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Considering *that* cameo, do you think Death Stranding should be nominated for the Game Awards?

Do you think it matters?

  • The awards aren't chosen by Geoff, it should be allowed for DS to be nominated

    Votes: 1,599 70.1%

  • Even if they're chosen by other people, it's not a good look and it shouldn't be nominated due to it

    Votes: 681 29.9%
  • Total voters
    2,280
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Lant_War

Lant_War

Classic Anus Game
The Fallen
Jul 14, 2018
23,538
Today we were made aware of the Videogame Awards nominees, and one of the debated about it was regarding if Death Stranding should've been nominated as the Awards' host, Geoff Keighley, makes a small cameo in the game. Keep in mind Geoff is the host but he has no influence whatsoever in the votings.

How do you feel about the game being nominated?
 
Gundam

Gundam

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
12,801
Even without the cameo it's a pretty big conflict of interest and not a super good look.

But on the other hand, it's The Game Awards. It's a big commercial anyway.
 
NateDrake

NateDrake

Member
Oct 24, 2017
7,497
Geoff has no say in the nominations or the winners.

Should his inclusion be disclosed? Yes. Otherwise it seems like a nonissue.
 
Dest

Dest

Has seen more 10s than EA ever will
Coward
Jun 4, 2018
14,032
Work
It's going to be on every media outlets GOTY nominations lists anyways so sure yeah
 

Deleted member 14377

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
13,520
Just note that when a woman is involved, we get "ethic in journalism" gamergate. But with this, it's totally fine.
 
Hella

Hella

Member
Oct 27, 2017
23,394
I feel more uncomfortable with the marketing tie-ins than I do any of the awards process. Every time I've watched it, the show is 80% ad, 20% awards.
 
Betty

Betty

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
17,604
Even without that cameo people would be inventing conspiracies in their head due to the fact Geoff is a huge Kojima fan.
 
MDSVeritas

MDSVeritas

Gameplay Programmer, Sony Santa Monica
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
1,025
Given that there's (to our knowledge) no oversight from Geoff on the nominee or winner selection, this doesn't appear to be a conflict of interest in any real way besides situations where it's misconstrued as one incorrectly.

Feels like an arbitrary reason to remove a game from consideration to one of the biggest awards for the industry.
 
AntiMacro

AntiMacro

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,135
Alberta
I kind of agree with both... It should be eligible since - according to the rules - he doesn't influence it...but at the same time that's a pretty bad look.
 
Gilver

Gilver

Banned
Nov 14, 2018
3,725
Costa Rica
What more can you do if you dont vote? Is Geoff supposed to remove some nominations because it would make him look bad?
 
Betty

Betty

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
17,604
Hella said:
I feel more uncomfortable with the marketing tie-ins than I do any of the awards process. Every time I've watched it, the show is 80% ad, 20% awards.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Getting all that talent together, including famous celebrities, and putting the show on in general, it ain't cheap.

I have no problem with the adverts if it helps pay for the show.
 

Deleted member 10795

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
6,302
I think people are overthinking this and/or trying to apply a standard to an awards event that doesn't warrant it.

Besides, the reception to Death Stranding seems to have been overwhelmingly positive ever since the initial review period rolled into folks actually playing it. This won't be the last we hear of it in the context of GOTY stuff.
 

Deleted member 8593

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
27,176
This would make a pretty good controversy if the entire event wasn't already a massive marketing ploy.
 
hydruxo

hydruxo

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,403
It shouldn't even be a question that's being asked IMO. Geoff has no say in it and it would be silly to not nominate it when it's clearly going to be a game that gets a lot of GOTY nominations from other outlets as well.
 
TubaZef

TubaZef

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,563
Brazil
Hella said:
I feel more uncomfortable with the marketing tie-ins than I do any of the awards process. Every time I've watched it, the show is 80% ad, 20% awards.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I would be ok with it being just 2 hours of announcements, some nice homages and some cool music numbers. Not even the event itself seem to care about the awards, giving them during breaks and such.
 
Garlador

Garlador

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
14,131
I both agree it's not a good look but also that it should be allowed to get a nomination.

The right thing would have been for Geoff to decline to be in it.

Same for the Famitsu guy whose magazine then gave it a 10/10.
hamamura_famitsu_death_stranding.jpg


If you're attached to a magazine or award show that will be reviewing and awarding games, don't be in those games. It's impossible to remove bias from the equation because even if you aren't the one doing the nominations and reviews, the people under you or who are working on the show know your preference and that does skew opinions and value judgments.

Death Stranding is weird and great and bad and okay all on its own merits, but its cameos are unquestionably a bit problematic from a critical perspective.

That's my two cents.
 
Hella

Hella

Member
Oct 27, 2017
23,394
TubaZef said:
I would be ok with it being just 2 hours of announcements, some nice homages and some cool music numbers. Not even the event itself seem to care about the awards, giving them during breaks and such.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yeah, that's basically my issue with it. The awards feel like such a minor focus that I question why they're even there.
 

GReeeeN

Senior Analyst at GSD
Verified
Mar 6, 2018
329
Really?, exclude an entire game from the nomination list for the biggest game award show because the host was featured in the game?, even though he has absolutely no voting power in the awards....

I really doubt any industry journalist with an individual and confidential opinion is going to be like "oh the producer of this show is in the game, maybe I should vote for Death Steanding as my GOTY choice"
 
Extremely Solid

Extremely Solid

Member
Jun 4, 2018
1,129
It should be nominated for awards because it's an outstanding game. It doesn't matter who they put in it - that fact remains unchanged! Kojima is Keighley's best bud, and he has a cameo appearance in Control - should Control be taken out of the mix, as well?
 
banter

banter

Member
Jan 12, 2018
4,127
Geoff has no say in the awards themselves and I don't think anyone (even the people who don't like the game) would dispute its merits for being nominated.
 
rochellepaws

rochellepaws

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,451
Ireland
It's one of many GOTY awards, I don't take it that seriously and if you think it's a conflict of interest then feel free to disregard the winner since there's plenty more of those awards out there.
 
lint2015

lint2015

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,809
I don't see The Game Awards as anything but a huge cross-marketing effort with game companies and industry figures anyway, so I don't take the award winners seriously.
 
Hailinel

Hailinel

Shamed a mod for a tag
Member
Oct 27, 2017
35,527
The nominations and voting aren't performed by Geoff, and so there's no reason it should be DQed, but it is definitely an awkward association and worth acknowledging for transparency and disclosure.
 
MaitreWakou

MaitreWakou

One Winged Slayer
Avenger
May 15, 2018
13,180
Toulouse, France
We already know that Geoff is the biggest fan of Kojima alive... His cameo litterally doesn't change anything.
It's kind of weird already because of how a fan boy he obviously is.
But as long as he doesn't have weight in the decision it's fine.
 
Expy

Expy

Member
Oct 26, 2017
9,860
There's nothing ethically wrong about this since he doesn't really vote.
 
Arkeband

Arkeband

Banned
Nov 8, 2017
7,663
Considering the lengths Geoff has gone through to worship Kojima over the years and at prior TGA's, that's more of a sign of a conflict of interest than Geoff's likeness being in the game alongside dozens of other people.
 
Cess007

Cess007

Member
Oct 27, 2017
14,077
B.C., Mexico
Believing that Death Stranding is not a good game and shouldn't be nominated, is fine.

Believing a great conspiracy and the friendship between Geoff and Kojima are the only reasons why it was nominated, is not.
 
Strangelove_77

Strangelove_77

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
13,392
I'm sure a lot of people who watch this show already assume Kojima gets extra points or whatever because of Geoff. Who cares what they think.
 
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