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WGA initiates game writers

By Tom Magrino, GameSpotPosted Jan 16, 2008 3:21 pm PT

Crash of the Titans, Dead Head Fred, The Simpsons, Witcher, and World in Conflict nominated for inaugural 2008 Videogame Writer Awards.

The latest tactic taken by the Writers Guild of America in its ongoing feud with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers guild has been to urge other like-minded unions to skip major awards shows such as the Golden Globes and the Grammys. However, that hasn't stopped the WGA from carrying on with its own awards ceremony, the 2008 Writers Guild Awards.

With film writers turning in increasing numbers to game writing, the Writers Guild Awards this year will include for the first time a category to honor those working in the games industry. The five games nominated by the WGA for this year's award run a surprisingly diverse spectrum of what the industry has to offer.

The full list of this year's nominations is as follows.

Crash of the Titans - Writer Christopher Mitchell (Sierra Entertainment)
Dead Head Fred - Writers Dave Ellis and Adam Cogan (D3 Publisher)
The Simpsons Game - Lead Writer Matt Selman, Writers Tim Long and Matt Warburton, Dialogue Jeff Poliquin (EA)
The Witcher - Lead Story Designer Artur Ganszyniec, Dialogue Sebastian Stepien, Additional Dialogue Marcin Blacha, writers Sande Chen and Anne Toole (Atari)
World in Conflict - Story Design Christofer Emgard, Story Consultant Larry Bond, Script Consultant Ed Zuckerman (Sierra Entertainment)

To be eligible for nomination in the Videogame Writing Awards, a game must have been released between December 1, 2006 and November 30, 2007. Adding the most significant limitation to the nascent award, the writers must be members of the WGA's New Media Caucus or have applied to become members. The 2008 Writers Guild Awards winners will be announced on February 9.

60 Comments

  • Monochromatic-7

    Posted Sep 1, 2008 3:14 pm PT

    I think the witcher is the best one.

  • Humorguy_basic

    Posted Jan 30, 2008 3:44 am PT

    Just because you haven't played a game doesn't mean you can dismiss it automatically in favour of a game you haven't. I have actually played The Witcher and can tell you it's story is infinitely better than Bioshock (which I have played as well). I cannot say it's better than Mass Effect, because I haven't played Mass Effect. I also agree that to be nominated only because you are a member or have applied to be a member seems to be dubious, but this is an organisational award for those in the organisation! Nobody complains when the Software Publishers Association announces it's games of the year, maybe because all the largest publishers belong to it?! So give this organisation a break and don't knock games just because you haven't played them!

  • Bodboy466

    Posted Jan 19, 2008 9:12 am PT

    @ Dryker- I was wondering why there were so few nominations and a lot of the games here, save Dead Head Fred, sucked. That they'd ignore the great stories out there just because they don't get credit is pathetic. Well, it's their awards show I guess, and it looks to be a really small, really sad one. But they better not try any of the striking crap in our medium or I'll just write the games' stories myself.

  • Dryker

    Posted Jan 18, 2008 3:18 am PT

    And the nominees are... every game writer that's actually a member of the WGA... or close enough.

  • vahid_xbox_360

    Posted Jan 18, 2008 2:36 am PT

    a good plan.

  • jere28

    Posted Jan 18, 2008 1:23 am PT

    writer strike

  • MetallicaKings

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 10:47 pm PT

    mass effect had a **** story. it was an indepth, well written story, but it was ****.

  • SeanWithBigBall

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 8:00 pm PT

    mastercleft, BioShock and Mass Effect probably don't have anyone who wrote the games' story from the Writer's Guild. That means even if a game has an amazing story, BioShock has a way better story than any other game of 2007; it doesn't matter because they are not apart of the right Guild union.

  • mastercleft

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 2:08 pm PT

    Bioshock and mass effect better be nominated two of teh greatest game stories of all time

  • deepuism

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 12:01 pm PT

    the award wont mean diddly-squat until video game-writers start joining the WGA.

    it seems like it wont be long till the award actually has some decent nominations. without mass effect or bioshock, this is utterly pointless this year.

  • diablobasher

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 10:52 am PT

    niptucksean:

    You obviously didnt understand Bioshock's story. Your SUPPOSED to anticipate the plot twist.

  • jocool1

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 10:41 am PT

    Why the HELL is Mass Effect and Bioshock missing from this list?!?

  • KALHETMAN

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 9:56 am PT

    The Witcher Story is Very Good.

  • basilfaulty

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 9:04 am PT

    I'm rooting for The Witcher and World in Conflict. Especially World in Conflict.

  • alejandrosimms

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 7:51 am PT

    It's about time the writers of games were recognized. There are many games out there that have absolutely fantastic story lines. With so many people buying and playing certain games, it's a wonder it took so long to recognize these people for their work in the first place.

  • Tuco_Ramires

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 7:50 am PT

    The Witcher wins.

  • StanKlinger

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 7:46 am PT

    Witcheeeer!!!!!!!!!

  • Keldros

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 7:04 am PT

    I have to agree with Skullboy on this one. I do understand the plight of Hollywood writers and actually agree that they should be given some royalties for their efforts. While producers and actors live the high life, most Hollywood writers generally live paycheck to paycheck, or have to work another job just to make ends meet between jobs, seasons, or contracts.

    The gaming industry, however, is a different matter entirely. As games become more sophisticated, professional writers are needed to provide the deeper stories and complex plots that gamers are now craving in greater quantity. That said, however, as games are a far more interactive medium, game writers have to interact far more with the development team, and no matter how good the story is the game won't fly without decent gameplay to keep the player moving through it. Unlike movies and TV, a game sinks or swims based on the whole team's effort, not just on the writing or scripting in the game. While they are an integral part of the team and should be given their due, they are no greater a piece than the other members. Why should a writer for a game receive any greater credit or slice of the pie than the guys who coded the entire game engine, or the designer who crafted the intricate levels, or the artists who rendered all the beautiful graphics and models?

    The fact that to receive the award you have to be a member says it all. They are not truly awarding for best story or writing in the game industry, but awarding for the best Writer's Guild members who also just happen to be in the gaming industry. That some of the year's most monumental games with incredible writing and scripting throughout are not on the list is quite telling.

  • LordSpleach

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 5:52 am PT

    Like a porn site, you have to be a member to see anything at all!

  • Phazevariance

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 5:42 am PT

    Skullboy = correct

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