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Cybermania '94: The Ultimate Gamer Awards was the first televised video game awards show. The two-hour show was broadcast on TBS on December 9, 1994.

Background

The early 1990s marked a significant period of growth for the video game industry, with increasing popularity and mainstream recognition. In response to the growing interest in video games and the need for recognition of outstanding achievements in the field, Cybermania '94 was conceived as the first-ever televised video game awards show.

Awards

Reception

I’ve performed many valiant acts in my time as a game journalist but never have I had to endure anything like TBS’ horrendous Cybermania ’94, the first televised attempt to integrate electronic games and the tired TV award show format.

The telecast on TBS drew 1.1 million people over its length.

The reception to ''Cybermania '94'' was mixed receiving both praise and criticism. Some reviewers praised the show for celebrating the growing influence of video games in popular culture and appreciated William Shatner's lively and humorous performance as the host. However, critics also pointed out that the show lacked the prestige and production value associated with established awards shows like the Oscars. Video game journalist Bill Kunkel for Electronic Games called the awards show "so offensive, so blathering, so downright ignorant that it deserves a more detailed scrutiny." Kunkel criticized the anonymity of those who accepted the awards, noting the show not identifying industry people such as Brian Fargo. Chris Nashawaty for Entertainment Weekly described the ceremony as "a low-rent whack at the MTV Video Music Awards without the faintest whiff of Oscar’s legitimacy."

The eclectic mix of performers and presenters, including Leslie Nielsen and Jonathan Taylor Thomas, added an unusual and surreal dimension to the event. The inclusion of lesser-known celebrities presenting awards awkwardly contributed to the show's low-rent feel.

The nervous audience of game programmers attending the ceremony also added to the peculiar atmosphere. The winners of the various categories were acknowledged, with games such as ''Doom'', ''The 7th Guest'', ''Aladdin'', ''Myst'', ''Xplora 1: Peter Gabriel's Secret World'', ''Caesars World of Boxing'', ''Voyeur'', and ''Mortal Kombat'' emerging as award recipients.

Interviewing developers that attended the ceremony, Time Extension found that many of them did not realize it was going to be televised until the night of.

Legacy

Cybermania '94 is historically significant as the first televised video game awards show. Its impact on the gaming industry led to the establishment of various gaming awards ceremonies in subsequent years, many of which are still held annually.

References

1. ^ Nashawaty, Chris (November 25, 1994). "Cybermania '94: The Ultimate Gamer Awards". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 25, 2022.
2. ^ Kunkel, Bill (January 1995). "The Kunkel Report: TBS & The Sonic Hedgehog". Electronic Games. Vol. 2, no. 11. p. 144.
3. ^ "First-ever game awards show". Los Angeles Times. December 5, 2017.
4. Yarwood, Jack (December 8, 2022). "Before The Game Awards, There Was Cybermania '94". Time Extension. Retrieved December 10, 2022.

• 1994 television specials
• Video game awards
• TBS (American TV channel) original programming