Ben-DutkaSo the Oscars are on right now, and although movies aren't quite what they used to be (IMO), this is still a production that is seen by a billion people around the world.
Depending on the numbers and sources you use, the video game industry is just as big as Hollywood. However, while interactive entertainment has certainly made significant strides over the decades, it remains in the shadow of film, and perhaps always will. But given the current situation and the fact that gaming will only get more and more popular – and more and more mainstream – in the coming years, one has to wonder: will gaming ever get its Oscars?
I suppose the Spike TV Video Game Awards could become our Oscars, but I dunno…I'm sorry, but I think the "Spike TV" part doesn't carry the same prestige and cache and let's face it, the pre-show red carpet affair is basically nonexistent. What we need is a game awards ceremony on a major network, during prime-time, with all the A-listers on hand. The only problem is that, as we've discussed before, the video game "celebrities" are all behind-the-scenes and as such, they're not always great in front of a camera. They're not glitzy and beautiful people (at least, not always). We just won't ever have the same shiny, glossy glamour.
Still, I'd like to think we'll continue to make strides, and we'll eventually have an awards ceremony that gamers and all industry professionals can be proud of. By the way, congrats to Christopher Plummer, who just became the oldest actor to ever win an Oscar (Best Supporting Actor).
Christopher Plummer was in Skyrim wasn't he?
Anyways I don't think game awards will get the same type of awards thing as the Oscars simply because gaming became so popular in the online age, most reputable game awards are given out by online sources after all. However, I do think games will get something with the same level of prestige as the Oscars, though I have no idea what that might be.
And Ben while I agree that hollywood movies are lacking these days, there are a ton of great independent and foreign films if you don't mind subtitles. I just watched an amazing Argentinian film called the Secret in Their Eyes, and I would recommend it to everyone.
Christopher Plummer, Max von Sydow, Joan Allen, Lynda Carter, Claudia Christian are some of the notable names lending their voice talents for Skyrim.
Christopher Plummer won an Oscar tonight by the way.
My class and I had a day of training with Christopher Plummer when I was studying for theatre.
Was awesome.
Grade A Canadian talent. He can be found in the Stratford theatre doing shows about 45 minutes from my place.
Sure hope not.
What does it really mean? In the end is it not best to simply let gaming create its own world of "acceptance speeches" rather than try to turn it into a Hollywood show.
I fear trying to emulate Hollywood will bring the gaming industry down by "cheapening" the kind of experiences we are experiencing now. Story telling is one thing; we agree that can always be improved, spectacle is another…
How does Hollywood beat or even try to award efforts like Killzone 3, GoW III, Uncharted, Last Guardian, Journey, Flower, Heavy Rain etc… Hollywood can't come close in matching the entertainment level these titles have produced for millions around the world…
They need to remain separate with gaming doing justice to itself…
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
They would be separate, it would have a lot of similar categories, but be more prestigious than Spike TV. There's one (I forget the name) that's pretty good at this now but it's not that huge of an event. As this medium overtakes Hollywood, something may have to develop.
I think it will take a very long time before this kind of thing happens, and it may take the involvement of more and more real people like the face actors in LA Noire, the voice actors (and face inspirations) of Heavy Rain, plus the folks nice enough to do voice and mocap like Nolan North, Christina Hendricks, and Andy Serkis.
Game Informer describes the Interactive Achievement Awards as being the Oscars of the video game industry. Unlike the Spike VGA's, the IAA is a more formal service that recognises talent without being bogged down with TV, music or film celebrities, big pretty lights and on-stage shenannigans that have very little to do with video games or their developers.
To me, the IAA is the equivelant of the Oscars. The VGA's are the equivelant of the MTV music awards show, which is catered more towards the casual masses and relies heavily on popularity and ratings.
Excellent post, and nothing really to add after that.
Ben knows about the IAA, I'm just surprised he didn't mention it in the article.
I could see the gift baskets for the attendees being filled with Doritos and Mt. Dew.
Maaaaaahm!
More hot pockets!
Hideo Kojima deserves an Oscar, so does the Metal Gear Franchise. It would've been a fabulous moment, right ladies and gentlemen?
problem is who would you invite?
game developers are not as glamorous and TV friendly as movie stars are!
to be honest i cant think of anything more boring then having a bunch of developers lining up for awards.
at least with the oscars you have nice entertainment to watch.
we already have plenty award ceremonys which recognize and reward developers, i think thats enough.
Jaffe?
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
Its called the AIAS
Ultimately I see one hard cold fact, games keep getting better and movies are getting worse. All we need now is mainstream media attention and for more people to read MOVIE reviews before going to watch that comedy with all the best bits shown in the trailers. I might sound a little bitter but tell me I'm wrong people? 🙂
Problem is, most people who watch the SpikeTV award show do so because they want to see the newest game trailer revealed, and could care less about actual awards.
Which makes no sense to me as all the trailers are easily found afterwards. There's no need for people to put themselves through that embarrassment of a show. I've never watched one of the awards broadcasts but I've seen all the trailers that debuted in each show.
Getting Oscar-like awards ceremony for games would really be nice and long overdue.
The Spike TV video game awards has no class. It lacks the dignity and maturity to be considered a serious awards ceremony.