As bullshit as the Oscars are, they at least try. There is no equivalent in the Gaming industry.
Just check out Galatea. Very few people know about that game, but it is amazing.
Even the Game Awards, the most Oscar-like award show that video games have, gives awards to smaller, more "artsy" titles. For instance "Her Story" won best narrative for 2015 over more mainstream blockbuster titles like "The Witcher 3".
Beyond that the original comment was lamenting the lack of a central cultural authority on gaming, which there is none (and I don't think there necessarily needs to be one given the lack of marketable personalities or reasons to watch one beyond ad space). "Her Story" was recognized last year because of its approachable, non-linear play mixed with FMV, but there dozens of other titles released that would be easier to argue for as "art" that aren't going be recognized in any notable manner. Does something need to have recognition to designated as art? No. Neither sculptures nor paintings have award shows, so I think it's fair to say that artistic merit goes beyond gaming having an Oscars.
The only industry award for gaming I respect are those given out at GDC to industry people who've had an impact on the industry and a few games, but it isn't a spectacle, its more a pat on the back from other industry members.
No one cared about quality in the early days of film/tv either. But, eventually, some people saw value in them as an art form, and started helping others understand how.
I think we should start doing this for games.