Kinda Funny Gamescast: Fixing The Game Awards – Detailed Summary

Release Date: December 11, 2024

In this episode of the Kinda Funny Gamescast, hosts Greg Miller, Blessing Adeoye Jr., Snowbike Mike, and Andy Cortez dive deep into a critical analysis of The Game Awards, discussing its strengths, shortcomings, and potential improvements to better serve the gaming community.

Introduction and Casual Banter (00:07 – 03:07)

The episode kicks off with the hosts engaging in light-hearted conversation about Blessing's jacket and some humorous teasing. Greg Miller humorously comments on Blessing's attire, leading to playful exchanges among the hosts. This segment sets a relaxed tone before transitioning into the main discussion.

Notable Quote:

• Blessing Adeoye Jr. (00:47): “I look like I'm Todd Howard trying to market the next Indiana Jones game.”

Recap of Last Night’s Gaming Session (03:07 – 06:52)

The hosts reminisce about their gaming session the previous night, where they played Marvel Rivals. They discuss their performance, the dynamics of their winning streak, and the challenges faced during the game, such as dealing with difficult opponents like Captain America.

Notable Quote:

• Greg Miller (03:48): “Jordan Midler, stop shaving your fucking head. Review Marvel Rivals.”

Main Topic: Fixing The Game Awards (06:52 – 30:09)

The core of the episode centers on fixing The Game Awards, sparked by frustrations with the current award categories and the nomination process.

Critique of Current Categories

Blessing Adeoye Jr. and Greg Miller critique several existing categories, highlighting overlaps and the vagueness that detracts from the awards' prestige.

Key Points:

• Best Fighting Game: Considered unnecessary in years with weak nominees. Greg suggests rotating the category to ensure only years with strong contenders include it.

  Notable Quote:

  • Blessing Adeoye Jr. (20:20): “Best Fighting Game... I think that should be a rotated category every year.”

• Best Family Game: Seen as too broad and akin to a "Nintendo category," lacking clarity.

  Notable Quote:

  • Blessing Adeoye Jr. (26:30): “Best Family Game feels like a weird one... I have that one crossed out.”

• Best Game Direction: Viewed as amorphous and overlapping with Game of the Year. Greg proposes replacing it with more specific categories like Best Technical Achievement.

  Notable Quote:

  • Blessing Adeoye Jr. (30:47): “I think Best Game Direction could be replaced by something like Best Technical Achievement.”

• Games for Impact: Considered too vague and resembling a feel-good indie category without clear definition.

  Notable Quote:

  • Blessing Adeoye Jr. (67:13): “I do think the Best Games for Impact category feels more like a feel-good indie category.”

Proposal for New Categories and Refinements

Blessing proposes refining categories to better honor distinct genres and achievements, such as:

• Best Shooter: Highlighting the prevalence of shooter games each year.
• Best Action RPG and Best Turn-Based RPG: Splitting the RPG category to acknowledge different sub-genres.
• Best Early Access Game: Recognizing games still in development but made significant strides.

Notable Quote:

• Blessing Adeoye Jr. (25:24): “I would love an Early Access category. I think that would help out a lot.”

Greg counters some suggestions by emphasizing the importance of maintaining consistent categories to preserve lineage and avoid confusion.

Notable Quote:

• Greg Miller (22:19): “I feel like if you already have a judging panel... it does take away from the fact that we skipped fighting games for two years and then it was here.”

Game of the Year vs. Best Game

The hosts debate the distinction between Game of the Year and Best Game, suggesting that the former could become a popularity contest, whereas the latter should be a more objective recognition of excellence.

Notable Quote:

• Blessing Adeoye Jr. (54:34): “Game of the Year should be more of the game that defines 2024, but Best Game is the game that was developed exceptionally well.”

Handling Independent Games Category (30:09 – 45:30)

The discussion shifts to Best Independent Game, where Greg and Blessing express concerns over the current definition being ambiguous and no longer fitting the traditional indie mold due to publishers like Devolver and Annapurna acting as independent labels.

Key Points:

• Definition Issues: Current criteria based on being produced outside the traditional publisher system is outdated.

  Notable Quote:

  • Blessing Adeoye Jr. (43:33): “Is a game independent when it's published by Xbox? Is Cyberpunk 2077 independent when it's published by CD Projekt?”

• Proposed Changes: Suggest redefining the category to focus on games developed without AAA production means, possibly renaming it to Best Indie Game for clarity.

  Notable Quote:

  • Greg Miller (45:43): “Changing it to Best Indie Game as opposed to Best Independent could help clarify the category.”

Addressing Overlapping Genres and Nomination Processes (45:30 – 56:00)

The hosts explore the complexity of genre overlap, such as RPG mechanics infiltrating various game types, making it challenging to classify accurately. They advocate for more granular categories to ensure fair recognition of diverse game types.

Key Points:

• Genre Overlap: RPG elements in action and adventure games blur category lines.

  Notable Quote:

  • Blessing Adeoye Jr. (33:09): “Action, Action Adventure, and RPG categories have so much overlap that it makes categorization confusing.”

• Judging Panels: Emphasize the need for specialized panels to assess nominations accurately, reducing ambiguity in category placements.

  Notable Quote:

  • Blessing Adeoye Jr. (68:52): “Reaching out to experts in specific genres to form dedicated panels would improve nomination accuracy.”

Celebrity Involvement and Show Length (56:00 – 75:47)

The episode addresses celebrity involvement in The Game Awards and the length of the show, critiquing how celebrity segments can disrupt the flow and feel impersonal.

Key Points:

• Celebrity Segments: Hosts express frustration with celebrities taking over the show, leading to extended and sometimes irrelevant segments.

  Notable Quote:

  • Andy Cortez (74:19): “Anthony Mackie needed to tone it down. He’s good in Marvel movies but not in improv on stage.”

• Show Length: Concerns about the Game Awards becoming too lengthy due to overlapping categories and extended speeches.

  Notable Quote:

  • Greg Miller (71:50): “If you add more categories, the show could become excessively long, detracting from the overall experience.”

Final Thoughts and Future Recommendations (75:47 – End)

In their concluding remarks, the hosts summarize their key recommendations for improving The Game Awards:

• Refine and Add Specific Categories: Introduce more granular categories to honor distinct game qualities and genres.
• Reevaluate Independent Game Criteria: Update the definition to reflect the current publishing landscape.
• Moderate Celebrity Involvement: Limit celebrity segments to maintain the show's focus on gaming achievements.
• Improve Judging Processes: Engage specialized panels for more accurate and fair evaluations.

Notable Quote:

• Blessing Adeoye Jr. (80:14): “The Game Awards should focus more on recognizing truly exceptional games and less on broad, overlapping categories.”

Conclusion

The episode of Kinda Funny Gamescast provides a comprehensive critique of The Game Awards, emphasizing the need for clearer category definitions, better handling of independent games, and a reduction in unnecessary show length caused by celebrity segments. The hosts advocate for a more structured and genre-specific approach to ensure that outstanding games receive the recognition they deserve, ultimately enhancing the awards' credibility and relevance within the gaming community.

Final Quote:

• Greg Miller (76:50): “The Game Awards are beautiful, exactly as they are, but there's always room for improvement to honor the diverse and evolving gaming landscape.”

This summary captures the essence of the podcast episode, highlighting the hosts' in-depth analysis and thoughtful suggestions aimed at enhancing The Game Awards for both attendees and viewers.