Writers Guild to Start Game Award

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Writers Guild to Start Game Award

August 5, 2006 --- NAVGTR has confirmed that the Writer's Guild of America (WGA) intends to begin an award for video game writing in 2007. The news was originally announced in the Game Writers Quarterly (GWQ) publication that was distributed at SIGGRAPH in Boston last week, though the WGA clarified that the announcement was unauthorized and did not come from the Guild.

After reviewing the unauthorized announcement, a Guild representative stated, "For the most part it is essentially correct, but we cannot guarantee that the award will be ready for 2007 as they are still working on the rules and submissions criteria and then it must go through an extensive approval process... it has been proposed and is being worked on [and] we sincerely hope to have it up for 2007... check back in the next couple months at the Guild Website to see if the Award and its Rules have been posted."

The GWQ publication stated, "As motion pictures and television drew playwrights and novelists to Hollywood in the twentieth century, the interactive medium promises to do the same with screen and television writers in the twenty-first."

Two items referring to a New Media Caucus and an Interactive Program Contract were also included in the publication: "The New Media Caucus is a growing group of WGA writers currently working in all areas of new media. [Those who have] joined the Caucus as Associate Members [have] become eligible for a variety of guild benefits enjoyed by full WGA members."

"The Interactive Program Contract is a simple one-page agreement that allows WGA members to receive pension and health contributions from game industry companies without requiring those companies to become signatories to the guild. This [contract] has helped numerous writers maintain their health coverage while working on new media projects."

Related Links

Writer's Guild of America

Screen Actors Guild

SIGGRAPH

NAViGaTR Awards (NAVGTR Corp.)

International Game Developers Association

Interactive Achievement Awards

Game Developers Choice Awards

About WGA

The Writers Guild of America, west (WGAw) represents writers in the motion picture, broadcast, cable, and new media industries in both entertainment and news. The union conducts numerous programs, seminars, and events throughout the world on issues of interest to, and on behalf of, writers.

About IGDA

The IGDA is a non-profit professional society that is committed to advancing the careers and enhancing the lives of game developers by connecting members with their peers, promoting professional development, and advocating on issues that affect the developer community.

About NAVGTR

NAVGTR Corp. is a 501(c)(6) non-profit corporation devoted to promoting and recognizing the developments and achievements of interactive entertainment "art, technology, and production" for public awareness and education. In addition to the annual awards, the academy’s future goals include acknowledging, documenting, and/or memorializing industry leaders and historical events through educational and informative television specials or videos, as well as efforts to preserve the history of interactive entertainment through the development of archives in public libraries and universities.

Milestones in Game Writing

With memorable characters, scenes, dialogue, or story, many of these games have been nominated for NAVGTR, AIAS, or IGDA Choice Awards in the field of writing.

Armed and Dangerous

Baldur’s Gate II

Beyond Good & Evil

Black & White

Blackthorne

Breakdown

Broken Sword

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds

Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay

Chrono Trigger

City of Lost Children

Clock Tower 3

Conker’s Bad Fur Day

Destroy All Humans!

Deus Ex

Devil May Cry

Discworld II

Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem

Fable

Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix

Final Fantasy IX

Final Fantasy VI

Final Fantasy VII

Final Fantasy VIII

Final Fantasy X

Final Fantasy X-2

Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich

God of War

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Grim Fandango

Half-Life

Half-Life 2

Hitman 2

Hogs of War

ICO

Illusion of Gaia

Indigo Prophecy

Jade Empire

Jak II

Killer 7

Kingdom Hearts

Klonoa

Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude

Mafia

Maniac Mansion

The Mark of Kri

Max Payne 2

Metal Gear Solid

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

Myst III: Exile

Oddworld Stranger’s Wrath

Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee

Okage: Shadow King

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Parasite Eve

Planescape: Torment

Primal

Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy

Psychonauts

Resident Evil: Code Veronica

Sentient

Shadowrun

Shenmue

Skies of Arcadia

Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus

Soul Reaver 2

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Sword of the Berserk: Guts’ Rage

Syberia

The Bard’s Tale

The Getaway

The Mark of Kri

The Suffering

The Warriors

Thief

Tiny Tank

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell

Tron 2.0

True Crime: Streets of L.A.

Wild Arms

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