Cites lack of qualified applicants
The Writers Guild of America has been handing out awards to video games at its annual awards show since 2008, but starting with the 2020 ceremony, that category will be no more. Speaking to Gamasutra, the WGA said: “[the awards will] be reinstated when there is a critical mass of video games covered by the WGA in order to provide a meaningful award selection process.”
The problem seems to lie in the WGA’s script submission process which requires writers to meet the following criteria:
- Have received a writing credit on at least one produced videogame. (Credits which are not easily discernible as writing credits will be reviewed along with submitted written materials by the Videogame Writers Caucus Steering Committee.)
- Have been employed to write a design document, or any other written videogame material, which in the judgment of the Videogame Writers Caucus Steering Committee is equivalent to writing a thirty (30) minute television script.
- Have been hired to write videogame material under a Writers Guild contract
So while there’s been some great writing in games this year, it seems that the guild felt there aren’t enough worthy scripts to warrant a good competition.
On one hand, I feel like this isn’t great for the gaming industry in its perpetual quest to been seen as a place for mature storytelling, but this is also the guild that gave Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood an award for writing over Fallout: New Vegas, so make of that what you will.
As it stands, God of War will be the final recipient of the outstanding writing in video games award. Shame that whatever Death Stranding ends up being won’t be able to be nominated.
WGA removes video game writing category from 2020 awards [Gamasutra]
