Kathunter's Personal Space

Slashdot posted an editorial today bashing Tuesday night's SpikeTV Gaming Award show. I don't get cable so missed the show, but I can pretty much imagine what it was like (I mean we all saw the G4 awards... 16 times).

"If an awards show in general is a good idea, I believe the debacle that SpikeTV broadcast last night was actually counter-productive for the gaming industry. As far as I could tell, the show had little to do with games, and everything to do with advertising. 'Most Addictive Game Fueled by Mountain Dew'? Come on! If the Oscars had categories like 'Best Comedy driven by Ford' or 'Best Female in a Leading Role with makeup by Revlon' would you take them seriously? The night was a never-ending cascade of scantily clad women, rap, 'extreme' stuff, rap, people who had nothing to do with games, and rap."

While I appreciate his point of view and even agree with him, no one expected SpikeTV to actually be a "real" award show. I hang out with a dozen (newly unemployed) game journalists and no one said "hey, bring the pabst, and let's catch the Spike show!"

No one cared. It was a made-for-TV gimmick of the week used to reach a very desirable demographic that both Spike and MTV are trying to cultivate.

"Once a year, wouldn't it be nice to put the scruffy, anti-social gamer stereotype behind us? To sit down and watch some very intelligent people in tuxedos and gowns get their due for providing us so much entertainment? Seriously, wouldn't it be great to see John Carmack present an award? Or get to listen to a Wil Wright acceptance speech? A gaming awards show taken seriously would be a sight to see."

Honey, we already have that, Wil Wright and all. It is called the Game Developer's Choice Awards. Maybe this year someone will think to bring a video camera.

[via: Slashdot]