With the annual ceremony of The Oscars comes the understandable hype and speculation of who will be winners on the night. Despite there not being a Video Game category in the awards ceremony, there are still links to the industry itself with none other than Steven Spielberg.
The titan of the film industry is no stranger to academic recognition and has seen various accolades over the years. However, some people may be surprised to learn that despite his distinguished career in the film industry, he has also had a well-recognized influence on the gaming industry and is responsible for some well-known classic titles.
Are the Oscars and video games, intertwined?
As noted in a recent article from Collider, Steven Spielberg’s talents exceed more than just the film industry and it is his work with the World War 2 game that saw it take home an award. The documentary ‘Colette’ which featured in Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond won Best Documentary Short Subject at the 93rd Academy Awards, the only video game to do so.
There’s no doubt that many fans will be aware of just how much of an influence Medal of Honor had with the creation of the Call of Duty franchise. However, if it hadn’t been for the award-winning Saving Private Ryan, fans may not have the popular Activision franchise that they enjoy to this day.
It’s clear that the legacy of Spielberg and his insight was pivotal in the creation of the Medal of Honor series and from this, the influence which led to one of the most popular franchises in video game history.
Is Steven Spielberg an avid gamer?
Whilst Spielberg’s work on the Medal of Honor may be his most recognizable for many, he has worked on several other titles such as Boom Blox and its follow-up Boom Blox Bash Party. The Director has confirmed that he may not be a hardcore game but does enjoy gaming from time to time and enjoys the storytelling aspects of titles.
Not only this but he has aided in the development of several of the games which have accompanied his films, perhaps the most notable of which was the adaptation of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial for the Atari. The unsold copies of which were rumored to have been buried in a landfill in New Mexico.
Despite this, it’s clear that Steven Spielberg is a titan in the film industry. If there were to be a category dedicated to the gaming industry in the near future, then there would be no doubt we could see the legendary director taking home a golden statue in this field.
What are your thoughts on the latest news for The Oscars? Do you think we should see a video game category added at some point in the future? Get in touch, drop us a comment, and let us know your thoughts.
