The Game Industry Should Be More Like The Host Of VGX
I know many of Us gamers are disappointed by the new format that VGX presented (formerly known as VGA) this past Saturday, indicated by forums and various posts. It seems it wants to be more of a reveal show like E3 and less of an awards show…like an awards show :(. But something interesting I did take away from the event — The Game Industry Should Be More Like The Host Of VGX. Let me explain.
I don’t know how many of you watched VGX, by the way still not sure what the “X” stands for: Xperience? Xpo? Xtreme? Xstravaganza? Xenu (As in alien god)? As the host alluded to? Although I think he was joking right? But it came off as taking a major stepback rather than a progression. Very dull, very boring as some will describe. Taking the “A” out of VGA seems very appropriate now that it seems the show wants to focus more on blockbuster reveals instead of honoring the very best in the game’s business.
Speaking of, there were no blockbuster reveals either to speak of; at the very least, to justify pushing the “awards” part of it to the backburner, disappointing, especially after all the preliminary talk of what games may be revealed vs what was actually revealed. I shouldn’t be surprised though, there’s is almost always this false hype surrounding this show and many others for that matter.
Well anyway, through all the darkness of VGX a light shined through, a epiphany if you will, The Soup’s own Joel McHale who was said host, showed me a world where realness maybe be possible, ironic, in such a world of virtualness and fantasy. Now whether this realness was actually him in his purest form or was prompted by some “special juice” — that is I don’t know if he was inebriated (he hinting that he was) it was a wonder to watch. And I’m not condoning that behavior by the way, or even suggesting that the industry should get drunk in order to speak their true mind — actually it’s the opposite I’m hoping the game industry could accomplish the end result without the aid of alcohol but regardless I could appreciate and recognize the fact his realness spoke volumes to me… literally.
It’s rarely seen, and when it was seen it stuck out, where as we’re taught to be “politically correct” all the time — Don’t like the particular game you’re interviewing for? You better not say nothing! Better yet act like you like it! Not getting the real answers you want? Ignore it! Better not call the developer out on it.
And yeah, yeah it left developers a little uncomfortable and yeah, yeah it didn’t make for good chemistry between the hosts and developers, McHale saying things like “you guys never say when your game is coming out”(hilarious) but I viewed it as a necessary evil. It was almost like Geoff Keighley, also the host, and McHale — especially when it came to developer interviews were playing “good cop-bad cop”. McHale even played the “be real” game with Geoff asking him something like “What is the game your looking forward to, and don’t say every game”, making Geoff take a stance on Titanfall. Or even asking Geoff if he had ever went on record saying he doesn’t like a game, actually getting Geoff to go on record and say what game he doesn’t like! Also looking disinterested when guess what? He was disinterested! I mean man! McHale was really (no pun) going for it, I guess trying to take home an award himself — the “keep it real” award . It was almost as if McHale was tired of dealing with fake people and said “watch this, they don’t know it yet but I’m going to shake this thing up”.
Yes, Joel McHale’s “realness” was a little over-the-top and people with similar personality could be real to a fault at times but I kind of liked it, thought it was healthy — a good shake up for this industry, to get a good dose of how to be honest. So many times we get caught up in being so cordial (to a fault) that we pretend to pretend, huh? :).
And no I’m in no way encouraging disrespect, as I’m am also clearly not encouraging fakeness but Joel McHale open my eyes to a world where a Game’s Industry could possibly speak to each other honestly and add to that constructively — that’s the only way we get better.
Agree the Game Industry could use a little more dose of “real”? CCU wants to hear from you.
