Outstanding Animation in a Game Cinema

For substantially original animation that appears in a non-playable portion of a game, including CGI cinema scenes, traditional animation, Japanese anime, or even cut-scenes that are running off the game engine instead of as a clip, as long as there is no interactivity.

Outstanding Animation in a Game Engine

For animation that is created as a result of the player’s movement or that appears on screen along with other animation that is created through the interactive process of playing the game.

Outstanding Art Direction in a Game Cinema

For scene, set, or landscape design that appears in a non-playable portion of a game, either live-action or computer-generated.

Outstanding Art Direction in a Game Engine

For detailed or aesthetically dramatic scene, set, or landscape design that appears during interactive portions of a game.

Outstanding Camera Direction in a Game Engine

For the programming, design, and use of camera movement to enhance an interactive activity within a game, including movement that either takes place during interaction or provides another view of an immediately preceding action that was controlled by the player.

Outstanding Character Design

For the design of a character’s physical form, emphasizing the face and body and including hair style or mechanical accessories, but not costume.

Outstanding Control Design

For the effective use of a standard or specialized controller in the design of a game’s control system, also known as a “control scheme.”

Outstanding Control Precision

For the accuracy, responsiveness, and hit detection of a game engine as the player controls the interactive portions of a game.

Outstanding Costume Design

For the design of a character’s costume and its detail, with little regard for the character’s physical form or hair style.

Outstanding Direction in a Game Cinema

For the creative use of camera angles, movement, and timing to convey the ideas presented in a cinema or cut-scene.

Outstanding Game Design

For the design of a game’s premise, layout, character-environment relationships, planned pacing and/or development of the interactive experience within the game, and other creative ideas that are implemented through programming, with little emphasis on the form of the environment unless it has a direct and significant impact on game play.

Outstanding Graphics, Technical

For outstanding achievement in the programming of in-game visual effects and other technically challenging graphics work.

For ground-breaking ideas in game design and other techniques used to enhance the overall concept of the interactive experience.

Outstanding Innovation in Game Technology

For ground-breaking or challenging technical applications developed for use in connection with a video game.

Outstanding Lighting/Texturing Effects

For the depiction of light in an environment, including the use of filter-like imaging effects, the effects of light passing through or on objects, and the dramatic use of shadows.

Outstanding Original Musical Score

For the composition of an original score without regard to lyrics, where the music has not been previously produced or published.

Outstanding Original or Adapted Song

For the music and lyrics of an original song or substantially altered song that, in its game form, has not been previously produced or published.

Outstanding Song Album

For the recognition of song collections that appear in a game and have a significant impact on the overall enjoyment, mood, or experience.

Outstanding Sound Editing in a Game Cinema

For outstanding achievement in editing sound to picture in a non-playable portion of a game, where the player is unable to generate sound or manipulate its timing.

Outstanding Sound Effects

For outstanding achievement in the depiction of natural or artificial sounds, particularly ambient sound that can not be manipulated.

Outstanding Use of Sound

For outstanding achievement in the programming, timing, and layering of sound elements, including the dramatic use of silence.

Outstanding Performance (Lead/Supporting in a Comedy/Drama)

Four awards are given for individual achievement in game-exclusive voice acting.

Outstanding Writing in a Comedy

For outstanding achievement in writing a screenplay, scenario, executed treatment, and/or dialogue, with particular emphasis on the development of comedic characters and stories.

Outstanding Writing in a Drama

For outstanding achievement in writing a screenplay, scenario, executed treatment, and/or dialogue, with particular emphasis on the development of dramatic character-driven or plot-driven conflict.