Spike TV 2003 VGA (POSSIBLE SPOILERS)

[jaydubnb]

Not sure how reliable this site is, but....

http://general.gamerfeed.com/gf/news/4853/

Spike TV Announces Winners of 2003 VGAs
By James Brightman -- News Manager
Published 12:42 PM CDT, December 3, 2003

Warning: if you want to find out by watching the television show tomorrow, then don't click this...

Although we won't be able to watch the show until tomorrow (December 4th, 9-11 PM ET/PT), the first annual Video Game Awards (VGAs) took place last night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

David Spade hosted the event, and there were also celebrity appearances by Pamela Anderson, Shaquille O'Neal, Lil' Kim, Ray Liotta, Jamie Pressly, Orlando Jones, Steve-O, Cedric The Entertainer, Penn & Teller, George Lopez, Gilbert Gottfried, Penny Hardaway, Tony Hawk and the Boom Boom Huck Jam, DJ Funkmaster Flex, John Henson, The Oakland Raiderettes, the DOA Volleyball Girls, 100 official "Star Wars" Stormtroopers and WWE wrestlers Chris Jerico, Rey Mysterio, Trish and Victoria.

The show included included musical performances by Kelis, P.O.D., Bubba Sparxx, Travis from Blink 182, Andrew W.K. and DMX.

However, as gamers all we care about is the games, right? So, without further ado, here are the 2003 winners of Spike TV's VGAs:

Best Animation
Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball (Tecmo)

Best Performance By A Human
Ray Liotta in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Rockstar)

Best Game Based on a Movie
Enter the Matrix (Atari)

Most Addictive
Soul Calibur II (Namco)

Best Action Game
True Crime: Streets of LA (Activision)

Pontiac/GTO Driving Award
Nascar Thunder 2004 (EA Sports)

Best Fantasy Game
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (LucasArts)

Best Sports Game
Tony Hawk's Underground (Activision)

Best Fighting Game
WWE Smackdown! Here Comes the Pain (THQ)

Most Anticipated Game
Halo 2 (Microsoft)

Best Handheld Game
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (Ubisoft)

Best Online Game
Final Fantasy XI (Square Enix)

Best 1st Person Action
Call of Duty (Activision)

Best PC Game
Halo: Combat Evolved (Microsoft)

Game of the Year
Madden NFL 2004 (EA Sports)

Best Music
Def Jam Vendetta (EA Big)

Discuss.

[portnoyd]

Ok, if Madden 2004 is game of the year, then, by that logic, it should be game of the year next year? And the year after?

dave

[jaydubnb]

Ok, if Madden 2004 is game of the year, then, by that logic, it should be game of the year next year? And the year after?

dave

Not to mention, it couldnt win its own category of Best Sports Game lol

[Half Japanese]

Ah, just as I would have imagined it: the utter shite only possible by a network like Spike TV (the same channel that gave us the "new" Ren and Stimpy and that repulsive cartoon with Kelsey Grammar doing voicework.)

There are two awards I agree with there:

Best Fantasy Game: KOTOR
Most Anticipated Game: Halo 2

And no, MS isn't paying me to say that. I don't particularly care for KOTOR, but I can see why people do and it's a nice long game that seems like it'd be very cool if you're into both RPGs and Star Wars.

And if I had a dollar for every time someone came in my store asking Halo 2's release date...well...I'd probably have an extra ten bucks or so.


Some of those rewards are so utterly pointless I can't even begin to comment on them. Madden as game of the year? Yeah right. Another coat of paint to an aging and tired franchise that's main change from installment to installment is a roster update?

Enter the Matrix as the best movie-game? Hello? I voted Hulk, because, even though it wasn't, well...incredible...it DID deliver a pretty movie-like experience and wasn't full of bugs, which is more than I can say about the rest of the movie games (yeah I'm talking to you too, Pirates of the Carribean).

These awards tell me two things: People want more of the same tired garbage they've been fed for years, and your average gamer's taste in games sucks.

Have at your Matrix and Madden, as for me, I'll be over here playing my Metal Slug.

[Rogmeister]

I was going to make a comment about Enter The Matrix myself but the doctor beat me to it...I might've voted for Lord of the Rings myself. I started having my doubts when I saw all the entertainers listed...then seeing some of the winners definitely lets me know I needn't set my machine to record this (I'll be working when it airs)....

[Half Japanese]

Whoops! I forgot all about the new LotR game! I'd definitely vote for that over Hulk, but still, when you're comparing either to the Matrix, either one could really do the job. Payola looks to be a culprit here.

[IntvGene]

Wasn't this also where the voting for some of these games took place BEFORE the games themselves were released? That might also explain why True Crime got their award. I can't imagine it winning if people actually have played it.

I hope that the award that the makers of Enter The Matrix receive is a steaming pile of shit on a CD. It would only be fitting.

I don't know what all you psychologists have to say about this, but when I first read Ray Liotta's award, I thought it said "Best Performance by a Hitman".

[Rogmeister]

Another reason I won't watch...

I can't stand David Spade.

[Half Japanese]

Yeah, Spade's annoying as hell. He was definitely the one riding the coat tails of his and Chris Farley's fat guy/skinny guy comedy team. I thought that it was Funkmaster Flex hosting? I guess it wasn't a "FUNKMASTA FLEX EXCLUSIVE!!!" after all.

[Duncan]

Best Animation
Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball (Tecmo)

Don't mean to rain on the parade, but we've all seen hot bikini-clad chicks in video games before. DOA Volleyball does it better than many, but still.

Then again, I can't think of a game that's quite as detailed as that one, so maybe it's justified. Viewtiful Joe should at least be a runner-up, though.

Best Performance By A Human
Ray Liotta in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (Rockstar)

I get the feeling this was the "token GTA award". I'll go with it, though.

Best Game Based on a Movie
Enter the Matrix (Atari)

Gotta agree that this one seems very fishy. LOTR: Two Towers should have had this one in a heartbeat. Even something like Harry Potter Quidditch could have scored higher than...the Matrix?

Most Addictive
Soul Calibur II (Namco)

Wario Ware, anyone? Or was that too "niche" for the Spike TV crowd?

Best Action Game
True Crime: Streets of LA (Activision)

How did GTA not win this category (since it was apparently eligible)? True Crime is fun, but GTA still defines its supposed "genre".

Pontiac/GTO Driving Award
Nascar Thunder 2004 (EA Sports)

Shoot me now. Obviously Spike TV's still got too much TNN blood flowing through its veins...because Need for Speed Underground should have won this instead.

Best Fantasy Game
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (LucasArts)

This I'll agree with. It's one of the games that makes me want to buy an Xbox, just so I can become one with the Force. (God, I sound like a geek right now...)

Best Sports Game
Tony Hawk's Underground (Activision)

Also a good choice, though SSX 3 or NFL 2K4 might also have contended strongly.

Best Fighting Game
WWE Smackdown! Here Comes the Pain (THQ)

Holy crap, what? Soul Calibur II owns this one, hands down. All WWE/WWF games have been basically the same since 1998...

Most Anticipated Game
Halo 2 (Microsoft)

How did this award even make it in? I don't recall seeing the Oscar presentation for "Most Anticipated Film"...chalk this one up to Microsoft's apparently brilliant PR department.

Best Handheld Game
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (Ubisoft)

Oh, come on. GBA Splinter Cell is basically unplayable. But I guess we should be thankful that at least an N-Gage title didn't win...

Best Online Game
Final Fantasy XI (Square Enix)

Most reports I've heard say it's actually not all that thrilling. What about Crimson Skies? That's supposed to be excellent online.

Best 1st Person Action
Call of Duty (Activision)

Haven't played it, so I don't know. It does get glowing reviews, though.

Best PC Game
Halo: Combat Evolved (Microsoft)

Really? A two-year-old Xbox port?

Game of the Year
Madden NFL 2004 (EA Sports)

I honestly don't know what I would even pick, since I really haven't played enough new stuff this year. But I do know for sure that Madden 2004 isn't the greatest game of the year. Heck, it wasn't the greatest game of last year...or two years ago when it was the same damn game. Give me a break.

Best Music
Def Jam Vendetta (EA Big)

This, actually, is probably agreeable to me. I'd also have to nominate GTA again...no matter whether or not you hate the '80s tunes, you have to admit that they work very well within the game to set a mood.

Note that there was no category for RPGs, or for puzzle games, or for game design, or for artwork. Also, there seems to be very little recognition of the people behind the scenes. And one would expect some sort of a "hall of fame" award (and the inaugural one needs to go to Ralph Baer), but no. Maybe that's because this is Spike TV's show, and not the creation of any video game excellence society...

...which makes me wonder, why isn't there one by now?

Maybe I'll watch the show anyway, if only to see whether some of my criticisms are invalid.

Then again, probably not.

[Rogmeister]

There's a story about this awards show posted by Reuters which I found at Yahoo News:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...ision_spike_dc

According to this, Spike TV plans even more videogaming programming including a comedy.

Be afraid...be very afraid.

[gamegirl79]

The one and only award I agree with is Call Of Duty winning best First Person Action game. It's a very well done game.

However, I don't think it's right to mix PC games and console games into the same awards show. I'd also like to know how the guest celebrities were chosen, because something tells me that Pam Anderson and Trish from WWE don't sit at home in front of their Playstation 2 or XBOX playing these games. But I realize this is Spike TV so I shouldn't expect too much.

[hezeuschrist]

I was just about to post these results. Excuse my language, but what a complete fucking abortion. I couldn't imagine any more non-game categories. Seriously, no worthwhile genre awards, no system awards, no storyline, art, concept, visuals, or hell... gameplay.

I've been forced to watch the promos for this crap at work, and they made it look interesting with oldschool games like space invaders and other classics... and then Madden XX wins game of the year? Christ.

Well there you go spike TV, just one more program to bring the crash from the future to the present. Way to have a gaming award show for people who don't like or play games.

EDIT: Oh shit, just noticed. Nintendo gets a whopping zero awards, and with the absolute stellar year they've had, that speaks volumes about the uncomparable heap of shit this show is.

[Neil Koch]

Not suprising that Smackdown won the best fighting game, since Spike shows WWE RAW and they're going to have a match on the show.

Just another BS awards show...

[josekortez]

Can this show get anymore boring? Don't the programmers get to give a speech? I mean, there are prominent industry personnel in the audience and they can't speak. And what awards show gives the Best of the Year award in the first few minutes of the show?

I'm so damned sick of watching these cinemas during the show. I always skip them during games...

Only one thing will keep me watching this show: Kelis. I ripped one of her promotional posters off an abandoned building downtown a few weeks ago. She probably wouldn't get caught dead anywhere near a video-game system, though.

[Retsudo]

The best fighting game should be Soul Calibur 2 or Virtua Fighter Evo. A wrestling game wins best fighting game. Who are the Morons who voted for this one. And talk about a Boring Ass award. Look more like a Heavy Metal Concert to me. And Funk Master Flex is up there looking like a FLUNKY.

This award show reminds me of when Rap Music was first introduced to the Grammy's. They didnt go to the HOOD to ask who they think should get best Rap Album. The votes came from people who didnt live in the HOOD, or knew SHIT about Rap music. Seems to same to me when it comes to this WACK ASS award show

[maxlords]

I just watched the first half hour of this show and man, it was the biggest waste of time EVER. No presentations, no nominees, no ANYTHING. Just a bunch of bad music and scantily clad wenches, and ridculous awards that give NO concept of what gamers might actually want or like. I think the awards went to whoever paid the most. Absolutely traumatizing. *shiver* I literally could not STAND to watch any more, and I barely sat through that first 30 minutes.

[Gamereviewgod]

My editorial, soon to be posted on www.blogcritics.org

There are times in my life when I really begin to question the minds of some people. One of those times is right now. The first annual Spike TV Video Game Awards (from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas) is currently premiering while I’m writing this. An hour in, I’m beginning to question my sanity. I cannot fathom what the network execs over at Spike think video game players are like, but I’m quite sure at this point that their market research team should be fired, burned at the stake and then be shot simply because.
What type of awards show opens with the biggest award being given away in the first 2 minutes? Yes, Madden 2004 walked away with the award for "Game of the Year," as highly undeserving as it was (Note: it wins Game of the Year, yet not Sports Game of the Year). Granted, it plays a great game of football, but I can think of at least 15 other games more worthy. There are no nominees you see, they simply toss out an award with no apparent buildup (even though they just went through the nominees for "Most Anticipated Game"). The awards are announced by host David Spade and then shown on a massive circular screen surrounded by the LA Raiders cheerleaders. The crowd must be filled with thousands of pre-pubescent teens screaming at the top of their lungs whenever Grand Theft Auto is mentioned. You can’t hear anything. The designers get 3 seconds of screen time (with no names mentioned) and can be seen shaking their heads, obviously embarrassed to be part of the proceedings. God forbid the guys who created these games should get any type of credit.
It gets worse. The voting was done online by the public (for those not aware). The general public is the last group of people who should be allowed to vote for video games. Musical performances are constant, annoying, and have absolutely nothing to do with video games. Advertisements claim that this isn’t an ordinary awards show, but that’s hardly the case. It’s a really bad one filled with the cheapest stars they could find, one terribly unfunny host, and bands who can’t be heard over the crowd. David Spade opened the show with the same joke that had been part of the advertising campaign for the past 3 weeks.
Think it gets worse? Commercial breaks are brought about with segments entitled "The secret life of video games." The jokes/dubbing are lude, crude, and downright offensive. The humor level of this show is obviously set for the 5-year old crowd since they are the only ones who will find any of this amusing. Video game footage hardly ever features anything less than a player trying to find the most sexually explicit position to put the polygonal characters in. The Tomb Raider "strategy guide" was enough to change the station.
But yet, it gets worse. The categories are senseless. How about a "best gameplay" category? Nope. The horror if we honor someone because their game actually plays well. Maybe a nice "best control" award? Nope. Instead, we get a "most anticipated game" category. How can anyone give a game an award before it’s even out, let alone even played it? Most of the games nominated (and winning) have hardly been out for a month, barely enough time for any gamer to really delve deep into it.
Yes, yes, it does get worse. Funkmaster Flex is the DJ for this glorious excuse for an awards show. He honestly gets more screen time than Spade. His microphone is seemingly inside his mouth as he spouts off unintelligible words, announcing various bands and stars. Even the theme music for this show is grating, not even fitting into a single music category. Also, may I ask: What is the Tony Hawk Boom Bam Chuck Huck Jam thing and what the hell does it have to do with video games?
There really are no kind words for this sad attempt at an awards show. It was hardly even about video games. It was a horrific attempt to get a few bands onto a stage, help David Spade make some money post-Chris Farley, and take advantage of a peak market. No, I’m not one to sit and watch the Grammy’s, Oscar’s, or Acadamey Awards. They bore me to tears. However, at least they have some class and decency. This was disgusting, sickening, and downright disturbing at times. If this is going to be an annual thing, then Spike TV can’t become bankrupt soon enough.

[josekortez]

Because I turned from a rerun of the Source Hip-Hop Awards to watch the VGA's, I just wish I could hear a VGA awards acceptance speech like this one:

"I want thank God, my moms, and Nolan Bushnell! Big ups to Shigeru Miyamoto! Nintendo, don't let them third-parties play you! Holla!"

Then, it should be followed by a mention of an upcoming release date of hot video-game sequel and "Cop that!"

Or something like that...

Secret Life of Video Games has been moderately funny, though...

[Gamereviewgod]

Sorry about the lack of spacing....not sure why that happened.