“There’s nothing wrong with celebrating the past, but where’s the harm in recognising the raw energy, ambition and enthusiasm that will power the future? That’s what 30 Under 30 is about - encouragement.”
TheEditor
Awards shouldn’t just celebrate the outstanding achievements of the past, they need to encourage those hoping to make their mark on the future
I
t’s fair to say that some people take a dim view of industry honours, even those as serious and as respectable as the BAFTA Game Awards or our very own MCV/ DEVELOP Awards. That’s fine. Each to their own. However, there is a very particular
ire reserved for those awards that exclude the majority. Perhaps not so much those that seek to elevate women, people of colour or those that identify as LGBTQ+, but certainly when it comes to celebrating young people.
It seems to be the case every year, for instance, that as soon as we announce plans for the MCV/DEVELOP 30 Under 30, you can be sure that someone will question their necessity or authenticity. Either this is based on the belief that careers should be judged nearer their end rather than at their beginning, or because the cut off age is entirely arbitrary (which it is). Why not 40 Under 40, they ask, or even 40 Over 40? (For the record, I am entirely in favour of the latter, although modesty prohibits me from saying why).
The thing is that many awards already honour those who have done their time, so to speak, usually under the auspices of the sum of a very fine career constituting an outstanding overall contribution. Again, that’s fine. There’s nothing wrong with celebrating the past, but where’s the harm in recognising the raw energy, ambition and enthusiasm that will power the future? That’s what 30 Under 30 is about - encouragement.
I suspect that most of those who dismiss awards do so as a tacit admission that they would not win one, especially in cases where they are ineligible to even be considered. I have no evidence to back this up, but I would suggest that most people who scoff at the idea of the Women In Games Awards are men, and that those who roll their eyes when they read of nominations for 30 Under 30 are no longer in the first flush of youth.
As a one-time award sceptic who has since seen the light, it becomes abundantly clear that awards matter once you pore over nominations. Yes, there are nominations for people who are basically just nice and are good at their job, and even some whose motivations are purely career-driven, but the vast majority are for people that go above and beyond, who put others first, who have overcome adversity, or are motivated to make the world and industry a better place. What matters is they are just getting started. A respectful pat on the back is never a bad thing when you still have most of your career ahead of you.
Richie Shoemaker
richie.shoemaker@
biz-media.co.uk October/November 2022 MCV/DEVELOP | 3
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