Can gaming’s own “academy awards” become a cultural event?

Enlarge / Do many gamers even recognize this as one of gaming's most prestigious awards?

LAS VEGAS-Every year, when I tell people I'm going to Las Vegas in February for video gaming's version of the academy awards, the response is usually the same: "I didn't even know video games had an academy awards."

Yes, those who follow the industry closely might have read the list of winners at Thursday night's 21st annual DICE Awards (where Nintendo generally-and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild specifically-cleaned up). A few thousand really dedicated fans even watched the livestream on IGN.

But gaming's own academy awards can't even come close to the attention and cachet of major industry happenings like the Oscars, the Emmys, or the Grammys. Video gaming's most "official" award show struggles to even get the same kind of attention as The Game Awards, a bombastic, marketing announcement-fueled spectacle that grew out of an embarrassing Spike TV telecast.

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