The video game BAFTAs will be as big as its film counterpart by 2012, according to BAFTA.
Speaking to MCV the head of awards at BAFTA, Anne-Marie Flynn said, “I don’t see any reason why it can’t easily grow to be at least the size of the film ceremony, which holds 1,850, over the next five years. We want the games event to reach out internationally and become the real Oscars – or should I say BAFTAs – of the global games industry.”
Flynn's statement leaves a big question hanging in SPOnG's mind: if it's going to take five years to reach the size of the film event, which holds 1,850, what's it doing moving to a venue that holds 2,500?
Her comments reflect those of ELSPA director general Paul Jackson, who also just happens to be the chair of BAFTA’s games committee.“This can absolutely rival the film and television events in the next few years,” he said. “Those of us who have lived and breathed video games all our lives absolutely believe it stands alongside TV and movies. And ELSPA’s relationship with BAFTA has proved that they believe in this as well.”
It's all well and good that BAFTA's getting behind the awards, but SPOnG wants to know when gaming's finally going to stop being compared to film like an under-achieving younger brother.
Speaking to MCV the head of awards at BAFTA, Anne-Marie Flynn said, “I don’t see any reason why it can’t easily grow to be at least the size of the film ceremony, which holds 1,850, over the next five years. We want the games event to reach out internationally and become the real Oscars – or should I say BAFTAs – of the global games industry.”
Flynn's statement leaves a big question hanging in SPOnG's mind: if it's going to take five years to reach the size of the film event, which holds 1,850, what's it doing moving to a venue that holds 2,500?
Her comments reflect those of ELSPA director general Paul Jackson, who also just happens to be the chair of BAFTA’s games committee.“This can absolutely rival the film and television events in the next few years,” he said. “Those of us who have lived and breathed video games all our lives absolutely believe it stands alongside TV and movies. And ELSPA’s relationship with BAFTA has proved that they believe in this as well.”
It's all well and good that BAFTA's getting behind the awards, but SPOnG wants to know when gaming's finally going to stop being compared to film like an under-achieving younger brother.
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Comments
realvictory 27 Apr 2007 19:42
1/6
I started to think, it should rival the film industry already - games are just as good... but then I realised that old games are actually more significant than modern ones - most modern stuff isn't significant, doesn't do anything new (except the obvious generation transitions at the moment).
Most games creators, I would guess - although they would like to be thought of as artists - make games mostly for the money (or half and half, maybe). There are a few that stand out though. Perhaps once hardware allows computer games to look as good as films/as good as the creators want, then it will make each game more valuable, artistically. (However, this is only one aspect of artistic value in a game.)
Most games creators, I would guess - although they would like to be thought of as artists - make games mostly for the money (or half and half, maybe). There are a few that stand out though. Perhaps once hardware allows computer games to look as good as films/as good as the creators want, then it will make each game more valuable, artistically. (However, this is only one aspect of artistic value in a game.)
hollywooda 30 Apr 2007 09:10
2/6
& Modern films doesn't repeatedly use & stick 2 a tried & tested format??.. I think modern gaming is the best it's ever been, we have such a wide variety of gaming types & styles of play. From the motion controlled Wii to 360's online gaming, the DS twin screens to PSP portable games. I think your comment about old games being "more significant" than 2days games, is a bit nostalgic, if u play most old games now u'll probably turn them off after a few minutes, they rarely stand up to the memory.........
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realvictory 30 Apr 2007 18:54
3/6
hollywooda wrote:
& Modern films doesn't repeatedly use & stick 2 a tried & tested format??.. I think modern gaming is the best it's ever been, we have such a wide variety of gaming types & styles of play. From the motion controlled Wii to 360's online gaming, the DS twin screens to PSP portable games. I think your comment about old games being "more significant" than 2days games, is a bit nostalgic, if u play most old games now u'll probably turn them off after a few minutes, they rarely stand up to the memory.........
The technology is better, yes, but that doesn't automatically make a game significant, just because they stick on touchscreen control or an online mode. I'm talking about individual games that are significant of their time. For example, Mario Bros. is amazing, no matter what - whether it's how I remember it or not - it doesn't stop it being significant. You can hardly win an award, on the other hand, simply for online modes - they lack what they need in terms of being a worthwhile addition to a game, plus, it was a slow development that everyone saw coming. XBox Live, now that might be worthy of an award, but it's not a game, it's a tool, whereas I was trying to compare games to films.
Even if old games might "rarely stand up to the memory," the point is, they did at the time, whereas A LOT of modern games don't stand up to what I expect nowadays. You could say I play games too much, or have too high expectations, but what to the people who create the games expect from me as a person who buys and plays their games?
hollywooda 1 May 2007 08:59
4/6
So games like Metal gears Solid, Grand theft Auto, Resident evil, Gears of War, Halo, Zelda Twilight Princess, Half Life, Gran Turismo, Final Fantasy aren't modern classics that satisfy? I think there is a lot of chaff in the wheat but if my memory serves me well, (& I've had games since the binatone with the two paddles & 1 game, pong!) every generation has had its fair share of gash games, if anything I think this generation (360/Wii/PS3) due mainly to growing development costs, has had a slimmer margin of sh1t games......so far.
tyrion 1 May 2007 12:51
5/6
hollywooda wrote:
So games like Metal gears Solid, Grand theft Auto, Resident evil, Gears of War, Halo, Zelda Twilight Princess, Half Life, Gran Turismo, Final Fantasy aren't modern classics that satisfy?
Nothing from the 8-bit era made me care about a horse like Shadow of the Colossus. And not many earlier games have made me think "oh are you gonna get yours" like when the gods start ragging on Kratos in God of War I & II.
realvictory 1 May 2007 16:34
6/6
Yeah, this is true - some games are good like that. I bet if everyone named their 10 favourite games (modern ones), most of the lists would contain basically the same ones. What I was trying to say was, the games that aren't, in comparison, are not really very good, i.e. lack of original ideas (software, not hardware).
I suppose, on the other hand, awards might be able to increase the quality of games in general.
I suppose, on the other hand, awards might be able to increase the quality of games in general.