Video game awards are like Grammys

...in that those people who nominate the games and then pick the best ones...seem totally oblivious to what has been happening in any given year and then they just vote for the most well-known, most popular, most publicized titles, regardless of the fact they are exclusive or not.

I really have an impression that those people have really played very few games, and barely know best-sellers.

The amount of ignorance is staggering, but it's probably fueling the major publishers' needs for a reason.

Personally, I'm fed up with this, Gamespot actually has given me an impression they are really against the wave with their reviews appearing some time after the release and usually giving not-so-expected scores, but as a whole body, they are simply mindnumbingly boring, predictable, safe and ignorant. And almost everyone else, besides some European or PC-centric websites, is like that.

Is this because Alien: Isolation isn't winning anything?

No, it doesn't have to do with anything. However, it has everything to do with no exclusive games winning anything for most platforms (save for Wii U) on Gamespot. Alien actually won some awards elsewhere, but again, not in places like Gamespot.

You make it seem as if a game being exclusive means it has to run for best game for that platform.

Gamespot deems multiplats better than the exclusive offerings. That's it.

SOUTH PARK: STICK OF TRUTH!

Give it some love, will you!

Well, forgive me my big dumb naivete, but last time I checked Xbox One for example had Titanfall, Sunset Overdrive and Forza Horizon 2 all in 2014, not to mention Fantasia and Dance Central - all rated at least 8 by Gamespot. And I know all about this one editor vs whole staff thing, but still I can't help but be dissapointed with the choices.

Yes. Fun games, no doubt. The GS crew just didn't think they were up there with the likes of Shadow of Mordor and whatever else they put up.

Which is sad - why must most well-known, well-publicized etc. games be up there? What would happen if they changed that? Would the fucking world crumble into 2 million of asymmetrical pieces if they stopped licking mainstream arse for a second?

Because Gamespot deems it so. What's sad is that people get so hung up on the choices of a group of people.

And don't give me that "AAA titles only" nonsense when there's games like Shovel Knight, Bayonetta 2, OlliOlli, Velocity 2X, Transistor, Divinity and other "non AAA" titles up for winning.

says the guy who continually bashes systems he doesn't actually own or know much about

Why is shadow of mordor "more well known" as if it was a bad thing? maybe it was just better than forza ... titanfall etc.

Though yea, game awards are always crap.... which is why I always laugh at "GOTYs" ..... such a stupid concept.

The latest hilarity was on massivly.jostiq's awards yesterday ...

Most likely to flop MMO of 2015 - Star Citizen (Despite not even releasing that yea.... and far from just an MMO).

the funny kicker?

Most underrated MMO of 2014 - Elite: Dangerous (Despite being pretty much the same MMO design..... despite lacking more communications and group play content than even Destiny)

rewards are a joke..... much like these sites.

I was surprised. I thought the show was well done, mostly. I also tend to dislike these things. Nintendo deserves tons of recognition and they recieved it.

I don't take awards seriously anymore. However, every year I hope that things will get better but no luck so far. Mainstream games always win even if better games are out there.

WTF? Are you serious? This is hilarious. LMFAO.

Award shows are a farce all around, be it the VGAs or the Academy Awards. Every now and then they may get it right, but for the most part the choices are fueled by popularity and/or politics. This is nothing new.

There are better things worth huffing and puffing about. You shouldn't care so much.

I support this post

One of the best games I played all year

http://massively.joystiq.com/tag/2014-awards/

Basically.. it seems outsiders have a hard-on for people spending too much money on the game... therefore it can never achieve everyone's paid-value expectations ... therefore no matter what happens it is a flop.

The game can't win... because bitter people don't like that there are well-off people that can spend more than other people's monthly wages on a single game .... it's sad.... it sums up most of the "hate" for star citizen ..... bitter people that don't like how others choose to spend their money.

A Nintendo exclusive (MK8) and a Sony exclusive (TLOU:LB) did win GOTY....No GOTY love for a MS exclusive.

Stay Mad.

Wow, just wow. Good thing that I almost never take Polygon, Joystiq and Edge seriously.

I know it sucks when things we think are awesome, don't get recognized for being awesome. But really does it matter? At the end of the day it's just an award and it doesn't amount too much. Apart from the people who made the game I'm sure. Or people who try claim "ownage" because they bought that product, over other people.

It's kind of like "winning" E3. It hardly changes anything, and shouldn't mean much to you. And doesnt mean much unless you are apart of the companies Ad or game development teams.

The sun still comes up tomorrow and the thing you think is awesome, is still just as awesome. It certainly can't be anymore awesome though, because it didn't win anything :).

Blog it

You're right TC, if someone disagrees with you, it must be because they're wrong and/or sucking up to the mainstream.

Stay mad TC

Bad thread is bad.

@speedfreak48t5p: knee-jerk response is knee-jerk

@chessmaster1989 Your answer couldn't have been any more superficial. This industry has been like that for the past decade and it is its inability to notice a completely different spectrum of games is what dives me mad. I couldn't care less about singular particular choices matching mine. If you think so then that's a fundamental misconception you're basing my image on. It's about the whole spectrum of games they seemingly cannot even register on the horizon. Personally I find your misjudged reply both repulsive and emblematic of this place as an ultimate antithesis for in-depth discussion of anything.

Well the Video Game Awards are for mainstream audiences like the Grammys. There will be indie websites out there that focus on lesser known titles for gaming but I personally haven't looked, because award shows mean nothing to me. I'm sure there are the gaming equivalent of what Pitchfork is to music reviews and the Mercury Awards.

Mordor is well known now because it is good ,ppl liked it and word got around. Aliens games suck and probably always will.

I know this is hard for some people to get into their heads but sometimes, juuuust sometimes, things are popular because people enjoy them and they're good products. I know, I know, tough to comprehend, but just trust me on this one.

I'm not hating on something because it is popular, like - a singular product, it's about the whole spectrum. It's just something that happens to be tad less popular somehow never gets any award.

My oh my, why are you so touchy? This is an honest question here, as I can practically see you foaming out the mouth in rage.

dont they have one right around gdc?

i remember watching one with jay mohr of all people was hosting the awards

It always makes me laugh when the GOTY awards get's people up in arms over them.

I really wish Bayonetta 2 would win people's choice. I want to lightliggy explode.

so this thread is basically a tantrum by some kid because gamespot didn't pick the crap games he wanted

salt the fries threads are like shit

Welcome to any award show

Taxi Driver deserved the Oscar over Rocky

Blade Runner deserved the Oscar over Ghandi

Goodfellas deserved the Oscar over Dances with Wolves

Saving Private Ryan deserved the Oscar over Shakepeare in Love

Being exclusive does not get them a guaranteed spot, if they are outclassed by multiplats, which in the case of Sunset it totally is, then it shouldn't be nominated. It's not a hard concept, disagreeing with their choices is fine, you're allowed to have that opinion. But this stupid notion that exclusives deserve to be represented because they are exclusives is some grade A corporate cum guzzling mentality.

When huge dollars are involved I just feel like politics and corruption comes into play. With that being said--I enjoy almost everything gaming so I'll watch a video awards show just to get all the extras. While I do have favorites that I feel should win, I'm one person and could care less if my favorite games win. Win or not it wouldn't change my enjoyment for any game. Again, I just check em out to see announcements, just to be in the know.

@getyeryayasout: I love the game :) Then again, I'm pretty big SP fan so I'm kinda biased hehe :P

@drinkerofjuice: +1

Uh oh someone's favorite game didn't win an award......tissues at the ready.

is this because PC or Xbone never had a goty for a long time now?

PC is the best.