First, a disclaimer: we don’t think we’re going to win. We just think, perhaps, we should.
Sure, we’re biased. That much should be obvious – some of us have written for a few publications in the past on a freelance level (and been paid well, too, occasionally) but TSA’s family feeling and lovely community means that when we do writing stuff these days, it’s for free, for this site.
We’re not journalists. None of us are. We don’t have a fancy office, corporate backers or a magazine publisher for support. We all have other jobs and TSA is something we do because we love it. It’s hard to explain why exactly, but we feel that – just once – we should get some kind of recognition for all the hard work we do.
[drop2]Sure, there’re ads, but last time a cheque rolled in the money went on rent for a house for a week for the Eurogamer Expo, some podcasting hardware and a video camera. Apart from the basics, it’s all pushed back into the site, to make it better and to make our roles a little more fun.And so, tonight, is the Games Media Awards. We’ve been nominated for ‘Best Site’ which, thank you, was voted for by the general public (or at least those out there with more than a passing interest for gaming). Being nominated was lovely, it made us smile.
But we’re up against some stiff competition: CVG (with their “ballsy, uncompromising personality”); Eurogamer (the “largest independent games website in the UK”); GameSpot (“a market leader in its field with 4.6 million unique users in the UK”); IGN (with “the largest audience of gamers in the UK”) and VideoGamer.com, God is a Geek and Gaming Union.
We don’t get traffic like the big guys – but we do get more a day than the ABC figures of some gaming mags would suggest they do in a month. That’s not our only target, though, it’s recognition, acceptance into a frustratingly close-knit industry and to, just now and again, hear some nice things said about us and the work we do.
We won’t win, that’s for sure, but we won’t give up trying.
Kennykazey
I hope TSA win, you sure deserve it.
Michael
TSA: Full of WIN since 2007.
cnutard
Just to repeat what everyone else is saying, good luck and it would be awesome if you guys win.
I don’t comment much but do enjoy scrolling my way through the comments and not having to see ‘first’ or ‘shut up n00b!’. It’s always nice to read sensible debates and actually take other peoples opinions into consideration because they put it across without being an arse (though I can’t say this applies to the whole community, there are a few aliases I dread seeing comments from, but a good 95% ;)).
The quirkiness of articles, the honesty, the surprisingly uncluttered pages, the community and more are what personally make TSA the only gaming news website I need.
Hotmail, Facebook and TSA… The only tabs I have constantly open with TSA being the only one I regularly refresh for juicy new content.
You may not win tonight (although you really should) but it seems you’ve already won in he eyes of your community, they’re the real judges.
Jakster123x
Good luck.
Ben
If your reading this far into the comments then it should be clear why TSA deserves to win.
gtaman7
Good luck TSA. You guys deserve to win it!
The Lone Steven
If TSA doesn’t win, i shall burn down the GMA building and frame the site that won it. :)
TSA is one of the few sites where your opinion is valued and is very unlikely to have a memeber go “STFU as generic game is teh bestest evar!!!!!!”. Plus, i think it is the only gaming site who’s regs could take over the world.:op
freezebug2
They should have taken you along as their minder to the awards. Could have been an interesting presentation.
Best of luck TSA, although you might rue not having taken Steven to the awards :P
tantalus_blank
Well, I’ve visited nearly every day since I started uni 3 years ago, so you must be doing something right. You guys do brilliant work, and you sure as hell deserve to win
BIGAL-1992
Before anyone asks, Eurogamer just won Games website award. Shame TSA didn’t get it, but being nominated isn’t half-bad eh?
MadBoJangles
Just wanted to echo what a lot of others have said, love the site, visit daily.
Keep it up, awards are for plebs anyhow :D