makes any sense...

 

[Oyster^^]

VGAs? Sleazy? Sgt Woods is so funneh though!!!!

But actually, it's too bad that they're not making the BAFTAs. This is the game that I'm most pissed about not getting to play do to a students lack of disposable income.

What other game awards could there be that might conflict with the BAFTAs? That don't make no sense.

 

[ComicsAreWeird]

That´s odd. I hope we´ll get an update on this article. I reckon there´s more to this story than what BAFTA dude´s telling.

 

[Corpse XxX]

Maybe the dont feel the need to have awards cause they have already realized that they are awesome..?

 

[BrunDeign]

Wow. Knocking the VGAs pretty hard there aren't you Escapist?

 

[Hallow'sEve]

I bet they're just saying that, come BAFTA premiere they're gonna crash the party (on horseback) and be like "WASSUP BITCHES?!"

 

[Krakyn]

I'm pretty sure that Rockstar doesn't want to be seen as snooty, artistic, or elitist. I don't agree that this is at all the image of BAFTA, or that class is bad. But it's a sad trend that anything intelligent or refined is treated as the enemy. If Rockstar wins a bunch of awards from rich white guys, all the customers that love them for the hookers and headshots might resent them for it.

 

[Sparrow]

Huh. How odd. A free award, and they don't want it? Blasphemy on all accounts. It's not like it's a razzy.

I bet they're just saying that, come BAFTA premiere they're gonna crash the party (on horseback) and be like "WASSUP BITCHES?!"

Well, FUNK is. I doubt he speaks for the enterity of the Escapist staff in saying that.

 

[HellspawnCandy]

Not like that game was any good. Rockstar always creates repetitive sandbox games.

 

[luvd1]

Perhaps it got something more to do about credibility. kain and Lynch was nominated in 2007 for best game. Halo 3 wasn't but Kain and lynch was. And wii sport took over 6 awards that year too, including best "strategy and simulator".

 

[murphy7801]

Probably due to all the game bashing in the current media

 

[ShenCS]

No, I bet they just still haven't woken up yet.

 

[Moriarty70]

Wow. Knocking the VGAs pretty hard there aren't you Escapist?

It's hard not to considering Escapist is a respectable cutlure magazine, and the VGA's are Teen Beat. The VGA's aim for a demographic where Super Mario 64 is archaic.

 

[SalamanderJoe]

Maybe they forgot? That or because anything Rockstar make is instantly bashed by the TV and newspaper media. Last time the BAFTAs for games came out the Alan Titchmarsh show on ITV did a 20 minute section completely bashing the games industry without taking time out to actually listen to the games industry guest and his comments.

 

[Tharwen]

I think they just want to generate as much news about their most recent game as possible.

Articles like this one are their goal, and you're just giving it to them! Not that that's a particularly bad thing...

 

[Irridium]

Maybe the dont feel the need to have awards cause they have already realized that they are awesome..?

This is my thought as well. Coupled with the fact that they probably don't really care.

They probably were in the VGA's because Take 2 prodded them. Since it would get the game out to more mainstream players.

Whereas the BAFTA awards don't really have that kind of appeal.