2011: Hopes, Hype, and Expectations

[JordAnime]

So how come there isn't an "oscars" of gaming yet?  You know, one where the host isn't a total douche-face and doesn't make jokes about bribery being the deciding factor of Game of the Year in an awards show that's just a giant advertisement for next years games away? 

Oh yeah anyway Skyrim won, what a shock...

[hupla]

no half life again this year. why gabe why?

[hisak]

So how come there isn't an "oscars" of gaming yet?

The Oscars aren't much better.

It's pretty obvious that the next Half-Life game won't be called "Episode Three."

[JordAnime]

The Oscars an the VGAs aren't even comparable; that statement actually makes me pretty angry. 


The Oscars honors specific disciplines within the film industry; the VGAs are just a huge marketing gimmick.  If the Oscars were anything like the Oscars it'd be be hosted by say Seth Green, have 80% of the awards presented off camera, honor specific genres of film only, like "Best Horror" "Best Comedy" "Best Straight to DVD Film" and award only the biggest budget Hollywood films all the awards, like the latest Michael Bay film, or Harry Potter movie.  And perhaps most heinously, it would be punctuated by trailers for next years big hollywood films.

Oh and also if you're speech goes on for too long you'd get tea-bagged by a guy dressed up like a soldier, HAHA!

Shoot me.

[hisak]

The Academy Awards themselves do carry some weight (they also fall victim to hype 90% of the time but that's another issue). But the actual award show itself? Here's a highlight from last year's show:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMLMZmnNzsg" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMLMZmnNzsg</a>

Don't forget the Best Picture montage built entirely around the eventual winner of the award, despite supposed secrecy. Or this. There might not be any simulated sexual assault played for laughs at the Oscars, but it doesn't mean that the Oscars (and other award show) telecasts haven't been frequently terrible. There isn't a single awards show running right now that either pays proper tribute to its medium or isn't routinely embarrassing. The VGAs are just one of the worst examples of a dreadfully executed tradition.