The Spike Video Game Awards (in short VGAs, known as the VGX for the final show) was an annual award show hosted by American television network Spike from 2003 that recognized the best computer and video games of the year. Produced by GameTrailers TV's Geoff Keighley, the show featured preview trailers for upcoming games, live music performances and appearances by popular performers in music, movies, and television.
The VGAs was held at various locations in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, California as well as Las Vegas, Nevada. Spike's only Video Game Hall of Fame award, given to The Legend of Zelda, was awarded at the 2011 awards show.
On November 15, 2013, Spike announced a new format under the name VGX, calling it "The next generation of the VGAs". The last award show, carrying this name, aired on December 7. Changes from the previous format included "in-depth extended demos of the next generation of games and interactive one-on-one interviews and panels in an intimate studio setting."
On November 10, 2014, Keighley announced a new awards show, The Game Awards, dropping the support from Spike.
VGX 2013 awards The 2013 awards, the final awards show, was rebranded as VGX and held on December 7, 2013, and was hosted by Joel McHale. The show featured a different format from previous years. It featured extended demos of next-generation games, one-on-one interviews, and "a more intimate studio setting." Rather than airing live on Spike TV, the show was livestreamed online on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Twitch, Steam, iOS, and Android devices, as well as on GameTrailers.com and the websites of Spike, Comedy Central, MTV, MTV2, and BET. As with previous years, the show featured exclusive world premieres of game demos and trailers. The 2013 VGX premieres included Telltale Games' and Gearbox Software's collaboration Tales from the Borderlands, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (an Xbox One and PlayStation 4 port with graphical updates and all DLC included), Remedy Entertainment's Agents of Storm for iOS, Telltale Games' Game of Thrones, and independent developer Hello Games' No Man's Sky. The 2013 show also featured reveals of Titanfall, Thief, Quantum Break, South Park: The Stick of Truth, Broken Age, Dying Light, Tom Clancy's The Division, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé demoed an upcoming Wii U game, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, and Rockstar Games worked with the production team to produce a musical performance of the music of Grand Theft Auto V.
AwardWinnerNomineesGame of the Year Grand Theft Auto VBioShock Infinite Super Mario 3D World The Last of Us Tomb RaiderStudio of the Year Naughty Dog, The Last of UsIrrational Games, BioShock Infinite Rockstar North, Grand Theft Auto V The Fullbright Company, Gone HomeCharacter of the Year The Lutece Twins, BioShock InfiniteLara Croft, Tomb Raider Trevor Philips, Grand Theft Auto V Naiee and Nyaa, Brothers: A Tale of Two SonsBest Shooter BioShock InfiniteBattlefield 4 Call of Duty: Ghosts Metro: Last LightBest Action-Adventure Game Assassin's Creed IV: Black FlagThe Last of Us Tomb Raider Grand Theft Auto VBest Sports Game NBA 2K14FIFA 14 MLB 13: The Show NHL 14Best Independent Game Gone HomeKentucky Route Zero Papers, Please The Stanley ParableBest RPG Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White WitchFinal Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn Fire Emblem Awakening Pokémon X/YBest Fighting Game Injustice: Gods Among UsDivekick Killer Instinct Tekken RevolutionBest Driving Game Forza Motorsport 5F1 2013 Grid 2 Need for Speed RivalsBest DLC Far Cry 3: Blood DragonBorderlands 2: Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep Dishonored: The Knife of Dunwall Mass Effect 3: CitadelBest Xbox Game Brothers: A Tale of Two SonsBioShock Infinite Grand Theft Auto V Tomb RaiderBest PlayStation Game The Last of UsGrand Theft Auto V Rayman Legends Tomb RaiderBest Nintendo Game Super Mario 3D WorldPikmin 3 Rayman Legends The Wonderful 101Best PC Game Gone HomeBattlefield 4 Papers, Please The Stanley ParableBest Handheld Game The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between WorldsAnimal Crossing: New Leaf Pokémon X/Y TearawayBest Casual Game Animal Crossing: New LeafDisney Infinity Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time Skylanders: Swap ForceBest Mobile Game Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About TimeAngry Birds Star Wars Infinity Blade III Ridiculous FishingBest Voice Actor Troy Baker as Joel, The Last of UsTroy Baker as Booker DeWitt, BioShock Infinite Steven Ogg as Trevor Philips, Grand Theft Auto V Willem Dafoe as Nathan Dawkins, Beyond: Two SoulsBest Voice Actress Ashley Johnson as Ellie, The Last of UsCourtnee Draper as Elizabeth, BioShock Infinite Camilla Luddington as Lara Croft, Tomb Raider Elliot Page as Jodie Holmes, Beyond: Two SoulsBest Soundtrack Grand Theft Auto VBioShock Infinite Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch The Last of UsBest Song in a Game "Will the Circle Be Unbroken?" performed by Courtnee Draper and Troy Baker, BioShock Infinite"A.D.H.D." by Kendrick Lamar, Grand Theft Auto V "Sleepwalking" by The Chain Gang of 1974, Grand Theft Auto V "Survival" by Eminem, Call of Duty: GhostsMost Anticipated Game TitanfallSouth Park: The Stick of Truth Destiny Watch Dogs The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Spike Video Game Awards 2012 awards The 2012 VGAs (promoted as VGA 10 for the tenth anniversary) was held on December 7, 2012, at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California. Samuel L. Jackson returned to host for a fourth time. This was the last year under the name "Spike Video Game Awards". For the first time, the awards were broadcast on Xbox Live. Live users could "play" the show as it aired live. Responses to poll questions were tabulated in real time on screen for the Xbox Live audience and users with Xbox SmartGlass devices got a unique second-screen experience that updated in real time alongside the show content. Additionally, Spike TV and Entertainment Weekly partnered to create the first-ever "Entertainment Weekly and Spike VGA Best Game of the Decade" award. Exclusive world premieres that debuted at VGA 10 include Naughty Dog's The Last of Us, Epic Games' Gears of War: Judgment, Obsidian Entertainment's South Park: The Stick of Truth, Konami's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, Irrational Games' BioShock Infinite, Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider, Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed III: The Tyranny of King Washington, and 343 Industries' Halo 4: Spartan Ops. Two new games were announced, including Dark Souls II by FromSoftware, and a new game called The Phantom Pain (later revealed to be Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain). The event also had appearances from all past hosts of the VGAs except David Spade. The event featured musical performances by Linkin Park, Tenacious D, Gustavo Santaolalla and Wolfgang Gartner.
AwardWinnerNomineesGame of the Year The Walking DeadAssassin's Creed III Dishonored Journey Mass Effect 3Studio of the Year Telltale Games, The Walking Dead: The Game343 Industries, Halo 4 Arkane Studios, Dishonored Gearbox Software, Borderlands 2Best Xbox 360 Game Halo 4Assassin's Creed III Borderlands 2 DishonoredBest PS3 Game JourneyAssassin's Creed III Borderlands 2 DishonoredBest Wii/Wii U Game New Super Mario Bros. UThe Last Story Xenoblade Chronicles ZombiUBest PC GameXCOM: Enemy UnknownDiablo III Guild Wars 2 Torchlight IIBest Handheld/Mobile GameSound ShapesGravity Rush LittleBigPlanet PS Vita New Super Mario Bros. 2Best Shooter Borderlands 2Call of Duty: Black Ops II Halo 4 Max Payne 3Best Action Adventure Game DishonoredAssassin's Creed III Darksiders II Sleeping DogsBest RPGMass Effect 3Diablo III Torchlight II Xenoblade ChroniclesBest Multi-player Game Borderlands 2Call of Duty: Black Ops II Guild Wars 2 Halo 4Best Individual Sports GameSSXHot Shots Golf: World Invitational Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 WWE '13Best Team Sports GameNBA 2K13FIFA Soccer 13 Madden NFL 13 NHL 13Best Driving GameNeed for Speed: Most WantedDiRT: Showdown F1 2012 Forza HorizonBest Fighting Game Persona 4 ArenaDead or Alive 5 Street Fighter X Tekken Tekken Tag Tournament 2Best Independent Game JourneyDust: An Elysian Tail Fez Mark of the NinjaBest Adapted Video GameThe Walking Dead: The GameDisney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes Transformers: Fall of CybertronBest Song in a Game"Cities" by Beck, Sound Shapes"Castle of Glass" by Linkin Park, Medal of Honor: Warfighter "I Was Born for This" by Austin Wintory, Journey "Tears" by Health, Max Payne 3Best Original Score JourneyCall of Duty: Black Ops II Halo 4 Max Payne 3Best Graphics Halo 4Assassin's Creed III Dishonored JourneyBest Performance by a Human Male Dameon Clarke as Handsome Jack, Borderlands 2Dave Fennoy as Lee Everett, The Walking Dead: The Game James McCaffrey as Max Payne, Max Payne 3 Nolan North as Captain Martin Walker, Spec Ops: The LineBest Performance by a Human Female Melissa Hutchison as Clementine, The Walking Dead: The GameEmma Stone as Amanda Cartwright, Sleeping Dogs Jen Taylor as Cortana, Halo 4 Jennifer Hale as Commander Shepard (female version), Mass Effect 3Best Downloadable Game The Walking Dead: The GameFez Journey Sound ShapesBest Social GameYou Don't Know JackDraw Something Marvel: Avengers Alliance SimCity SocialBest DLC The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - DawnguardMass Effect 3 – Leviathan Borderlands 2 – Mechromancer Pack Portal 2 – Perpetual Testing InitiativeMost Anticipated GameGrand Theft Auto VBioShock Infinite South Park: The Stick of Truth The Last of Us Tomb RaiderCharacter of the Year Claptrap, Borderlands 2Connor, Assassin's Creed III Commander Shepard, Mass Effect 3 Master Chief, Halo 4 Raul Menendez, Call of Duty: Black Ops IIBest Game of the DecadeHalf-Life 2Batman: Arkham City BioShock The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker Mass Effect 2 Portal Red Dead Redemption Shadow of the Colossus Wii Sports World of Warcraft
2011 awards The 2011 VGAs was held Saturday, December 10, 2011, at the Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California, hosted by Zachary Levi. The awards previewed world premieres of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Patriots, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, BioShock Infinite, Alan Wake's American Nightmare, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD, The Amazing Spider-Man, the exclusive PlayStation 3 game The Last of Us developed by Naughty Dog, Command & Conquer: Generals 2 from BioWare Victory, and Fortnite from Epic Games. New trailers for both Hitman: Absolution and Mass Effect 3 were aired during the show, as well as a pre-show announcement for Tekken Tag Tournament 2. Mark Burnett was the Executive Producer for the event, and for the first time, the VGAs aired live on MTV 2 (US), Spike.com (US) and Ginx TV (UK), in addition to Spike TV. The winners, as well as world premiere trailers, were announced during a pre-show red carpet live event hosted by GTTV's Amanda MacKay and Daniel Kayser. The 2011 VGAs also honored The Legend of Zelda franchise with its first ever "Video Game Hall of Fame Award". Another unique award at the 2011 VGAs was the NFL Blitz Cover Athlete award. This award, determined by live online voting during the event (just like Character of the Year), determined which NFL athlete would be on the cover of the EA Sports game, NFL Blitz. Appearances were by Charlie Sheen, Brooklyn Decker, Seth Green, Felicia Day, LL Cool J, Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Tony Hawk, will.i.am, Hulk Hogan, Stacy Keibler, Bellator MMA stars Eddie Alvarez and Michael Chandler, Blake Anderson, Adam Devine, Anders Holm, and game designers Cliff Bleszinski of Epic Games and Hideo Kojima of Konami. Musical performances were by The Black Keys and Deadmau5.
AwardWinnerNominees Game of the YearThe Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimBatman: Arkham City The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Portal 2 Uncharted 3: Drake's DeceptionVideo Game Hall of FameThe Legend of ZeldaN/AGamer GodBlizzard EntertainmentN/AStudio of the YearBethesda Game Studios, The Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimNaughty Dog, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception