Force Unleashed grips Writers Guild video game award
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Feb 9th 2009 at 12:58PM }
Congratulations to Haden Blackman, Shawn Pitman, John Stafford and Cameron Suey on the award. They crafted a fine story that fit into the Star Wars universe and arguably bested any of the "prequels."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
acefondu @ Feb 9th 2009 1:02PM
Good, I'm glad it got the recognition. It was well written with great voice acting.
OMGOMG @ Feb 9th 2009 3:22PM
The story was deep, compelling, and at times, brilliant.
It makes me sad that George Lucas missed twice (I'll give him a little slack for the Revenge of the Sith) in creating a great prequel to satisfy the best sci-fi series of the 20th century.
I'd love to see the Force Unleashed writing crew work on Bioshock 2. Now, that would be awesome.
Rabidkeebler @ Feb 9th 2009 7:11PM
I'm sorry, but that "cannon" ending was just horrible. I mean, no spoilers, but if the main character did one SIMPLE thing, BILLIONS of lives would have been saved. Those of you who played it should know what I'm talking about. But basically, when I saw the ending I literally said "What the F**K!"
Alien Lord @ Feb 9th 2009 1:04PM
I couldn't give a shit what the writers guild of america has to say, now that's not to say force unleashed has a bad story, I just don't like the WGA.
acefondu @ Feb 9th 2009 1:09PM
Because of the writers strike or the inane catch 22 process it takes to become a member?
aj @ Feb 9th 2009 1:13PM
Terry Gilliam is with you:
http://www.smart.co.uk/dreams/flwga.htm
Arashikou @ Feb 9th 2009 2:05PM
So's Jonathan Blow:
http://braid-game.com/news/?p=427
And as Variety postulates, many companies may have wanted to withhold their games from the competition because they're anti-union. Because, let's not forget, the WGA IS a union, if you're automatically against or for those, and only union members could win this award.
http://weblogs.variety.com/the_cut_scene/2009/01/videogames-that-are-not-for-the-wgas-consideration.html
(Try to look past the Variety bias - he's with it enough to make a Gizmodo pun, after all.)
aj @ Feb 9th 2009 2:26PM
I thought all company heads were anti-union. It's kind of the position they have to be in, what with owning a business and wanting to keep costs down. I'm not making a moral judgement, just stating a fact.
And as much of a lefty commie pinko as I am, as much as I like worker's rights and the idea of unions, I hate hate hate hate hate the WGA. That's not a union in the traditional sense. The WGA has the power to decide whether or not you get credit for your work. That's evil. Pure, unadulterated evil.
And I think that video game companies might want to have the power to hire good writers, and put those writer's names on the box to help sales. They don't want the WGA coming in and telling them they can't put a name on a box in some closed door arbitration hearing brought about by the competition.
Arashikou @ Feb 9th 2009 4:06PM
Well-put, aj. Well-put. (And, really, to everyone in this thread. ...actually, can we find anyone who supports the WGA or the process by which they accepted entrants for this award?)
You know, it's a real pity that someone ELSE definitive doesn't create an award for best video game writing. Because it's really an award that deserves to be given out. Just not by the WGA.
Brucie_K @ Feb 9th 2009 1:08PM
''They crafted a fine story that fit into the Star Wars universe and arguably bested any of the "prequels."
lol midichlorians.
ComicShaman @ Feb 9th 2009 1:29PM
Yeah, beating the prequels is setting the bar pretty low. The original "Pac-Man" featured better writing than the Star Wars prequels.
Dr Jeckyl and Mr ESC. @ Feb 9th 2009 1:30PM
Prove that Star Wars story can still go somewhere besides down as long as George Lucas doesn't writes it.
Discotheque @ Feb 9th 2009 1:13PM
American writers only then I'm guessing? Because games like The Witcher had much better plot.
baby sea tuna @ Feb 9th 2009 1:33PM
I guess that explains the lack of Fable 2 as well. Too bad since that easily had some of the most clever NPC dialog I've ever heard.
b1gsl1ck @ Feb 9th 2009 2:04PM
Yeah, there aren't too many Polish writers in the Writer's Guild of AMERICA. But then again, your comment is even dumber in light of the fact that the Witcher released in 2007.
Sir Buzz Killington( The Artist formerly known as Jakka) @ Feb 9th 2009 2:32PM
Not the Enhanced Edition...which probably deserved a GOTY second year in a row.
Sir Buzz Killington( The Artist formerly known as Jakka) @ Feb 9th 2009 1:19PM
Okay...Fallout 3 didn't win...and that makes me happy.
kanweil @ Feb 9th 2009 1:34PM
word
john paul @ Feb 9th 2009 4:39PM
Story was good but the ending (atleast the one i got) was pretty bad...
Poisoned Al @ Feb 9th 2009 1:37PM
Red Alert 3 was on the list? That game revealed in it's crappy plot, rolling around like a dog in a mucky puddle.
Deck @ Feb 9th 2009 2:10PM
I am a big Star Wars fan, and narrative in games is one of my most highly preferred characteristics of games. Yet, I have not played this game. Mainly because I kept hearing bad things about it.
Though with this, it seems that it is worth it for the story. I am going to HAVE to play it now. Its a must!
capt_carl @ Feb 9th 2009 2:18PM
Despite the bugs and glitches in the game, it's actually quite good. The story is excellent, and I do recommend it to any Star Wars fan.
Kgg @ Feb 9th 2009 2:24PM
Thank you, you just made me feel alot better for buyin Rise of the Argonauts today :)
You see, people say bad stuff about it, but the game itself is just pure awesomness, sure some flaws here and there but all in all an awesome game that deserves much more than it has gotten, add to that a whole new chapter in DLC you should really check it out. For me one of the best games i have played in a long time, and yes i do realise i am going to be butfarked for saying that but i stand by what i said
Anam @ Feb 9th 2009 2:51PM
I haven't played it either, though I've been hearing that the story was good. The problem for me is that Force Unleashed just gives me the feeling like it will play like Jedi Academy all over again, which wasn't necessarily bad, but too easy and at a certain point it feels like you're doing Jedi stuff just for the sake of doing Jedi stuff, rather than it feeling necessary for your survival as in the old Jedi Knight games.
Arashikou @ Feb 9th 2009 4:01PM
While I have not played Force Unleashed, so I cannot speak to its story, I do want to point out that Deck's comment is exactly why I am worried by the existence of this award. Suppose for a moment that SW:TFU had mediocre writing, but won anyway by virtue of being the least-bad of the tiny entrant pool. People will say "Surely an award for best video game writing from a group called the 'Writers Guild of America' must be definitive and given out to the best writing of the year." and then be fooled into buying some game that does not - in fact - have good writing, but won by virtue of the WGA's asinine process. In case you haven't read the comments above, the sad fact is that this award isn't particularly definitive since they artificially limit the games they will consider. (Example: Dead Head Fred won last year, simply because it was the least-bad of the handful of games willing to meet the entrance requirements. Here's Joystiq's own article on it, questioning how in the year that saw Mass Effect, BioShock, and Portal released, Dead Head Fred won the "best writing" award: http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/15/dead-head-fred-wins-wgas-first-video-game-writing-award/ )
That said: I am glad to see that, based on people's comments, this year the award went to a deserving recipient. :) Maybe if at least one deserving game is entered each year, the award won't become a tool to lead people astray.
xtremeholymuffin @ Feb 9th 2009 4:47PM
Yeah, this game suffers from what I call the "Dreamfall: The Longest Journey Syndrome"
Calvin @ Feb 9th 2009 2:29PM
Dangerous High School Girls in Trouble
ZippyDSMlee @ Feb 9th 2009 3:21PM
Wow WGA how your standards have fallen...
I mean if that's great my inane musings
http://forums.animesuki.com/showpost.php?p=2207098&postcount=8
are as good.....well "nuggets" are nuggets right?(hint brown nuggets and golden nuggets, and yes my nuggets are brown :P)
Cerpin Taxt @ Feb 9th 2009 3:52PM
I didn't play the game, but I can't really imagine a well written piece of the Star Wars universe that isn't a book. George Lucas' writing (writing, not storyline...WRITING) is horrendous. I can't imagine a video game being any better.
Arashikou @ Feb 9th 2009 4:08PM
Then you'll be pleased to know that Lucas didn't write the video game. Just like the books, it was written completely by outsiders. Haden Blackman, Shawn Pitman, John Stafford, and Cameron Suey, according to the article.
musenik @ Feb 9th 2009 6:07PM
Turns out it is NOT hard to join the WGA video game caucus. I filled out a form, paid $75 and submitted my game. It's functionally no different than entering the Independent Game Festival.
Solomon @ Feb 9th 2009 6:20PM
If youd read the comments above, youd know this was about morals and, not the difficulty of the entry fee. There were only five games in the whole competition - that's not a fair competition.
musenik @ Feb 9th 2009 7:06PM
Solomon, There were five NOMINEES out of the total submissions. Just like the IGF picks five finalists for their categories.