spike video game awards 2010

PLATFORM: TV
RELEASE DATE: 12/11/2010
DEVELOPER: Spike

Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris (NPH), the annual VGAs started out with a fun pun on his Oscar singing and dancing number. Gamedae is pro NPH so we were very much looking forward to the award show. As per usual, the crowd was super awkward but Neil does his best to save the show. Using video game technology on stage to project recreated level graphics from different games was a neat idea, but felt like a crutch. I just kept thinking about how dumb it must look in person as compared to on screen since the people in the room were not able to see the backdrop of the scene the actors were playing out. For example they kick it off with Neil being "questioned" in the dark interrogation scene from Call of Duty: Black Ops. All in all, the show could have been better (open bar might have helped the crowd) but it is the only televised video game award show, so they really are the only game in town.

Maybe it's just me but I don't think its appropriate to condescend your audience. I have issues with the continued references to gamers as stoners and perverts. And, what was with all the swearing? It seemed forced and was missed by the censors. I realize Spike Network is trying to appeal to their demographic but shouldn't they want to broaden their audience? Award shows have the potential to draw Super Bowl-size television ratings. Sadly, the VGAs are just not there yet and I fear, they never will be if they keep up these antics.

Hit the jump for some links and highlights

• Annalynne McCord, Naomi on the 90210 reboot, announces Thor: God of Thunder which I know has an original story line and is really hoping to bypass the movie-game curse.
  
• Denise Richards (most recently from Blue Mountain State) introduces My Chemical Romance whos recent Planetary Go is the theme to the new Grand Turismo 5.
  
• Jason Ritter, from The Event, introduces Mass Effect 2 nominee for game of the year and winner of Best RPG also the premiere for Biowares next game: Mass Effect 3. In which, it looks like the action is coming home to earth.
  
• The cast of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia announces the nominees for best shooter and the winner Call of Duty: Black Ops!
  
• After some fun banter between Olivia Minn and NPH the world premiere of the Resistance 3 trailer. It's a continuation of the teaser trailer and Gamedae is gonna call it now and say this game looks amazing.
  
• Rachel Bilson introduces the nominees for Best Performance by a Human Male which happens to be NPH as the voice of Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions.
  
• Tony hawk is still old introduces Prototype 2 coming sometime in 2012
  
• 11.1.11 is turning out to be a huge release day next year.
  
• Angry Birds Live was a great idea. Should have been real and not just a skit.
  
• Guillermo del Toro, director of the Hellboy movies and possibly writing The Hobbit movies, said something but it was all censored followed by a world premiere teaser trailer for his game inSANE which looks to be a survival horror. He then announced the Best Independent Game category winner Limbo.
  
• Spike's The Deadliest Warrior cast announce DLC for their game of the same name. Then the Most Anticipated Game winner Portal 2.
  
• A NPH cut where he sings and plays piano In Memorandum of dead game characters is fantastic.
  
• Michael Chiklis, from No Ordinary Family, introduces Red Dead Redemption as Best Game of the Year. Which already won for Best Original Score. Jose Gonzalez plays the theme from the game. I see now, Ima' have to play this game.
  
• Dominic Monaghan, LOST, is not a great presenter but one heck of an actor. He says something about cars then introduces Forza Motorsport 4. It's a good time to be a racing game fan.
  
• The strange "cast" of TMZ do something I think was a skit.
  
• Nathon Fillion, better known as Mal from Firefly, comes out for Halo Reach. He lends his voice to the game. An amazing single voilist plays through all the game cut scenes shown.
  
• Sam Trammell and Rutina Wesley, from HBO's True Blood, come out talking about the difference between "sex" and "SSX" the snowboarding game. This game is back apparently and called SSX Deadly Ascent.
  
• And finally the world premiere of Uncharted 3 Drakes Deception introduced by Eliza Dusku.

Full List of Nominees and Winners