What are "The" Game Awards?

[Dark Jaguar]

There's a LOT of groups handing out awards, but what makes this one stand out? Who are they? What are they? What makes them so "The" that they don't even need a name? Did the king of video games crown them?

[A Black Falcon]

It's "The" Game Awards because Geoff Keighley really wanted there to be a broadcast game awards show, and he made it happen. It is kind of a questionable name given that there isn't really anything much more authoritative about his award show than any of the others, other than the higher production values, with its theater with large audience and television-style production. But those things do count for something, and Keighley is a prominent games journalist (despite his constant shilling for sponsors, such as the infamous "Doritos Pope" meme from a while back), so sure, why not.

On that note, I watched most of the show last night and it was alright. I've always disliked how they randomly give some awards out on stage while others just get a bare sidebar mention at best, including some which should be more prominent than some which do get on stage, but unfortunately that's how this show works. I also dislike how full of sponsor ads and sponsored promos with developers, of course, but that's how he gets the money to hold the show, so it is sadly necessary.

But yeah, other than those elements it was alright. As far as Nintendo goes the big reveal was Bayonetta 3 for Switch, which some people care a lot about I'm sure but not so much me since I've never liked that genre much. And as for the awards... well, Breath of the Wild won. That's not my favorite game of this year, but it's good so it's nice to see it get awards.

[A Black Falcon]

So I guess I'm the only one who watched the show? As I said, it was okay.

Other than Nintendo winning and announcing a few things, and the usual 'advertisers get time on stage but not some of the major awards' annoyance, the other big news was the Death Stranding trailer, which was long and said absolutely nothing whatsoever about what the game is actually going to be; it's 100% CG and is more like a short horror film full of random bizarre crazy stuff than it is a game trailer. It definitely did not make me want to ever play the game, whatever it will be (probably some kind of shooter I imagine...), but I've never been a Kojima fan so maybe that isn't surprising?