Game of the Year
- Innovation and /or Originality
- Unique Gameplay Features
- Overall Presentation, Production Value and Quality
Best Console Game
- Usability & Playability
- Compelling Experience
- Use of Console Strengths
- Innovation and/or Originality
Best Game on the GO
- Mobility gameplay innovation
- Features appropriate to platform
- User interface
- Compelling Experience
Best Downloadable
- Innovation and/or Originality
- Usability/Playability
- Compelling Experience
- Pushes Hardware Capabilities
Best Social/Casual Game
- Simple to play, hard to master
- Bite size gameplay
- Addicting content
- Unique/highly creative gameplay or content or both
- Developer took some chances
Best Game Design
- Innovation/New Combinations
- Features appropriate to platform
- Compelling Experience
- Sets a new industry standard for genre, or defines a new genre
Best Audio
- Appropriateness to title / brand
- Immersiveness
- Quality of integration, quality of composition.
Best Technology
- Proprietary or Licensed
- Use of physics, lighting or SFX
- Usability (did they use the technology efficiently?)
- Usability (player’s perspective)
Best Visual Arts
- Visual consistency across all aspects of game production
- Strong visual signature that is unique to that game
- Top of class animation, rendering and storytelling
- High level of immersion in the game environment or story
Best Writing
- Story & Vision
- Dialog
- Emotional impact
Innovation Award
- A creative or technological breakthrough in an existing category or genre
- A new category of gaming through innovative design and execution
- A novel method for engaging the player across multiple platforms/genres/styles
- Sets a new industry standerd for genre, or defines a new genre
Best Indie Game
- Usability & Playability
- Compelling Experience
- Innovation and/or Originality
- Developer took some chances
Best New Character
- Demonstrates excellence in collaboration between character artist, writer, voice director and voice actor
- Original, creative, and engaging
- Creates an indelible impression and contributes to a compelling experience
Best Original Music
- Original composition
- Created specifically for the videogame
- Quality of integration into the game
- Enhancement of the game experience
