Assassin's Creed Brotherhood Wins Writers Guild Award, Red Dead and Mass Effect 2 Ineligible

Proving that a mixture of Renaissance-period drama and insane sci-fi nonsense pays off, Assassin's Creed Brotherhood has taken the top video game honors this year from the Writers Guild of America.

Some have criticized the guild for leaving out deserving games, leading WGA Videogame Writers Caucus (VWC) chair & steer committee member Micah Wright to defend the organization in an editorial published on GamesIndustry.biz.

First, Wright flatly denied that only WGA members qualify, stating that entrants are only required to pay a $60 fee to join the VWC instead. "The idea that anyone thinks the WGA is somehow getting rich off of $60 fees from videogame writers is laughable," he said.

It wasn't the entry fee that prevented other heavy-hitters this year from being considered, though. The Guild also requires a script with the writers' names listed, so they know who to credit for the award. Wright says BioWare and Take Two "refused" to submit scripts for Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age, and Red Dead Redemption, respectively.

"So another game gets what would likely have been their nomination," said Wright. "Are we happy about it? No... but rules are rules and our rules are clear and very fair."