Support NeoGAF

[Punished Miku]

My man finally got it right one time.

 

[xenosys]

Writing your GOTY acceptance speech 2 years in advance without even knowing the quality of the opposition you were up against just comes off as a bit arrogant. Confidence in your own product is great, but keep that to yourself if you lose, otherwise you look like a tit. That being said, it was a really good first effort from Game Science, just not as good as they obviously thought it was.

According to Alanah Pearce, who was sitting a few rows away from them, one of their dev team literally burst into tears when Astro Bot was announced as the GOTY. Whether it was overconfidence that winning GOTY was a slam dunk for them and they got a rude awakening, or it upset them because Wukong has become a source of national pride for China and felt they'd let them down, who knows.

If he was unsure of the criteria, it was pretty transparent. 90% of the vote goes to the critics (who this didn't score especially well with according to aggregate sites) and 10% goes to the fans.

Plus, the TGAs aren't the be all and end all. There are loads of these award shows over the next few months and it's already won a bunch elsewhere.

 

[CosmicComet]

They definitely deserved the win.

A no name 7 hour platformer that isn't Mario is not worthy of GOTY in a year this packed with greatness.

Astrobot has fun, free game of the month written all over it. Barely any effect to the current gaming cultural zeitgeist other than some onlookers say 'aww that's kinda cute'

Whereas Wukong has been so influential it has dudes like T Pain and David Banner talking about how inspired they were by it.

Really unsure how Astrobot and Balatro took spots from Silent Hill 2 and Helldivers 2.

I'm not the biggest fan of Helldivers 2 but there is no doubt it had a huge impact this year, and Silent Hill 2 remake is just...
amazing.

 

[ssringo]

"salty"

Clickbait stupidity

 

[Dr.Morris79]

Even Stellar Blade got nominated for best OST and action game, which I believe is more than enough recognition for it, even if it didn't win in either category.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Neither Astro nor Wukong should've won. Silent Hill 2 remake is the best but it's a remake so guess not that one either? Infinite Wealth should've won.

 

[nial]

Care to explain?

 

[thekillergreece]

I thought they made the game for fun and for players and not to chase for awards?

 

[CosmicComet]

Freaking RDR 2 lost to GOW in 2018

Thinking that you've failed just because your game didnt win the Geoff's is so freaking idiotic.

Your game sold bazillions and won the people's choice award. Chill.

Ehhhh RDR2 losing to GoW 2018 was acceptable in hindsight since RDR2 didn't keep the bloom on the rose for long since it just didn't *feel* that good to control.

Wukong losing to a aura-less 7 hour medium budget platformer that has no identity of its own and relied on the nostalgia of other franchises is pretty damn annoying.

 

[Hrk69]

 

[Bloody Crow of Cainhurst]

They definitely deserved the win.

A no name 7 hour platformer that isn't Mario is not worthy of GOTY in a year this packed with greatness.

Astrobot has fun, free game of the month written all over it. Barely any effect to the current gaming cultural zeitgeist other than some onlookers say 'aww that's kinda cute'

Whereas Wukong has been so influential it has dudes like T Pain and David Banner talking about how inspired they were by it.

Really unsure how Astrobot and Balatro took spots from Silent Hill 2 and Helldivers 2.

I'm not the biggest fan of Helldivers 2 but there is no doubt it had a huge impact this year, and Silent Hill 2 remake is just...
amazing.

LMAOOOOOO

 

[Darkmakaimura]

Whiny entitled brat is what I see here.

Be glad you got nominated.

 

[Xtib81]

Curious what you mean by production values.

Scope, complexity, length, visual fidelity etc... You can tell a game like Wukong has required way more time, people and money.

 

[cripterion]

The amount of peeps commenting without even reading AI translated pièce that actually doesn't even sound "salty" is enlightening...

 

[SmokedMeat]

Videogame awards are just popularity contests. The awards are meaningless, and nobody will care or remember who won what in a month.

I’m sure you’ll win every award in China.

 

[ReBurn]

Doesn't read to me as salty at all. Injecting tone into something translated from its original language by generative AI is something.

 

[Thief1987]

You can tell a game like Wukong has required way more time, people and money.

And it's still trash. Amazing, yeah?

 

[Dr.Morris79]

Care to explain?

Because it deserves better?

 

[Raven117]

If anything, I appreciate a developer taking the making of quality games seriously. Bummer he lost, but focus and see if you get it next time.

 

[Senua]

Fuck off you arrogant blinded deluded fuck.

You could only ever dream of making a game as good as Astro Bot.

Now this is salty!

 

[nial]

Because it deserves better?

So you don't care to explain?

 

[Blackage]

I heard some chinese gamers were review bombing Bauldur's Gate 3 on Steam because they presented the GotY award to Astro Bot, that's hilariously sad.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

So you don't care to explain?

What's there to explain?

The game deserves Goty

Do you honestly need a twenty paragraph explanation.

 

[a'la mode]

i_like_huffing_my_own_farts.txt

 

[SHA]

You've got your gigantic community, what do you want? You are still relevant for decades to come, don't sell your creative work cheap, that's not who you are.

 

[Kurotri]

lol

 

[Robb]

In fact, I wrote my Game of the Year acceptance speech two years ago—only to never get the chance to deliver it!

 

[ByWatterson]

Guy who comes from a one-party political system doesn't understand voting and personal preferences.

 

[Gojiira]

It’s quite a long read, however I’ve bolded some portions that stood out to me.


English translated version (via ChatGPT):
—

Reflections Post-TGA: Words from the Heart

The Game Awards this year coincided with a major update for Black Myth: Wukong. For me personally, this project that spanned seven years has officially come to an end.

The four nominations (Best Action Game, Best Art Direction, Best Game Direction, and Game of the Year) were a first for a Chinese game. Ultimately, we took home Best Action Game and Players’ Voice. Especially winning Players’ Voice was gratifying.

Yet, I must admit, there’s a sense of loss and regret. More than anything, though, there’s a letting go of illusions.

The games nominated this year were all exceptional, but honestly, I still can’t figure out what the criteria were for Game of the Year. I feel like I came all the way here for nothing!

Since last night, I’ve seen a lot of strong dissatisfaction and frustration in players’ comments—often expressed humorously or ironically, which made me laugh.

I completely understand these feelings and share the frustration, because behind these emotions lies not pain or malice, but dignity and confidence.

When you’re so confident and yet don’t receive the recognition you expected, it’s natural to feel upset.

Personally, I’m even more confident than most of you (as you can see from my first-ever answer on Zhihu). In fact, I wrote my Game of the Year acceptance speech two years ago—only to never get the chance to deliver it!

During the development of this game, many of my colleagues weren’t as optimistic as I was. Having tested so many interim builds, they couldn’t help but focus on the game’s flaws and doubt whether we could meet deadlines.

One of my main roles in the company was reassuring everyone: We’re doing great, and the product is improving.

Because here’s the thing—you can’t just be confident when you’ve already won. That’s not confidence; that’s parroting results.

Sure, we lost today. We might lose again tomorrow. So what?

There are countless factors that influence outcomes, and results are always uncertain.

What we can control is choosing what we do: tackling real challenges, doing hard things, pursuing what we believe in. When you’re doing these things, you should absolutely have confidence.

Some have said that a team with no prior experience in single-player games achieving such success on their first attempt is a rare, unrepeatable fluke.

I’d like to say: This was no fluke. It’s the inevitable outcome of Chinese culture, Chinese talent, China’s business environment, China’s gaming industry, and gamers worldwide coming together.

If we hadn’t recognized this “inevitability” early on, we wouldn’t have been so determined to make this choice. This wasn’t a gamble; it was following the tide of history.

Game Science is fortunate to have participated in and witnessed the beginning of this tide. I believe many more peers will, in the future, bring higher-quality, more engaging, and more confident Chinese stories to the world.

There’s a saying everyone knows but not everyone realizes comes from Journey to the West:

“Nothing is impossible to the one who sets their mind to it.”

To me, this doesn’t mean that any difficulty can be overcome as long as you’re determined. Instead, it means that with the mindset to face challenges head-on, difficulties and failures become less frightening. They won’t easily defeat you.

A life where you can calmly wrestle with inevitable hardships feels more grounded.

After all, it’s the difficulty that makes it fun.

Why did we call ourselves Game Science?

When we decided to use mathematics, physics, and the foundational sciences and engineering derived from them to analyze and solve problems—eschewing superstition, mysticism, and backward reasoning—it allowed us to look at this complex world with clarity.

It let us truly understand what makes those who are far ahead of us so exceptional.

If someone dismisses specific problems, avoids evidence and logic, yet insists something is difficult or overly complicated, maybe you should test their knowledge of partial differentials.

Science is not truth; it’s the pursuit of truth with an attitude grounded in facts and reality.

In truth, just being able to make and play games already makes us incredibly fortunate.

In this world, many people have never even had the chance to play so-called AAA games, never used a console or computer, and feel lost, pained, or even despairing in the face of their circumstances. Many are suffering from hardship and injustice.

Precisely because of this, we must strive to create better games—ones that bring truth, goodness, and beauty to more people.

I’ve always believed that the greatest value of good games lies in making happiness more evenly distributed in this world.

The road ahead is long, the winds still fierce, and the demons still arrogant. But we are always growing stronger.

Lastly, I hope the story of Black Myth: Wukong can give some courage to those who are still feeling lost, and perhaps shed a bit of light for those still groping in the darkness. Then, with a calm heart, we can all keep moving forward.

I hope everyone can continue to carry confidence and ambition, while staying brave, honest, and kind. Focus on every small, specific task at hand, accept uncertain outcomes with grace, and keep walking the journey—right until the very end.

As Hemingway once said:

“The world is a fine place and worth fighting for.”


—
Original post in Chinese: https://m.weibo.cn/status/5111567333196223

Waaaaa Waaaaaa a copycat game didnt win GOTY WAAAAAAAAAA…Man that guy can suck a dick. Sekiro didnt win Goty and that is superior in every way yet you dont see FS crying and throwing a pity party…

 

[nial]

What's there to explain?

The game deserves Goty

Do you honestly need a twenty paragraph explanation.

It just doesn't, I like Stellar Blade, but why delude yourself into believing this?

 

[kevboard]

Shouldn't have even been nominated in the first place.

neither should have Astro Bot tbh

 

[PauloRoberto]

Waaaaa Waaaaaa a copycat game didnt win GOTY WAAAAAAAAAA…Man that guy can suck a dick. Sekiro didnt win Goty and that is superior in every way yet you dont see FS crying and throwing a pity party…

FYI, Sekiro was the TGA 2019 game of the year.

 

[K' Dash]

Everybody knows Astro winning GOTY is a farce, dude shouldn’t take it seriously

 

[RoboFu]

Man china went full blown " superiority " with this one game getting noticed. That's disconcerting.

 

[Denton]

Freaking RDR 2 lost to GOW in 2018

This was a true crime against humanity

As for OP, it didn't read too salty to me, it got quite inspirational there at the end, it is obvious the guy and his team are just getting started.

I do hope they will do other genres (like e.g. actual RPG) instead of doing same thing over and over in different setting (e.g. Fromsoft).

 

[LectureMaster]

 

[Dr.Morris79]

It just doesn't, I like Stellar Blade, but why delude yourself into believing this?

We can pretend it doesn't, so seeing as I'm in the Christmas spirit, I'll pretend it doesn't, for now.

You've got until January the 1st

Then it's Goty, two years running. Gamer maths

 

[NeverYouMind]

And it's still trash. Amazing, yeah?

Yes. I agree that Astrobore is trash.

 

[Fbh]

Seems like he doesn't quite get how TGA works and who votes for it.

If he did, he'd gone to the event knowing there was a very small chance his 81 metascore game was going to beat out a bunch 90+ ones.

If anything, he should be happy Geoff let them come on stage and give a speech for the award they did win, instead of relegating it to one of the categories they just announced in rapid fire mode in between ad breaks lol

 

[Syphon Filter]

the show is a joke, a generic kids game winning should say it all.

 

[Goalus]

It's pretty simple:

 

[SlimySnake]

Didn't read the whole post but yeah Astro winning is a joke. That's a nice little game but it's no AAA.

I find it insane that we are giving basic platfomers like astro awards while dismissing real games like black myth and silent hill 2. even if you disliked black myth, its insane to compare it to astrobot. just like how its insane to compare balatro to astrobot. one is a real game with levels, while the other is solitare. do we not have any standards anymore?

if astro redefined the platforming genre like super mario 64 did back in the 90s then id understand but its a rather safe and formulaic sequel. You simply cant compare AAA games like FF7 Rebirth, Black Myth and Silent Hill 2 to a game like astrobot. it should have its own separate section like the Oscars do for cartoons or short films.

 

[Robb]

if astro redefined the platforming genre like super mario 64 did back in the 90s then id understand but its a rather safe and formulaic sequel

So AstroBot would have to “redefine the entire genre” to be worthy of a win, but you were rooting for remakes of old games or souls-like #567?

Makes zero sense. I haven’t even played AstroBot but it seems way more worthy than any of those.

 

[Thief1987]

So AstroBot would have to “redefine the entire genre” to be worthy of a win, but you were rooting for remakes of old games or souls-like #567?

You are trying to find logic somewhere where never was any of it.

 

[xenosys]

Hilarious that Wukong fans are shitting on Astro Bot for stealing ideas from other, more successful games. Peak irony.

 

[mckmas8808]

Why are people so fecking salty these days?!

It's wild man. The game won awards. It just didn't win all the awards.

I'm shocked he even typed this.

 

[Strategize]

My brother in christ, RED DEAD REDEMPTION FUCKING 2 didn't win GOTY and Rockstar didn't say shit. Who in the actual fuck do you think are?

Be thankful you even got nominated to begin because Silent Hill 2 got robbed at this show FAR more.

 

[ungalo]

Honestly i don't know, those are all 7/8 out of 10 games to me, hard to choose one over the others. At least for the ones i played (BMW and Astrobot). I prefer BMW definitely but it's not incredible.

It's just, Astrobot really doesn't have much atmosphere, so for 2 games without much going on design wise (Astrobot winning game direction shows to me this was definitely a weak year, it's either that or it completely robbed the award), at least have some memorable world to dive in. BMW has this.

 

[PatientGamer]

Big shame, not going to support them moving forward with that attitude.

Crying your fucking eyes out like petulant toddlers because you didn't win an award. Big Whoop!

 

[Ceadeus]

Oh come on now, this game is all about walking in a corridor to fight the next boss. With so little variety there is not much to remember down the road. This title will be forgotten soon, it lacks any meaningful impact. It's just a good looking action game. I'd rather play Nioh or Wo Long.