Even the Game Awards get a patch now
Swen Vincke didn’t want to end this year without thanking his team and the community (and that’s normal), which is why he chose to tweet the speech he was unable to deliver. Here is the translation:
“ Winning Game of the Year is a great honor and I first want to thank everyone who voted for us and I want to congratulate all the other nominees. This has been an incredibly competitive year and you each deserved to win this award (Capcom, Remedy, Insomniac Games and Nintendo). I want to thank Geoff Keighley and the people who put together The Game Awards for creating an awards show so big that it attracts the attention of the general public. Even though 30 seconds is a bit short, there’s nothing like the Game Awards and that’s an incredible feat. »
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He then addresses his community as well as his teamaddressing a word to people who are often forgotten in great speeches like this:
“ I wore armor to The Game Awards because BG3 is a game that couldn’t exist without our gaming community and I wanted to pay tribute to their importance to development. You ensure. Making a game like this only works if you have an incredibly passionate and talented team and in that regard I’m incredibly lucky with Larian Studios – they’re among the best and they’ve done some truly incredible work. There are over 2,000 people listed in the credits and since I can’t name everyone, I want to focus on a group of people who don’t always get the credit they deserve. The QA team, localization team, customer support, publishing team, play testers and all the other developers at Larian, BG3 wouldn’t exist without you and you all deserve to be very proud of it. »
Swen Vincke also wants to recall what he had sketched on stage paying tribute to those who have died during development:
“ I would like to dedicate this award to the friends and family members we lost during development, including Jim, our lead cinematographer who passed away last month, and personally, to my father who passed away the week before we launched our campaign. early access. You can’t create something like BG3 if you don’t have the support of the people around you. Personally, I really want to thank 5 special people, a crazy dog and a one-eyed cat for sticking by my side. Also a big thank you to our location partners and PitStop Productions who had to use every corner of their building to record and capture what was an insane number of lines. »
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It was also an opportunity to thank the actors and actresses of the gamelike Neil Newbon (Astarion) who undoubtedly had a lot to say on stage but who didn’t have time to make a big speech.
“ To our actors, you did a great job. I hope our paths will cross again in the future and your agents will remain reasonable as usual. »
He ends by thanking all Larian partners while addressing a general word to the industry (and speaking of Wizards of the Coast layoffs):
“ I would also like to thank Wizards of the Coast and especially the Dungeons and Dragons team for giving us carte blanche. I’m really sorry to hear that so many of you have been laid off. It’s sad to realize that of the people who were in the original meeting room, almost no one remains. I hope you land on your feet. There are many other partners that I would like to thank. We asked a lot of you, but you kept your word and without your efforts, BG3 wouldn’t be what it is.
I want to end with the story of a conversation I had a long time ago with an editor. He told me that, fortunately for them, games are driven by idealism. He meant it in a lucrative way but he was right. Games are a unique art form, as important as books, music or movies. Many developers, myself included, create games because they enjoy seeing others engage with their creations in a way that only games can provide. They don’t care much about the money they make, beyond what they need to make new and better games. Everyone should be reminded that this need is only a means and not an objective. What matters and what we remember is where and how we travel and what is remembered. THANKS. Also – Baldur’s Gate 3 is now available on Xbox »
What I wanted to say at the #gameawards (1/16)
— Swen Vincke @where? (@LarAtLarian) December 14, 2023
Other voices that deserve to be heard
But he’s not the only one who had things to say. Rebekah ValentineIGN also spoke with some winners who, for their part, did not even have the chance to go on stage, like Thierry Boulanger, director on Sea of Stars. This is what he would have wanted to say:
“ Thank you so much. Throughout development, I said that Sea of Stars was a game that was incredibly personal to me. It would be difficult to express in words how much this means thanks to the team that allowed me to share this vision and then invested in it to this extent. It’s something I will never forget. We are all so lucky to do what we love, and I try to remind myself every day that I have the privilege of making games.
Like many productions, it was a very difficult and rewarding journey. Everyone on the Sabotage team has poured their heart and soul into this little world we’ve created, and it’s a real pleasure to see everyone who came together to celebrate it. Thanks to our partners Du Coup Animation for their incredible work on the cutscenes, and to Kowloon Nights for believing in us from day one. And finally, a big warm hug to all our fans for their incredible support since the game was announced. Thank you! »
Phil Crifo, director on Tchiawho was unable to be present on the evening of the Game Awards, also wanted to send a message of thanks:
“ It has a particularly symbolic place in my heart, because the first time we revealed Tchia, it was on this show, and at the time we couldn’t believe that a little piece of New York culture Caledonia was, for the first time, broadcast in front of millions of viewers. People from all over the world. We were incredibly proud then, and even prouder now. There are many people I would like to thank:
- Thierry Boura and Marilou Lopez, for taking this leap of faith with me.
- My Awaceb family, for their trust and incredible talent.
- Alexis Garavaryan, for having somehow believed in this crazy project.
- Everyone I love at Kepler.
- Greg Rice for noticing Tchia so early, as well as everyone else on PlayStation.
- Thanks to The Game Awards for celebrating games like ours, and congratulations to the other nominees who deserve this just as much.
- And above all, I would like to thank the entire population of New Caledonia for always defending and embracing Tchia.
This award is not only a celebration of what we have accomplished, it is a driving force to continue to tell stories that belong to us deeply, believing that they will continue to resonate with all of you. »
And finally at Capcom, with in order Takayuki Nakayama (director of Street Fighter 6), Shuhei Matsumoto (producer of Street Fighter 6) and the entire VR mode development team Resident Evil Village :
“ Among all the other titles in the genre released in recent years, we are very grateful to have been selected for the Best Fighting Game category. All other named fighting games are amazing and brilliant. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the players and members of the development team who have worked so hard to bring the next chapter of the Street Fighter series to life. We will not be complacent and will continue to develop the game in a way that provides the best possible experience for our fans. Thank you very much for your support. »
“ Thank you very much for choosing Street Fighter 6 as the best fighting game. I was moved by the loud cheers from the room when we won the award. I am filled with gratitude to the members of the development team who faced many challenges and to everyone who played the game. We will continue to make Street Fighter 6 better for the community to enjoy. »
“ It’s such a privilege to be selected as the best VR/AR game. From the solitude of the snow-capped mountains to the ornate beauty of the castle to the intimidating immensity of Lady Dimitrescu, step into the shoes of Ethan Winters and see the game world from his perspective in the PSVR2 version of Resident Evil Village is a unique and unforgettable experience. We greatly appreciate your support and thank you! »
Now, all that remains is to hope that next year, the awarded artists will be able to say all this on stage with a little more decent speaking time.