On November 10, 2014, it was announced that Spike would drop their award show, ending their decade-long run.[4 ] Geoff Keighley went on to create his own video game award show in the form of The Game Awards starting in that year, dropping the support from Spike.[4 ]
2012 awards
edit
The 2012 VGAs (promoted as VGA 10 for the tenth anniversary) was held on December 7, 2012, at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City , California. Samuel L. Jackson returned to host for a fourth time.[9 ] This was the last year under the name "Spike Video Game Awards". For the first time, the awards were broadcast on Xbox Live . Live users could "play" the show as it aired live. Responses to poll questions were tabulated in real time on screen for the Xbox Live audience and users with Xbox SmartGlass devices got a unique second-screen experience that updated in real time alongside the show content. Additionally, Spike TV and Entertainment Weekly partnered to create the first-ever "Entertainment Weekly and Spike VGA Best Game of the Decade" award. Exclusive world premieres that debuted at VGA 10 include Naughty Dog 's The Last of Us , Epic Games ' Gears of War: Judgment , Obsidian Entertainment 's South Park: The Stick of Truth , Konami 's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 , Irrational Games ' BioShock Infinite , Crystal Dynamics ' Tomb Raider , Ubisoft 's Assassin's Creed III: The Tyranny of King Washington , and 343 Industries ' Halo 4: Spartan Ops . Two new games were announced, including Dark Souls II by FromSoftware , and a new game called The Phantom Pain (later revealed to be Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain ). The event also had appearances from all past hosts of the VGAs except David Spade . The event featured musical performances by Linkin Park , Tenacious D , Gustavo Santaolalla and Wolfgang Gartner .[10 ]
Award
Winner
Nominees
Game of the Year
The Walking Dead: The Game
Dishonored
Journey
Mass Effect 3
Studio of the Year
Telltale Games , The Walking Dead: The Game
Arkane Studios , Dishonored
Gearbox Software , Borderlands 2
Best Xbox 360 Game
Halo 4
Borderlands 2
Dishonored
Best PS3 Game
Journey
Borderlands 2
Dishonored
Best Wii/Wii U Game
New Super Mario Bros. U
Xenoblade Chronicles
ZombiU
Best PC Game
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Guild Wars 2
Torchlight II
Best Handheld/Mobile Game
Sound Shapes
LittleBigPlanet PS Vita
New Super Mario Bros. 2
Best Shooter
Borderlands 2
Halo 4
Max Payne 3
Best Action Adventure Game
Dishonored
Darksiders II
Sleeping Dogs
Best RPG
Mass Effect 3
Torchlight II
Xenoblade Chronicles
Best Multi-player Game
Borderlands 2
Guild Wars 2
Halo 4
Best Individual Sports Game
SSX
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13
WWE '13
Best Team Sports Game
NBA 2K13
Madden NFL 13
NHL 13
Best Driving Game
Need for Speed: Most Wanted
F1 2012
Forza Horizon
Best Fighting Game
Persona 4 Arena
Street Fighter X Tekken
Tekken Tag Tournament 2
Best Independent Game
Journey
Fez
Mark of the Ninja
Best Adapted Video Game
The Walking Dead: The Game
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
Best Song in a Game
"Cities" by Beck , Sound Shapes
"I Was Born for This" by Austin Wintory , Journey
"Tears" by Health , Max Payne 3
Best Original Score
Journey
Halo 4
Max Payne 3
Best Graphics
Halo 4
Dishonored
Journey
Best Performance by a Human Male
Dameon Clarke as Handsome Jack, Borderlands 2
James McCaffrey as Max Payne , Max Payne 3
Nolan North as Captain Martin Walker, Spec Ops: The Line
Best Performance by a Human Female
Melissa Hutchison as Clementine, The Walking Dead: The Game
Jen Taylor as Cortana , Halo 4
Jennifer Hale as Commander Shepard (female version) , Mass Effect 3
Best Downloadable Game
The Walking Dead: The Game
Journey
Sound Shapes
Best Social Game
You Don't Know Jack
Marvel: Avengers Alliance
SimCity Social
Best DLC
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dawnguard
Borderlands 2 – Mechromancer Pack
Portal 2 – Perpetual Testing Initiative
Most Anticipated Game
Grand Theft Auto V
South Park: The Stick of Truth
The Last of Us
Tomb Raider
Character of the Year
Claptrap , Borderlands 2
Commander Shepard , Mass Effect 3
Master Chief , Halo 4
Raul Menendez, Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Best Game of the Decade
Half-Life 2
BioShock
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Mass Effect 2
Portal
Red Dead Redemption
Shadow of the Colossus
Wii Sports
World of Warcraft
2011 awards
edit
The 2011 VGAs was held Saturday, December 10, 2011, at the Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City , California, hosted by Zachary Levi .[11 ] The awards previewed world premieres of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Patriots , Transformers: Fall of Cybertron , BioShock Infinite , Alan Wake's American Nightmare , Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance , Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD , The Amazing Spider-Man , the exclusive PlayStation 3 game The Last of Us developed by Naughty Dog , Command & Conquer: Generals 2 from BioWare Victory , and Fortnite from Epic Games . New trailers for both Hitman: Absolution and Mass Effect 3 were aired during the show, as well as a pre-show announcement for Tekken Tag Tournament 2 . Mark Burnett was the Executive Producer for the event, and for the first time, the VGAs aired live on MTV 2 (US ), Spike.com (US ) and Ginx TV (UK ), in addition to Spike TV. The winners, as well as world premiere trailers, were announced during a pre-show red carpet live event hosted by GTTV's Amanda MacKay and Daniel Kayser. The 2011 VGAs also honored The Legend of Zelda franchise with its first ever "Video Game Hall of Fame Award".[1 ] Another unique award at the 2011 VGAs was the NFL Blitz Cover Athlete award. This award, determined by live online voting during the event (just like Character of the Year), determined which NFL athlete would be on the cover of the EA Sports game, NFL Blitz .[12 ] Appearances were by Charlie Sheen , Brooklyn Decker , Seth Green , Felicia Day , LL Cool J , Jason Biggs , Seann William Scott , Tony Hawk , will.i.am , Hulk Hogan , Stacy Keibler , Bellator MMA stars Eddie Alvarez and Michael Chandler , Blake Anderson , Adam Devine , Anders Holm , and game designers Cliff Bleszinski of Epic Games and Hideo Kojima of Konami . Musical performances were by The Black Keys and Deadmau5 .[13 ]
Award
Winner
Nominees
Game of the Year
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Portal 2
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Video Game Hall of Fame
The Legend of Zelda
N/A
Gamer God
Blizzard Entertainment
N/A
Studio of the Year
Bethesda Game Studios , The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Rocksteady Studios , Batman: Arkham City
Valve , Portal 2
Best Xbox 360 Game
Batman: Arkham City
Gears of War 3
Portal 2
Best PS3 Game
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Killzone 3
LittleBigPlanet 2
Best Wii Game
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Lost in Shadow
Best PC Game
Portal 2
Minecraft
The Witcher 2
Best Handheld/Mobile Game
Super Mario 3D Land
Infinity Blade
Jetpack Joyride
Best Shooter
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Gears of War 3
RAGE
Best Action Adventure Game
Batman: Arkham City
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Best RPG
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Dragon Age II
Best Multiplayer
Portal 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Gears of War 3
Best Individual Sports Game
Fight Night Champion
Top Spin 4
Virtua Tennis 4
Best Team Sports Game
NBA 2K12
NHL 12
MLB 11: The Show
Best Driving Game
Forza Motorsport 4
Driver: San Francisco
Need for Speed: The Run
Best Fighting Game
Mortal Kombat
Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
WWE All Stars
Best Motion Game
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Dance Central 2
The Gunstringer
Best Independent Game
Minecraft
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
The Binding of Isaac
Best Adapted Video Game
Batman: Arkham City
Captain America: Super Soldier
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
Best Song in a Game
"Build That Wall (Zia's Theme)" by Darren Korb, Bastion
"I'm Not Calling You a Liar" by Florence + the Machine , Dragon Age II
"Setting Sail, Coming Home (End Theme)" by Darren Korb, Bastion
"Want You Gone" by Jonathan Coulton, Portal 2
Best Original Score
Bastion
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Portal 2
Best Graphics
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
LA Noire
RAGE
Best Performance by a Human Male
Stephen Merchant as Wheatley , Portal 2
Mark Hamill as The Joker , Batman: Arkham City
Nolan North as Nathan Drake , Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Best Performance by a Human Female
Ellen McLain as GLaDOS , Portal 2
Emily Rose as Elena Fisher , Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Tara Strong as Harley Quinn , Batman: Arkham City
Best Downloadable Game
Bastion
Stacking
Iron Brigade
Best DLC
Portal 2: Peer Review
Mass Effect 2: Arrival
Mortal Kombat: Freddy Krueger
Most Anticipated Game
Mass Effect 3
Diablo 3
Halo 4
The Last Guardian
GameTrailers.com Trailer of the Year
Assassin's Creed: Revelations , E3 2011 Trailer
Dark Souls , Ignite 11 Debut Trailer
Dead Island , GDC 11 Cinematic Trailer
Deus Ex: Human Revolution , Purity First Infomercial
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim , In-Game Debut Trailer
Hitman: Absolution , E3 2011 Trailer
Prey 2 , E3 2011 Trailer
Tomb Raider , E3 2011 Trailer
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception , E3 2011 Trailer
Character of the Year
The Joker , Batman: Arkham City
Marcus Fenix , Gears of War 3
Wheatley , Portal 2
NFL Blitz Cover Athlete
Ray Rice
Patrick Willis
2010 awards
edit
The 2010 VGAs was held Saturday, December 11, 2010, in Los Angeles, California at the L.A. Convention Center and returned to using a host which was Neil Patrick Harris . Unlike previous years, all the awards were not awarded during the show. Several new games were announced which include BioWare 's announcement of Mass Effect 3 , Prototype 2 , Insane from acclaimed movie director Guillermo del Toro , The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim , Mortal Kombat featuring Kratos , Resistance 3 , Portal 2 , SSX: Deadly Descents , and Forza Motorsport 4 . Batman: Arkham City had another CGI trailer debut and the first trailer of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception aired during the awards. Appearances included AnnaLynne McCord , Thor: God of Thunder video game star Chris Hemsworth , Dane Cook , Olivia Munn , Dominic Monaghan , Michael Chiklis , Academy Award nominated film director Guillermo del Toro, Halo: Reach star and VGA nominee Nathan Fillion , Nick Swardson , Tony Hawk , and the cast from the hit series It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia , Danny DeVito , Charlie Day , Glenn Howerton , Kaitlin Olson , and Rob McElhenney . Musical performances included award-winning violinist Diana Yukawa ,[14 ] My Chemical Romance , and José González . The show featured use of ground breaking augmented reality technology, conceived by Done and Dusted ; with Lee Lodge , in partnership with Weider Design , Full Mental Jacket , and Orad .[15 ]
Award
Winner
Nominees
Game of the Year
Red Dead Redemption
God of War III
Halo: Reach
Mass Effect 2
Studio of the Year
BioWare , Mass Effect 2
Bungie , Halo: Reach
Rockstar San Diego , Red Dead Redemption
Best Xbox 360 Game
Mass Effect 2
Fable III
Halo: Reach
Best PS3 Game
God of War III
ModNation Racers
Red Dead Redemption
Best Wii Game
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Metroid: Other M
Best PC Game
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
Mass Effect 2
Sid Meier's Civilization V
Best Handheld Game
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
Super Scribblenauts
Best Shooter
Call of Duty: Black Ops
BioShock 2
Halo: Reach
Best Action Adventure Game
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Red Dead Redemption
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Best RPG
Mass Effect 2
Fallout: New Vegas
Final Fantasy XIII
Best Multiplayer
Halo: Reach
Call of Duty: Black Ops
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
Best Individual Sports Game
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11
Shaun White Skateboarding
UFC Undisputed 2010
Best Team Sports Game
NBA 2K11
Madden NFL 11
MLB 10: The Show
Best Driving Game
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
ModNation Racers
Split/Second
Best Music Game
Rock Band 3
DJ Hero 2
Def Jam Rapstar
Best Soundtrack
DJ Hero 2
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
Rock Band 3
Best Song in a Game
"Far Away" by José González , Red Dead Redemption
"Black Rain " by Soundgarden , Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
"GoldenEye " by Nicole Scherzinger , GoldenEye 007 (2010)
"Won't Back Down " by Eminem , Call of Duty: Black Ops
"Replay /Rude Boy Mashup" by Iyaz /Rihanna , DJ Hero 2
Best Original Score
Red Dead Redemption
Halo: Reach
James Bond 007: Blood Stone
Mass Effect 2
Best Graphics
God of War III
James Bond 007: Blood Stone
Red Dead Redemption
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Best Adapted Video Game
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
Transformers: War for Cybertron
Best Performance by a Human Male
Neil Patrick Harris as Peter Parker/Amazing Spider-Man , Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
Gary Oldman as Sergeant Reznov, Call of Duty: Black Ops
John Cleese as Jasper, Fable III
Martin Sheen as the Illusive Man , Mass Effect 2
Nathan Fillion as Sergeant Edward Buck, Halo: Reach
Rob Wiethoff as John Marston , Red Dead Redemption
Sam Worthington as Alex Mason , Call of Duty: Black Ops
Best Performance by a Human Female
Tricia Helfer as Sarah Kerrigan , StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
Danica Patrick as Herself, Blur
Emmanuelle Chriqui as The Numbers Lady, Call of Duty: Black Ops
Felicia Day as Veronica Santangelo, Fallout: New Vegas
Jennifer Hale as Commander Shepard (female version) , Mass Effect 2
Kristen Bell as Lucy Stillman , Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Yvonne Strahovski as Miranda Lawson , Mass Effect 2
Best Downloadable Game
Costume Quest
Monday Night Combat
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game
Best DLC
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
Borderlands: The Secret Armory of General Knoxx
Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker
Best Independent Game
Limbo
Super Meat Boy
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom
Most Anticipated Game
Portal 2
BioShock Infinite
Gears of War 3
Character of the Year
Sgt. Frank Woods, Call of Duty: Black Ops
John Marston , Red Dead Redemption
Ezio Auditore da Firenze , Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
Strongest Heroes of All Time
Samus Aran , Metroid series
Marcus Fenix , Gears of War series
Mario , Super Mario series
Kratos , God of War series
Solid Snake , Metal Gear Solid series
Best Original Game
Red Dead Redemption
N/A
Best Zombie Game
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
N/A
Best Dressed Assassin
Ezio Auditore da Firenze , Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
N/A
Biggest Badass
Kratos , God of War III
N/A
2009 awards
edit
The 2009 VGAs was held on December 12, 2009, at the Nokia Event Deck in Los Angeles, California and is the only VGAs that did not feature a host. It opened with a trailer announcing the sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum . There were other exclusive looks at Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands , UFC 2010 Undisputed , Halo: Reach , Tron: Evolution , Medal of Honor , Crackdown 2 , Bonanza , Spec Ops: The Line , Rock Band 3 , Deadliest Warrior: The Game , and True Crime . Samuel L. Jackson previewed LucasArts newest upcoming Star Wars game, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II . In addition, Green Day: Rock Band was announced and accompanied with a trailer. Appearances were made by Stevie Wonder , the cast of MTV's Jersey Shore , Green Day , and Jack Black , with live music performances by Snoop Dogg and The Bravery .[16 ]
Award
Winner
Nominees
Game of the Year
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Left 4 Dead 2
Studio of the Year
Rocksteady Studios , Batman: Arkham Asylum
Naughty Dog , Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Valve , Left 4 Dead 2
Best Independent Game
Flower
Splosion Man
Trials HD
Best Xbox 360 Game
Left 4 Dead 2
Forza Motorsport 3
Halo 3: ODST
Best PS3 Game
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Killzone 2
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time
Best Wii Game
New Super Mario Bros. Wii
Punch-Out!!
Wii Sports Resort
Best PC Game
Dragon Age: Origins
Plants vs. Zombies
The Sims 3
Best Handheld Game
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
Scribblenauts
Best Shooter
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Killzone 2
Left 4 Dead 2
Best Action Adventure Game
Assassin's Creed II
Brütal Legend
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Best RPG
Dragon Age: Origins
Demon's Souls
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Best Multiplayer Game
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Halo 3: ODST
Left 4 Dead 2
Best Fighting Game
Street Fighter IV
Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny
Tekken 6
Best Individual Sports Game
UFC 2009 Undisputed
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10
Wii Sports Resort
Best Team Sports Game
NHL 10
NBA 2K10
FIFA 10
Best Driving Game
Forza Motorsport 3
Gran Turismo PSP
Need for Speed: Shift
Best Music Game
The Beatles: Rock Band
Guitar Hero 5
LEGO Rock Band
Best Soundtrack
DJ Hero
Guitar Hero 5
The Beatles: Rock Band
Best Original Score
Halo 3: ODST
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Best Graphics
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Killzone 2
Best Game Based On A Movie/TV Show
South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play!
The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition
Best Performance By A Human Male
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine , X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Samuel L. Jackson as Afro Samurai / Ninja Ninja, Afro Samurai
Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky , Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Vin Diesel as Richard B. Riddick , The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
Best Performance By A Human Female
Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes , Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Kristen Bell as Lucy Stillman , Assassin's Creed II
Tricia Helfer as Dare, Halo 3: ODST
Best Cast
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
South Park Let's Go Tower Defense Play!
Best Voice
Jack Black for the voice of Eddie Riggs, Brütal Legend
Claudia Black as Chloe Frazer , Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Mark Hamill as The Joker , Batman: Arkham Asylum
Nolan North as Nathan Drake , Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Best Downloadable Game
Shadow Complex
Fat Princess
Plants vs. Zombies
Best DLC
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
Fallout 3: Point Lookout
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned
Best Comedy Game
Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard
N/A
Most Anticipated Game of 2010
God of War III
Mass Effect 2
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
2008 awards
edit
The 2008 VGAs was held on December 14, 2008, at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City.[17 ] Hosted by Jack Black , the show featured previews of Brütal Legend , Dante's Inferno , Fight Night Round 4 , Gears of War 2 "Combustion" map pack announcement and trailer, God of War III , Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned , Mafia II , Pearl Jam 's album Ten for Rock Band , Terminator Salvation , Uncharted 2: Among Thieves , and Watchmen: The End Is Nigh . Musical performances included 50 Cent , The All-American Rejects , Weezer , and LL Cool J .[18 ] [19 ]
Award
Winner
Nominees[20 ]
Game of the Year
Grand Theft Auto IV
Gears of War 2
LittleBigPlanet
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Best Action Adventure Game
Grand Theft Auto IV
Mirror's Edge
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Studio of the Year
Media Molecule , LittleBigPlanet
Harmonix , Rock Band 2
Bethesda Game Studios , Fallout 3
Gamer God
Will Wright , creator of The Sims and Spore
N/A
Best Shooter
Gears of War 2
Resistance 2
Left 4 Dead
Best Music Game
Rock Band 2
Wii Music
SingStar
Best Soundtrack
Rock Band 2
Guitar Hero World Tour
LittleBigPlanet
Best RPG
Fallout 3
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning
The World Ends with You
Best Independent Game Fueled By Dew
World of Goo
Braid
Audiosurf
Best Team Sports Game
NHL 09
NBA 2K9
FIFA Soccer 09
Best Individual Sports Game
Shaun White Snowboarding
Wii Fit
Skate It
Best Game Based on a Movie or TV Show
Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Naruto: The Broken Bond
Big Name in the Game Male
Kiefer Sutherland as Sgt. Roebuck, Call of Duty: World at War
Liam Neeson as Father, Fallout 3
Daniel Craig as James Bond , 007: Quantum of Solace
Big Name in the Game Female
Jenny McCarthy as Special Agent Tanya Adams, Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3
Eliza Dushku as Shaundi, Saints Row 2
Judi Dench as M , 007: Quantum of Solace
Best Xbox 360 Game
Gears of War 2
Fallout 3
Grand Theft Auto IV
Best PS3 Game
LittleBigPlanet
Resistance 2
Grand Theft Auto IV
Best Wii Game
Boom Blox
Wii Fit
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Best PC Game
Left 4 Dead
Crysis Warhead
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning
Best Multiplayer Game
Left 4 Dead
Resistance 2
Call of Duty: World at War
Best Fighting Game
Soulcalibur IV
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit
Best Handheld Game
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Patapon
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
Best Driving Game
Burnout Paradise
Midnight Club: Los Angeles
Mario Kart Wii
Best Graphics
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Fallout 3
Best Original Score
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Spore
LittleBigPlanet
Best Male Voice
Michael Hollick as Niko Bellic , Grand Theft Auto IV
Stephen Fry as The Narrator, LittleBigPlanet
Jason Zumwalt as Roman Bellic , Grand Theft Auto IV
Best Female Voice
Debi Mae West as Meryl Silverburgh , Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Paula Tiso as Silvia Christel , No More Heroes
Keeley Hawes as Lara Croft , Tomb Raider: Underworld
2007 awards
edit
The 2007 VGAs aired December 9, 2007. Hosted by Samuel L. Jackson , the winners were announced ahead of the event which was held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The show featured performances by Foo Fighters , Kid Rock , and exclusive world video game premieres of Borderlands , Gran Turismo 5 Prologue , Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 , and TNA iMPACT! .[21 ]
2006 awards
edit
The 2006 VGAs aired December 13, 2006, at the Galen Center in Los Angeles and were hosted by Samuel L. Jackson . The show featured a world premiere of Blizzard Entertainment 's opening cinematic movie for its highly anticipated expansion set, World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade . The event featured musical performances by Tenacious D and AFI and show appearances by 50 Cent , Eva Mendes , Sarah Silverman , Seth Green , Masi Oka , Hayden Panettiere , Yellowcard , Brandon Routh , Rachael Leigh Cook , Tony Hawk , Michael Irvin , Method Man , Maria Menounos , Tyrese Gibson , Xzibit , James Gandolfini , Kurt Angle , among others. In character as Stewie Griffin and Tom Tucker from Family Guy , Seth MacFarlane served as the voice of the VGAs.[22 ] [23 ]
Award
Winner
Nominees
Game of the Year
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Guitar Hero 2
Ōkami
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
Studio of the Year
Epic Games , Gears of War
Relic Entertainment , Company of Heroes
Bethesda Game Studios , The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Harmonix , Guitar Hero
Cyber Vixen of the Year
Alyx Vance , Half-Life 2: Episode One
Princess Peach , Super Mario Bros.
Enrica, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent
Jen, Prey
Best Individual Sports Game
Tony Hawk's Project 8
Fight Night Round 3
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07
Top Spin 2
Best Team Sports Game
NBA 2K7
NCAA Football 07
FIFA 07
NHL 07
Best Game Based on a Movie or TV Show
Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
Scarface: The World Is Yours
The Sopranos: Road to Respect
Family Guy Video Game!
Best Performance by a Human Male
Patrick Stewart as Emperor Uriel Septim VII, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Gerry Rosenthal as Jimmy Hopkins , Bully
Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow , Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow
Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer , 24: The Game
Best Supporting Male Performance
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano , The Sopranos: Road to Respect
James Woods as George Sheffield, Scarface: The World Is Yours
James Caan as Sonny Corleone , The Godfather: The Game
Philip Michael Thomas as Lance Vance, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Best Performance by a Human Female
Vida Guerra as Femme Fatale, Scarface: The World Is Yours
Emmanuelle Vaugier as Nikki, Need For Speed: Carbon
Keely Hawes as Lara Croft , Tomb Raider: Legend
Rosario Dawson as Tina, Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
Best Supporting Female Performance
Rachael Leigh Cook as Tifa Lockhart, Kingdom Hearts II
Brittany Murphy as Karen Light, Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
Mila Kunis as Meg Griffin , Family Guy Video Game!
Lynda Carter as Female Nords / Female Orcs, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Best Cast
Family Guy Video Game!
Scarface: The World Is Yours
Saints Row
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Best Song
"Lights and Sounds " by Yellowcard , Burnout Revenge
"LocoRoco No Uta" by Nobuyuki Shimizu, LocoRoco
"Heavenly Star" by Genki Rockets , Lumines 2
"Helicopter " by Bloc Party, Mark Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure and Burnout Revenge
"Summer Shudder " by AFI , Madden NFL 07
Best Soundtrack
Guitar Hero II
Scarface: The World Is Yours
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Best Original Score
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Electroplankton
Ōkami
Best Driving Game
Burnout Revenge
TOCA Race Driver 3
GTR 2 – FIA GT Racing Game
Most Addictive Game
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Gears of War
Guitar Hero II
Company of Heroes
Best Fighting Game
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
Dead or Alive 4
Street Fighter Alpha Anthology
God Hand
Best Action Game
Dead Rising
Ōkami
Saints Row
Bully
Best Shooter
Gears of War
Prey
Half Life 2: Episode One
Call of Duty 3
Best Military Game
Company of Heroes
Call of Duty 3
The Outfit
Battlefield 2142
Best Graphics
Gears of War
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Company of Heroes
Best Handheld Game
New Super Mario Bros.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Tetris DS
LocoRoco
Best Multiplayer Game
Gears of War
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Double Agent
Breakthrough Technology
Wii
Nintendo DS Lite
Electroplankton
Best RPG
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Kingdom Hearts II
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
Best PC Game
Company of Heroes
Battlefield 2142
Star Wars: Empire at War
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Best Wireless Game
SWAT Force
Tower Bloxx
Super KO Boxing!
Critic's Choice (released after November 15, 2006, and before December 31, 2006)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Medieval II: Total War
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas
Wii Sports
Breakthrough Performance
Rosario Dawson as Tina, Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
N/A
Character of the Year
Jack Sparrow portrayed by Johnny Depp , Pirates of the Caribbean: The Legend of Jack Sparrow
N/A
2005 awards
edit
The 2005 VGAs was held December 10, 2005, at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles.[24 ] The first VGAs hosted by Samuel L. Jackson , the show featured world premieres of 24: The Game from 2K Games , Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run from Midway Games , Star Wars: Empire at War from LucasArts , and Scarface: The World Is Yours , as well as a 25th anniversary comic tribute to Pac-Man from Namco . Musical performances were by 50 Cent , Def Leppard , and Missy Elliott , and show appearances by Charlize Theron , Kiefer Sutherland , Jack Black , Red Hot Chili Peppers , The Rock , Vin Diesel , Carson Daly , Donald Faison , Jaime Pressly , Josie Maran , Snoop Dogg , Xzibit , Carmen Electra , Natasha Bedingfield , and Dane Cook , among others.[25 ]
Award
Winner
Nominees
Game of the Year
Resident Evil 4
F.E.A.R.
God of War
World of Warcraft
Action Game of the Year
God of War
Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie
The Warriors
50 Cent: Bulletproof
Best Individual Sports Game
Tony Hawk's American Wasteland
SSX On Tour
Top Spin
Fight Night Round 2
Best Team Sports Game
Madden NFL 06
NBA 2K6
World Soccer Winning Eleven 8 International
NBA Street V3
Cyber Vixen of the Year
Maria Menounos as Eva, James Bond 007: From Russia with Love
Jessica Alba as Invisible Woman , Fantastic 4
Traci Lords as Cassandra Hartz, True Crime: New York City
Laurence Bouvard as Joanna Dark , Perfect Dark Zero
Best Game Based on a Movie
Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie
The Warriors
James Bond 007: From Russia With Love
The Matrix: Path of Neo
Best Performance by a Human Male
Jack Black as Carl Denham , Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie
50 Cent as himself, 50 Cent: Bulletproof
Michael Chiklis as Thing , Fantastic 4
Sean Connery as James Bond , James Bond 007: From Russia With Love
TC Carson as Kratos , God of War
Best Supporting Male Performance
Christopher Walken as Gabriel Whitting, True Crime: New York City
Eminem as himself, 50 Cent: Bulletproof
Dr. Dre as himself, 50 Cent: Bulletproof
Michael Clarke Duncan as Blackmore , The Suffering: Ties That Bind
P. Diddy as Dip, Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
Best Performance by a Human Female
Charlize Theron as Æon Flux, Æon Flux
Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow, Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie
Josie Maran as Mia Townsend, Need for Speed: Most Wanted
Jessica Alba as Invisible Woman , Fantastic 4
Cornelia Hayes O'Herlihy as Fiona Belli , Haunting Ground
Best Supporting Female Performance
Traci Lords as Madam Cassandra Hartz, True Crime: New York City
Rosario Dawson as Tina, Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
Natasha Bedingfield as Elizabeth Stark, James Bond 007: From Russia With Love
Mariska Hargitay as Deena Dixon, True Crime: New York City
Best Original Song
"Maybe We Crazy " by 50 Cent , 50 Cent: Bulletproof
"When I Get Angry" by Spider Loc , Madden NFL 06
"Getting Up Anthem: Part I" by Talib Kweli and Rakim, Mark Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
"Error Operator" by Taking Back Sunday , Fantastic 4
Best Soundtrack
Guitar Hero
50 Cent: Bulletproof
Tony Hawk's American Wasteland
SSX On Tour
Best Original Score
We Love Katamari
God of War
Indigo Prophecy
Perfect Dark Zero
Designer of the Year
David Jaffe , God of War
Michel Ancel , Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie
Shigeru Miyamoto , Nintendogs
Craig Hubbard, F.E.A.R.
Best Driving Game
Burnout Revenge
L.A. Rush
Forza Motorsport
Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition
Most Addictive Game
World of Warcraft
Lumines
Nintendogs
Meteos
Best Fighting Game
Fight Night Round 2
Tekken 5
Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Best First-Person Action
F.E.A.R.
Far Cry Instincts
Battlefield 2
Perfect Dark Zero
Best Military Game
Call of Duty 2
Battlefield 2
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
SOCOM 3 U.S. Navy SEALs
Best Graphics
Resident Evil 4
Call of Duty 2
F.E.A.R.
PGR 3
Best Handheld Game
Lumines
Nintendogs
Meteos
Burnout Legends
Best Multiplayer Game
Guild Wars
Battlefield 2
City of Villains
World of Warcraft
Best Breakthrough Technology
PlayStation Portable
Speech recognition in Nintendogs
Unreal Engine 3
Xbox 360
Best RPG
World of Warcraft
X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse
Dungeon Siege II
Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Best PC Game
World of Warcraft
Call of Duty 2
F.E.A.R.
Sid Meier's Civilization IV
Best Wireless Game
Marc Eckō's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure
Massive Snowboarding
The Incredibles
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
Best Cast
Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie
N/A
2004 awards
edit
The 2004 VGAs was held in Santa Monica , California on December 14, 2004, at the Barker Hangar and hosted by Snoop Dogg . The show featured exclusive world premiere game play and footage of Midway Games ' Fear & Respect , The Godfather: The Game from John Singleton and Electronic Arts , and Need for Speed: Underground Rivals for the PlayStation Portable . Musical performances included Sum 41 , Ludacris , and a special live performance by Snoop Dogg and the remaining members of The Doors performing "Riders on the Storm". Other performances included Snoop Dogg and Pharrell , Mötley Crüe , Busta Rhymes , and Method Man and Redman in the first-ever Def Jam: Fight For NY performance. Celebrity appearances included Brooke Burke , Samuel L. Jackson , Vin Diesel , Green Day , Giovanni Ribisi , Gabrielle Union , Tara Reid , Papa Roach , Tony Hawk , John Singleton, Danny Masterson , Frankie Muniz , Bai Ling , Ron Perlman , Bam Margera , Freddy Adu , Fabolous , Bobby Crosby , Barry Zito , and Michelle Rodriguez , among others.[26 ] [27 ]
Award
Winner
Nominees
Game of the Year
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Half-Life 2
Halo 2
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Best Game Based on a Movie
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay
Spider-Man 2
Star Wars: Battlefront
Best Performance by a Human Female
Brooke Burke as Rachel Teller, Need for Speed: Underground 2
Carmen Electra as herself, Def Jam: Fight For NY
Jennifer Garner as Sydney Bristow , Alias
Heidi Klum as Katya Nadanova, James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing
Best Performance by a Human Male
Samuel L. Jackson as Sergeant Frank Tenpenny , Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Hugh Jackman as Gabriel Van Helsing , Van Helsing
Christopher Lee as Francisco Scaramanga , GoldenEye: Rogue Agent
Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man , Spider-Man 2
Cyber Vixen of the Year
BloodRayne , BloodRayne 2
Tina Armstrong, Dead or Alive Ultimate
Carmen Electra , Def Jam: Fight For NY
Luba Licious, Leisure Suit Larry: Magda Cum Laude
Rachel Teller (played by Brooke Burke ), Need for Speed: Underground 2
Best Driving Game
Burnout 3: Takedown
Need For Speed: Underground 2
Best Sports Game
Madden NFL 2005
NBA Ballers
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005
Tony Hawk's Underground 2
Best Fighting Game
Mortal Kombat: Deception
Dead or Alive Ultimate
Fight Night 2004
WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw
Best Action Game
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Ninja Gaiden
Best First-Person Action
Halo 2
Far Cry
Half-Life 2
Unreal Tournament 2004
Best Song in a Video Game
"American Idiot " by Green Day , Madden NFL 2005
"I Do" by Chingy , Need for Speed Underground 2
"Pain " by Jimmy Eat World , Tony Hawk's Underground 2
"Lean Back " by Terror Squad , Need for Speed Underground 2
"Go" by Will.i.am , NBA Live 2005
Best Soundtrack
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Halo 2
Katamari Damacy
Madden NFL 2005
Designer of the Year
Jason Jones and Bungie , Halo 2
Tomonobu Itagaki and Team Ninja , Ninja Gaiden
Hideo Kojima , Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Alex Ward and Criterion , Burnout 3: Takedown
Best Military Game
Call of Duty: Finest Hour
Full Spectrum Warrior
Rome: Total War
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War
Best PC Game
Half-Life 2
Rome: Total War
The Sims 2
Best Wireless Game
Might and Magic
CBS Sportsline Baseball 2004
Jamdat Sports NFL 2005
National Treasure
Best Graphics
Half-Life 2
Halo 2
Ninja Gaiden
Best New Technology
Nintendo DS
GeForce 6800 Series
Spherex Xbox 5.1 Surround Sound System
Best Handheld
Metroid: Zero Mission
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
Pokémon FireRed Version
Best Massively Multiplayer Game
City of Heroes
Final Fantasy XI
Best RPG
Fable
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
X-Men Legends
Most Addictive Game (viewer's choice)
Burnout 3: Takedown
Donkey Konga
Katamari Damacy
The Sims 2
Best Gaming Publication (fan favorite)
Game Informer
Official PlayStation Magazine
GMR
Official Xbox Magazine
Best Gaming Web Site (fan favorite)
GameSpot
GameSpy
IGN
Shack News
2003 awards
edit
The 2003 Spike Video Game Awards was the first video game award show to be hosted by Spike TV. It was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 2, 2003, and aired on December 4. The event was hosted by David Spade and featured appearances by Lil' Kim , Jaime Pressly , DMX , P.O.D. , Orlando Jones , and Cedric the Entertainer .[28 ] The event also featured a WWE tag team wrestling match with the superstars Rey Mysterio , Chris Jericho , Trish Stratus , and Victoria .[29 ] [30 ]
Award
Winner
Nominees
Game of the Year
Madden NFL 2004
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
SOCOM II U.S. Navy SEALs
SSX 3
Star Wars Galaxies
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Tony Hawk's Underground
Best Sports Game
Tony Hawk's Underground
ESPN NFL Football
Madden NFL 2004
NBA Live 2004
NBA Street Vol. 2
SSX3
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004
World Series Baseball 2K3
WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain
Best Action Game
True Crime: Streets of LA
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
SOCOM II U.S. Navy SEALs
Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike
XIII
Best Animation
Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball
The Getaway
Resident Evil Code: Veronica X
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
True Crime: Streets of LA
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht
XIII
Best Game Based on a Movie
Enter the Matrix
Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
The Hulk
Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb
James Bond 007: Nightfire
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Tron 2.0
Best Driving Game
NASCAR Thunder 2004
Colin McRae Rally 3
F1 Career Challenge
F-Zero GX
The Getaway
Midnight Club II
MotoGP 2
The Simpsons: Hit & Run
Best Music
Def Jam Vendetta
Madden NFL 2004
NBA Live 2004
NBA Street Vol. 2
SSX3
Tony Hawk's Underground
True Crime: Streets of LA
Wakeboarding Unleashed featuring Shaun Murray
Best Performance by a Human
Ray Liotta as Tommy Vercetti , Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Christopher Walken as George , True Crime: Streets of LA
David Duchovny as XIII , XIII
DMX , Method Man , and more as themselves, Def Jam Vendetta
Giovanni Ribisi as Pvt Elder, Call of Duty
Jada Pinkett Smith as Niobe , Enter the Matrix
Jenna Jameson as Candy Suxxx , Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Snoop Dogg as himself, True Crime: Streets of LA
Most Anticipated
Halo 2
Doom 3
Driv3r
Fable
Full Spectrum Warrior
Gran Turismo 4
Half-Life 2
James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
The Sims 2
Starcraft: Ghost
Most Addictive
Soulcalibur II
Donkey Kong Country
ESPN NHL Hockey
Madden NFL 2004
PlanetSide
The Sims: Superstar
Viewtiful Joe
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution
Best PC Game
Halo: Combat Evolved
Battlefield 1942: The Road to Rome
Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour
Freedom Fighters
Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne
The Sims: Superstar
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
Best Online Game
Final Fantasy XI
Battlefield 1942: The Road to Rome
EverQuest Online Adventures
Midnight Club II
Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide
PlanetSide
The Sims Online
Star Wars Galaxies
Best Handheld Game
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Iridion II
Mega Man and Bass
Ninja Five-O
Rayman 3
Sonic Advance 2
Best Fighting Game
WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain
Bloody Roar 4
Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO
Def Jam Vendetta
Pride FC
Soulcalibur II
Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution
WWE WrestleMania XIX
Best First Person Action
Call of Duty
Chrome
Halo: Combat Evolved
PlanetSide
Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield
Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Island Thunder
XIII
Best Fantasy Game
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Dark Cloud 2
EverQuest Online Adventures
Final Fantasy XI
Skies of Arcadia Legends
Star Wars Galaxies
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht
Video game journalism veteran Jeff Green has been vocal in his criticism of the Spike Video Game Awards. In his assessment of the 2010 VGAs, Green laments that Spike TV alienated viewers due to their decision to focus the awards on its own primary demographic, rather than the video game community at large. Green states that this leads to appearances by celebrities who "either didn't want to be or know why they were there."[32 ] 2011 VGA host Zachary Levi recognized this and prior to hosting the event, told MTV in an interview that, "I'm happy to work on the VGAs on Spike and make the network happy, but I want to be respectful to the community of gamers because I am one myself. And [with] the humor involved, I want it to be smart, I want it to be honest, and accurate."[11 ] Giant Bomb 's Alex Navarro has also commented on the VGAs, questioning the importance of the awards themselves next to the VGA's focus on its exclusive reveals.[33 ]
The 2011 VGAs were given similar criticisms. Kotaku reported that VGA nominees Mark Hamill and Tara Strong were disappointed that they were present at the event but their respective categories were not present at the show, only finding out the results of the "Best Performance by a Human Male" and "Best Performance by a Human Female" awards after the show.[34 ] Wired.com writer Jason Schreier addressed Spike TV after the event in reference to food eating segments by Felicia Day and the host Zachary Levi having simulations of a sexual act performed on him. Schreier said, "It's not hard to find the root of the problem here: You think we're dumb. You think your audience is so stupid that they'll be amused by YouTube rants and health potion gags. You think we get our jollies out of watching girls bite cupcakes off conveyor belts. You think video game references make a good substitute for humor." Schreier also quoted Joystiq 's Justin McElroy , who voiced his concern at many awards being shown together in a short montage. Praise was given for the handling of The Legend of Zelda's induction into the Hall of Fame including the video package of the franchise's releases and an appearance by creator Shigeru Miyamoto .[35 ]
The 2013 VGX received considerable negative press after airing;[36 ] much of the criticism was aimed at host McHale's insults towards the developers and the audience.[37 ] [38 ] [39 ] [40 ]