And I hope they burn in hell! - The Video Game Awards were on Sunday night. Did you watch? Didn't think so and I know why. I know I'm ruining any chance of ever appearing on the Spike TV Video Game Awards but I could care less, its a crap show. So I guess I'm officially saying goodbye to my dream of presenting an award onstage while wasted with a cast member of Jackass..
The show does nothing but perpetuate the myth that all gamers are teenage virgins with no social skills, which I found strange because gamings biggest demographic are men in the 25-40 year old age group. So what exactly do the Video Game Awards bring to the table? A show loaded with celebs who probably have no clue how to turn a console on (except for those 2 guys from Chuck) but are on the show just for the sake of making the fanboys in the front row scream and make a futile attempt to draw ratings? Check. A ton of women in little to no clothes to once again reinforce the lamest joke in the gaming book that gamers are nerds who can't get laid? Check. A stream of lame gaming jokes that only a non-gamer might find even slightly amusing (have you heard about the Red Ring of Death)? Check. Award categories of a questionable nature (say hello to the Most Addictive Game Fueled by Dew winner!)? Check. What a joke!
.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm for anything that helps to bring gaming some well deserved attention. Its certainly lacking in the respect department when compared to movies, music and TV despite being just as big a business and in many ways, way more entertaining. I hate to sound like Rodney Dangerfield, but gaming just doesn't get enough respect. Most people who aren't familiar with the industry still treat gaming like toys and overlook its importance. I'm also very much for the video game industry having its own award show, and because of that I have to give Spike TV some props for having the stones to take it on. My problem is how they go about it...with no respect for the industry. It seems like whoever puts together this show isn't a gamer, but just slams a bunch of things together that they think gamers would enjoy seeing.
.
Gamers are funny people with a great sense of humor and the ability to be self-deprecating, so that has to be a part of any kind of program catered around gaming. But when it reaches down to the lowest common denominator for a joke or as a pathetic attempt to bring in an audience, it goes away from what the heart of what gaming is - pure fun. If we want to present ourselves as a viable form of entertainment and not as a novelty, we have to let the best sides of gaming come to the forefront, not the worst. The creative geniuses who make and develop games (while shy as hell) should be the ones at the forefront getting the attention and being lauded upon. Not Tila Tequila. Steven Speilberg, Martin Scorcese, James Cameron, George Lucas, Joss Whedon, and JJ Abrams are just a few of the people behind some of the greatest TV shows and films, gamings versions of those guys should be heralded as well.
.
Until we start treating our own industry with the respect it deserves, no one else will either.
.
Other random stuff on a snowy Tuesday - Three new maps (Foundry, Rats Nest, Standoff) hit Xbox Live today for download on Halo 3. They sell for a hefty 800 MS points, but if you're not a diehard you might decide to wait until Spring you can download them for free...Yesterday 2K announced that spring will see the release of Don King Presents: Prizefighter on the Wii, DS and 360. King's gift for self promotion was evident in the press release.
.
"In all my years working in professional boxing, I have never seen anything come as close to recreating the thrill, the intensity, the courage and the spectacle of the sport," said legendary boxing promoter Don King. "Don King Presents: Prizefighter is more than a game -- it is a glimpse at what life is like in and out of the ring for these incredible athletes."
.
Here's hoping the game offers some Lucious Sweet type moments where you can bribe punching bags to take falls and bribe judges.
.
coloradojoemail@yahoo.com
6 comments:
Until we start treating our own industry with the respect it deserves, no one else will either.
Totally agree. the problem is... no one treats Spike TV with any respect, nor should they - it's a pure garbage network. Until they move the award show to an actual real network it will continue to be looked on as a joke. It hasn't gotten any better since the first year.
My problem isn't with Spike, I always look forward to their James Bond marathons and I TiVo Game Head. Its the way they present gaming that rubs me the wrong way.
It did seem like most of the show was just aimed at making fun of gaming as a whole. As far as the 25-40 year old demographic. Is that the actual players or the people who bought the game? Cuz most gamers can't really afford to buy many games until maybe they are 25 years old. By the time they're 40, they're buying games for their kids. Personally, I'm 30 and I buy games for myself AND my kids...hehe
But you love Halo 3 and Tom Brady... so of course you love Spike TV. ;)
I don't love Spike TV but I have never backed down from showing love to Tom Brady or Halo 3, guilty as charged.
As for the demographic part, according to the ESRB the average game player is a male between 25-40 years old, so I'm assuming they make most purchases as well. Oddly enough, the ESRB also states that 40% of PC gamers are women. Now I know why Eli loves his keyboard so much, all the gaming babes are playing PC titles. I may have underestimated you.
I don't like Tom Brady because there's this really hot girl that I like who said that her dream guy is Tom Brady and I look nothing like him so my chances with her are next to nothing. What I'm going to do is send an IM to my myspace friend, Julian McMahon (from Nip Tuck) and see if he can hook me up with some facial reconstruction surgery...w00t
Post a Comment