G-Phoria snubs strategy

G4's annual award show has announced its nominees. The voice performance categories are - as usual - dominated by B-list celebrities instead of by the everyday voice actors who bring a lot of character to everything they do without breaking the bank. Sure, it could be the only time that Brooke Burke ever wins anything, but there's a principle here.

My main grievance is with the total absence of any strategy games whatsoever. There is no strategy game category and there are zero nominees in any of the others.

Could it be that the awards are for console games only? The presence of World of Warcraft and City of Heroes would lead you to think that PC Games are invited to the party. But since they are the only PC exclusive titles there, apparently not.

The Entertainment Software Association reports that strategy games are by far the most popular genre on the PC. They almost triple the share of consumers that role-playing games do. Of course, strategy games are almost completely absent on the console scene, though older strategy titles are finding their way onto handhelds.

So, no Rome: Total War. No Sims 2.

The PC's declining share of the market has led to some disrespect from G4 - serious disrespect. I can think of a half-dozen PC games released in their eligibility window that deserve to be on that list. But PC games are apparently not cool or hip or edgy or whatever. Of course, it was the same last year, but with the MMO world showing that there are still cool things that you can't do in front of your TV, you would think that G4 would think outside the console box.

Of course, this is the same network that brings you video vixens and lets on air personalities moderate console product launches. But it is also the televised voice of gaming. And except for Screen Savers, there's not a lot of computer stuff going on.