Why I Am Patient With The VGAs

[Hoplon]

The UK gets The baftas for Video games [http://www.bafta.org/awards/video-games/video-games-awards-nominees-in-2010,1656,BA.html] which feels like it's not totally about who made the most sales that year which is my problem with the VGA's of years past.

 

[maninahat]

I agree very much with this article.

It bothers me especially because when gamers are not complaining about the VGA being too low brow or populist, they ***** about the Oscar awards being too elitist, in its snubbing of popular blockbusters.

You can argue that popular (yet lowbrow) stuff should get included, or you can argue that it should be up to the specialists to commend the stuff they like. You can't argue both.

The VGAs does not represent the views of every gamer, but then it never pretended to. It is a show made to appeal to the largest demographic on its channel: Madden, Halo and COD players. If you turn around and say "no, that's immature, we shouldn't have a show like that", you are basically disregarding the wishes of the target audience for the sake of your own. You are saying "my preferences outrank those of the unwashed masses."

And that isn't at all elitist or snobbish like the Oscars...

 

[Sandytimeman]

I just can't take them seriously, I don't watch them. Seriously they had what was basically Madden Soccer and King Kong as games of the year. xD

 

[Morbissus]

The VGAs was a joke & mockery of the gaming community. Maybe next year they can give out an award for the best Hotpocket to eat while sucking down a Mountain Dew during shooter marathon & then t-bag said Hotpocket for taking its acceptance speech too long.

 

[Ashley Blalock]

I agree very much with this article.

It bothers me especially because when gamers are not complaining about the VGA being too low brow or populist, they ***** about the Oscar awards being too elitist, in its snubbing of popular blockbusters.

You can argue that popular (yet lowbrow) stuff should get included, or you can argue that it should be up to the specialists to commend the stuff they like. You can't argue both.

The VGAs does not represent the views of every gamer, but then it never pretended to. It is a show made to appeal to the largest demographic on its channel: Madden, Halo and COD players. If you turn around and say "no, that's immature, we shouldn't have a show like that", you are basically disregarding the wishes of the target audience for the sake of your own. You are saying "my preferences outrank those of the unwashed masses."

And that isn't at all elitist or snobbish like the Oscars...

I'm going to have to disagree that if you say the Oscars are too stuffy then you can't complain that the VGAs are too irreverent. It seems like there is vast middle ground between the two where an award show could seem serious while at the same time being fun.

I think it's okay to be critical of the two extremes if you are looking for something in the middle so I can fuss about the people who drive too slow and the people who drive too fast if all I wanted to do was the speed limit.

 

[maninahat]

I agree very much with this article.

It bothers me especially because when gamers are not complaining about the VGA being too low brow or populist, they ***** about the Oscar awards being too elitist, in its snubbing of popular blockbusters.

You can argue that popular (yet lowbrow) stuff should get included, or you can argue that it should be up to the specialists to commend the stuff they like. You can't argue both.

The VGAs does not represent the views of every gamer, but then it never pretended to. It is a show made to appeal to the largest demographic on its channel: Madden, Halo and COD players. If you turn around and say "no, that's immature, we shouldn't have a show like that", you are basically disregarding the wishes of the target audience for the sake of your own. You are saying "my preferences outrank those of the unwashed masses."

And that isn't at all elitist or snobbish like the Oscars...

I'm going to have to disagree that if you say the Oscars are too stuffy then you can't complain that the VGAs are too irreverent. It seems like there is vast middle ground between the two where an award show could seem serious while at the same time being fun.

I think it's okay to be critical of the two extremes if you are looking for something in the middle so I can fuss about the people who drive too slow and the people who drive too fast if all I wanted to do was the speed limit.

I'm inclined to agree with you in theory, but in practise, I feel that game awards would end up slipping towards either extreme, and are doomed to fail if they hope to represent all gamers everywhere. If you had a panel of experts, they may neglect certain AAA games over ones that appeal to their personal tastes, which would inevitably upset the audience (the Inceptions and The Dark Knights of the world). If you base it on audience popularity, you are most likely to end up with only the most pandering, lowbrow and unintellectula games winning. Either way, someone will lose out, and gamers will feel misrepresented. Your best hope is small scale award ceremonies that are aimed at serving specific gamers, which is sort of what most websites already do.

 

[Vault boy Eddie]

The article mentions other video game awards that go on. How about showing some of those on TV instead? The VGA's feel like some MTV award that caters to whatever is buzzing at the moment and is making the most money but full of what rich TV execs consider that gamers like.