Spike VGAs Tomfoolery?

[modeps]

http://evavhost.com/i/news/vga2009.png

If you take a look at the list of winners from the 2009 Spike VGAs, you may be surprised (http://evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102044) by some of them... particularly having Megan Fox and Hugh Jackman winning awards for providing the best voicework. Additionally, there's a category for best voice adding a third big name star, Jack Black.

Welp, according to Jeff Gerstmann of the Giant Bombcast (http://media.giantbomb.com/podcast/giantbombcast-121509.mp3), who was a judge for the awards, something strange went on between the time he nominated Nolan North (Uncharted 2, Shadow Complex) and the actual categories that aired. Starting at the 1 hour 19 minute mark:

Jeff Gerstmann: They did a male and a female. The female was Megan Fox because you know, super memorable in that Transformers game... and the male was... somebody.

Ryan Davis: Not only memorable, but just really really good.

Jeff Gerstmann: Right. The list of categories that came out on the other end, and the list of categories that we the judges voted on? Lil' different. That best voice category, I don't think existed when we were filling out nominations and that sort of stuff as part of the judging process. When it came time to say best performance by a human being male, I actually wrote Nolan North's name four times in four different games when I was nominating...

Brad Shoemaker: And he did not appear in that category...

Jeff Gerstmann: No, but they invented that other category and put him in that then he didn't win that.

Did Spike mess with things to get as much star power involved with the VGAs as possible? You be the judge.

[Sensei-X]

Nothing surprises me anymore, VGAs have been a joke ever since the first one where EA as their major sponsor got the lion's share of the mostly undeserved wins for titles published by them.

[DarkestHour00]

Yeah I thought something fishy was going on when seeing some of the winners.

[laggerific]

Uh, yeah...Spike is celebrity trash TV little better than TMZ or other such bullshit that is so in love with celebrity that all else be damned.

[Evil Avatar]

I think that if you look at their winners every year is is obvious that there is more than a little behind-the-scenes flat out cheating going on because (as is pointed out above) no one in their right mind would have voted for Megan Fox or Hugh Jackman when you could have picked people like Nolan or Hamill.

[laggerific]

I guess your right...as much as I enjoyed playing Wolverine, Drake is a great character with great acting. Same for Shadow Complex.

[RevGored]

I'd like to hear a rebutt from Spike, for the sake of argument on both sides.

[modeps]

I'd like to hear a rebutt from Spike, for the sake of argument on both sides.

Way ahead of you. I've contacted Spike PR regarding it.

[Stormwatcher]

It's so funny to think that there are people who care for VGA...

[senorduck]

Did Spike mess with things to get as much star power involved with the VGAs as possible? You be the judge.

ha! is the pope catholic? Does a bear crap in the woods? I love the rhetorical question game!!

[Johan]

Megan Fox deserves every award she receives, and even more, because she's, like, so hot, and, like, she's got sexy tattoos that make her really cool, and, like, she hates on retarded middle-America, and, like, she's Angelina Jolie +10, and, like, she's just all that, man.

Gag on these awards.

[pwnophobia]

Megan Fox deserves every award she receives, and even more, because she's, like, so hot, and, like,

and like she has a really wonky lookin' thumb.

http://www.cnqn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/megan-fox-thumbs.jpg

[TacoBob]

And they stopped giving out awards for "Cyber Vixen of the Year". How dare they! :D

[murpes]

I don't think I could be less surprised by this.

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

Uhhh the Spike VGAs have always been bullshit. Wow...

I would slap Megan Fox if I saw her in public.

I would pay Megan Fox not to have sex with me.

[randir14]

I didn't know people actually watched or cared about this award show.

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

I didn't know people actually watched or cared about this award show.

As we learn time and time again millions upon millions of people are stupid.

delicious repetition

Spike VGAs = ***** **** please

[brandonjclark]

I'm going against the grain here and letting you all know that those "awards" are perfect.

I know, I know... I've got sum splainin' to do....

See, as hardcore gamers we all know what the best games were and who did the best voicework this year, so it really doesn't matter to gamers like us. However, to nominate undeserving people like Meg(we're on a first name basis after that "one time") and Hugh Jackman, it actually benefits the game industry. Why you ask?

Well, it gives comfort to the big name actors and actresses out there and builds their confidence to join this most excellent endeavor of interactive media. With each award they receive(yes, even from SpikeTV), the premium actors out there become even more confident in starring in roles on big titles like ME2.

In the future, when facial mapping is nearly identical in games, imagine the performances truly talented actor's could give vs. the somewhat concrete animations out there today. Yes, voice actor's would probably be better in videogames until the facial and animation mapping technologies truly mature, but when we get there I want full-blooded actors like Daniel-Day Lewis and Gene Hackman in my epic games such as ME12.

It might be hard to see the benefit of these awards now, but trust me, this is building the groundwork for future stars to be born not on the silverscreen, but your console-connected TV or PC monitor/holograph.

[JazGalaxy]

I think, from what I heard of the bombcast when listening to it the other day, that this transcript is taking what they were talking about out of context.

What I seemed to be hearing was that Jeff took place in the nominating phase when they asked industry people to decide on who should be in the awards. Just because Jeff wrote down a guys name doesn't mean anything, he was just submitting that name for consideration.

That's different than, like, fixing the votes, which is what this thread seems to be suggesting.

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

I'm going against the grain here and letting you all know that those "awards" are perfect.

I felt sick and extremely scared while reading all of that post. Thank you for the nightmares I will be sure to have.

[TacoBob]

Oddly enough, the voice actor "awards" were the ones that bugged me the most. They're basically saying the only "good" voice actors in games are ones who are already famous actors.

[Verruckt]

Oddly enough, the voice actor "awards" were the ones that bugged me the most. They're basically saying the only "good" voice actors in games are ones who are already famous actors.

Megan Fox isn't a good actor to begin with, I can only imagine how much effort she'd put into video game voice work. I believe a phone number was involved.

[Johan]

the premium actors out there

Megan Fox.

Megan Fox!

Megan Fox!!!

Premium? Perhaps...like a premium salad at McDonald's. ;)

[RevGored]

The best part of this thread is where it devolved into internet males talking about how bad Megan Fox is, and how they'd slap her and never fuck her and she is terrible but if you ever did meet her in 'real life' (I know, I know) you wouldn't be able to drum up the balls to even look her way for fear that she would look back.

INTERNET.

I can't wait to see if Spike responds to this, that would be awesome.

[sgtslappy]

I'm going against the grain here and letting you all know that those "awards" are perfect.

I know, I know... I've got sum splainin' to do....

See, as hardcore gamers we all know what the best games were and who did the best voicework this year, so it really doesn't matter to gamers like us. However, to nominate undeserving people like Meg(we're on a first name basis after that "one time") and Hugh Jackman, it actually benefits the game industry. Why you ask?

Well, it gives comfort to the big name actors and actresses out there and builds their confidence to join this most excellent endeavor of interactive media. With each award they receive(yes, even from SpikeTV), the premium actors out there become even more confident in starring in roles on big titles like ME2.

In the future, when facial mapping is nearly identical in games, imagine the performances truly talented actor's could give vs. the somewhat concrete animations out there today. Yes, voice actor's would probably be better in videogames until the facial and animation mapping technologies truly mature, but when we get there I want full-blooded actors like Daniel-Day Lewis and Gene Hackman in my epic games such as ME12.

It might be hard to see the benefit of these awards now, but trust me, this is building the groundwork for future stars to be born not on the silverscreen, but your console-connected TV or PC monitor/holograph.

Insightful post is insightful.

Upvoted.

[Coldeath]

"Did Spike mess with things to get as much star power involved with the VGAs as possible? You be the judge." --- Yes and we know this they are there to make money :) that is all.

Do you relay think a share holder knows the difference beaten a battlefield or modern warfare.

I can respect there reason for what they do i just cant condone there actions.

cold

[surj0]

how can anyone beat the joker in batman....he was awesome =/

[blackzc]

Wow, you guy are naive even debating this. Like OMGBBQWTF?! I dont believe this and am appalled!#$

Ever notice how CSI will coincide with the news of the week even though its filmed months before? TV is for poor people.

[laggerific]

I didn't know people actually watched or cared about this award show.

If you are a regular at gaming blogs, how can you miss it? What I want to know is, do gaming blogs follow the VGAs because they are worried if they don't their sites will seem less relevant? Or do they follow them because they are trying to show off the awards irrelevance, or are we just desperate for 24 hour gaming news we're willing to give this crap "air" time?

[Hapless]

If you are a regular at gaming blogs, how can you miss it?

I would rather watch Anthony Bourdain reruns then whatever garbage Spike has managed to drum up.

[grognard66]

I guess Jeff Gerstmann won't be invited back as a judge next year. :)

Telling the truth keeps getting that guy in hot water.

[Kragg]

Wow, you guy are naive even debating this. Like OMGBBQWTF?! I dont believe this and am appalled!#$

Ever notice how CSI will coincide with the news of the week even though its filmed months before? TV is for poor people.

I don't use the term "American Hero" very often, but...

[lockwoodx]

I guess Jeff Gerstmann won't be invited back as a judge next year. :)

Telling the truth keeps getting that guy in hot water.

I was wondering the same thing when I read this article.

[Reverend Meta]

I'd do Megan Fox, but I'd pay the Spike VGAs to not have sex with me.

I'm glad Uncharted 2 got the GOTY and not MW2, even though the VGAs are a lot of glitter and horse poop in your back pocket.

[JazGalaxy]

I'm going against the grain here and letting you all know that those "awards" are perfect.

I know, I know... I've got sum splainin' to do....

See, as hardcore gamers we all know what the best games were and who did the best voicework this year, so it really doesn't matter to gamers like us. However, to nominate undeserving people like Meg(we're on a first name basis after that "one time") and Hugh Jackman, it actually benefits the game industry. Why you ask?

Well, it gives comfort to the big name actors and actresses out there and builds their confidence to join this most excellent endeavor of interactive media. With each award they receive(yes, even from SpikeTV), the premium actors out there become even more confident in starring in roles on big titles like ME2.

In the future, when facial mapping is nearly identical in games, imagine the performances truly talented actor's could give vs. the somewhat concrete animations out there today. Yes, voice actor's would probably be better in videogames until the facial and animation mapping technologies truly mature, but when we get there I want full-blooded actors like Daniel-Day Lewis and Gene Hackman in my epic games such as ME12.

It might be hard to see the benefit of these awards now, but trust me, this is building the groundwork for future stars to be born not on the silverscreen, but your console-connected TV or PC monitor/holograph.

This is exactly what I'm AGAINST.

Why is the industry so hell bent on trying to be "cool?" And why are we so insanely obsessed with games being movies?

I play games because I like GAMES. I don't need to stroke the ego of hollywood so they'll let some glitter dump on my passtime and bless it.

I don't need Daniel Day Lewis in my Scribblenauts. I don't care. He can drink his own freaking milkshake and leave my the crap alone.

[Crenor]

I remember working for a video game company and Spike OFFERED the award to us. We weren't even ready to release before the awards so we turned it down.

Not much of a Voting system when it is the board of directors (or whoever in charge) is just telling you the results.

It's all about the $$.

[laggerific]

I would rather watch Anthony Bourdain reruns then whatever garbage Spike has managed to drum up.

Oh, I don't doubt it's the same for anyone else commenting in these topics...the idea was, though, how could you miss the awards going on, as blogs constantly get into these discussion around the time of VGAs.

[modeps]

My biggest issue with the VGAs is that it sometimes really seems like they're trying to be something real... something that gamers can actually look forward to and be entertained by. Instead, we get Megan Fox winning awards she shouldn't be. Generally, their selection of titles looks OK but they're just focusing on the typical male 18-24 demographic instead of adding legitimacy to it.

I guess I'm just expecting too much out of it... but it's the only thing "we've" got that's televised in this fashion.

[Venkman]

Nolan North said in an interview that he thinks Hugh Jackman would make a great Nathan Drake in a movie adaptation of Uncharted.

I'm not surprised that Spike rigged the awards. There were games nominated before their release dates.

Ahhh, I don't care too much. I tuned in for the exclusive trailers, then got bored, and just watched the trailers the next day on gametrailers.com.

[brandonjclark]

This is exactly what I'm AGAINST.

Why is the industry so hell bent on trying to be "cool?" And why are we so insanely obsessed with games being movies?

I play games because I like GAMES. I don't need to stroke the ego of hollywood so they'll let some glitter dump on my passtime and bless it.

I don't need Daniel Day Lewis in my Scribblenauts. I don't care. He can drink his own freaking milkshake and leave my the crap alone.

Don't be ridiculous! Noone is saying that D.D. Lewis should be in Scribblenauts. But when you have games that straddle the lines between movies and games, like Mass Effect and Guns of the Patriots, why wouldn't you want quality performances?

[Ulysses]

I still boggle at why people watch Spike.

[brandonjclark]

I still boggle at why people watch Spike.


Awesome game! I boggle all the time!

http://anglopole.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/boggle.jpg

[VinsanityV21]

Some of those winners sucked, but who really cares? I mean, for stuff like Uncharted 2 winning Goty - that's cool, and deserving and great. I'm not going to take away from that at all. But generally speaking, who cares about the VGA's? They're constantly a bit "off", lets say.

The whole production is kinda...trashy. Just like most Spike shows. I mean, just look at the lack of a host and some of the presenters - the cast of Jersey Shore? Really? How many times must we all criticize the VGA's for their "amateur hour" feel? But you know what, it doesn't matter. Because they're not for us - they're for "Johnny Mainstream" - the gamer who only buys whatever Gamestop is pushing that month, courtesy of Activision's marketing.

And if you're not a fan of western games, or are just getting sick of so many FPS's, then there's definitely nothing to see here - for someone like that, who cares if they premiere 10 unannounced games at the show when you know that most of them will be from EA or Activision? I count myself in that camp, so seeing trailers for Spec Ops, True Crime and MOH was all a massive waste to me.