DOWNLOAD CATEGORIES IN PDF FORMAT
FOR ALL OF THE "BEST GAME" AWARDS, THE FOLLOWING WILL BE TAKEN
INTO STRONG CONSIDERATION
"The ELAN in this category will be awarded to a title that exhibits originality, strong creative direction, and a high fun quotient, as well as excellence in game design and storytelling, sound and voice performance, visual and artistic impression, technical achievement, and player immersion. Special consideration is to be given for innovative utilization of the native features (interface, connectivity, etc.) of the specific hardware platform."
1. BEST GAME OF THE YEAR
Recognizing outstanding achievement in a video game, the ELAN in this category will be
awarded to a title released for play on any hardware platform.
2. BEST E-RATED GAME OF THE YEAR
Recognizing outstanding achievement in a video game, the ELAN in this category will be
awarded to a title released for play on any hardware platform in any of the E-level ratings.
3. BEST TEEN-RATED GAME OF THE YEAR
Recognizing outstanding achievement in a video game, the ELAN in this category will be
awarded to a title released for play on any hardware platform in any of the T-level ratings.
4. BEST MATURE-RATED GAME OF THE YEAR
Recognizing outstanding achievement in a video game, the ELAN in this category will be
awarded to a title released for play on any hardware platform in any of the M-level
ratings.
5. BEST CONSOLE GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in a video game designed for a home console
(Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, etc.).
6. BEST PC GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in a video game designed for a personal computer
(Windows, Mac, etc.).
7. BEST DOWNLOADABLE GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in a video game created for any platform released
solely through digital download.
8. BEST CASUAL GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in a casual video game, whether pay-for-play or
free, the ELAN in this category will be awarded to a title released for play online including
MMO’s, Social Networking Games, etc.
9. BEST LICENSED GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in a licensed video game, the ELAN in this
category will be awarded to a licensed production released for play on any platform. The
winner will first exhibit excellent authenticity to the original licensed production and then
while remaining within these limits still display originality and strong creative direction.
10. BEST HANDHELD GAME (PSP; DS, IPod or other similar devices)
Recognizing outstanding achievement in a video game designed for a handheld
hardware device (PSP, DS, Ipod, etc. whose primary function is not voice
communication).
11. BEST MOBILE GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in a video game designed for a mobile hardware
device whose primary function is voice communication (iPhone, BlackBerry, etc.).
12. MOST ACCESSIBLE GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in providing accessibility features for gamers with
disabilities, the ELAN in this category will be awarded to a designer or design team who
exhibit excellence in the creation of an AAA video game that is accessible to the widest
audience as possible. Factors evaluated include features that improve the gaming
experience for gamers with disabilities including excellence in providing game design
elements such as (but not limited to) closed captioning/subtitling, remappable controls,
color blind mode(s)/high contrast color schemes, assist modes, tutorials, support for
accessible controllers, range of difficulty and speed options, audio tags, font scalability,
and accessible game documentation.
13. BEST INDEPENDENT GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in an independent video game, the ELAN in this
category will be awarded to a production released for play on any hardware platform.
14. BEST WRITING in a VIDEO GAME PRODUCTION
Recognizing outstanding achievement in writing in the field of video games, the ELAN in
this category is awarded to the writer or writers credited who exhibit excellence in writing,
story-telling, characterization, and originality.
15. BEST SOUND in a VIDEO GAME PRODUCTION
Recognizing outstanding achievement in sound in the field of video games, the ELAN in
this category is awarded to an individual or team that exhibits creative excellence in
sound design, sound effects, creative direction and context in any video game production
released in the qualifying calendar year.
16. BEST MUSIC in a VIDEO GAME PRODUCTION
Recognizing outstanding achievement in music in the field of video games, the ELAN in
this category is awarded to an individual or team that exhibits creative excellence in
musical scoring, creative direction and context in any video game production released in
the qualifying calendar year.
17. BEST ART DIRECTION in a VIDEO GAME PRODUCTION
Recognizing outstanding achievement in art direction in a video game, the ELAN in this
category is awarded to the art director or art directors credited who exhibit excellence in
visual design and execution of the interactive experience of a video game. Factors
evaluated include characters, environments, animation, lighting, effects, as well as
conceptualization, consistency of vision, and technical execution. Full motion video or
other non-interactive elements presented in a game are considered only for their
consistency, continuity, and support of the interactive experience.
18. BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION in a VIDEO GAME PRODUCTION
Recognizing outstanding achievement in character animation in a video game, the ELAN
in this category is awarded to the animator, animation team or animation director that
exhibits excellence in animating a human, animal or object that expresses
characterization, movement, and conveys emotion. This category is open to animation
teams hired outside of the video game company.
19. BEST VOICE OVER in an VIDEO GAME PRODUCTION
Recognizing outstanding achievement in voice performance, the ELAN in this category
goes to the voice actor in any video game that exhibits excellence in dramatization,
characterization, originality, range and effect.
20. BEST GAME DESIGN
Recognizing outstanding achievement in game design and direction in a video game, the
ELAN in this category is awarded to the lead designer, game director or design team
credited whose video game exhibits excellence in innovation, ideation and execution of
design concepts including player control, game mechanics, game progression,
storytelling, immersion, emotional engagement, and of course, a high fun quotient.
21. BEST REAL-TIME VISUAL EFFECTS in a VIDEO GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in visual effects in a video game, the ELAN in this
category is awarded to the vfx artist, vfx team or vfx director that exhibits excellence in
real-time game engine-rendered visual effects within a video game. This category is open
to vfx teams hired outside of the video game company.
22. OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL INNOVATION
Recognizes outstanding technical innovation that has a significant impact on play, the
ELAN in this category is awarded to the technical team credited whose video game
demonstrates technical innovation that impacts both the game in which it is introduced,
as well as future game development. Innovations can include concepts such as defining
a new genre, or game design mechanic, a technological breakthrough or advance that
significantly impacts the game experience, an innovative or evolutionary use of new
technologies, or any other technical achievement that advances the state of play.
23. BEST NEW TALENT (Student only)
Recognizing outstanding achievement by a student in digital entertainment, the ELAN in
this category goes to the student or team of students who exhibits excellence thru their
project in one of three sectors: Video Game, Animation or Visual Effects.
24. VIDEO GAME HALL OF FAME
Awarded to the individual who in the course of pursuing their art, has excelled in their
medium. The recipient will have achieved creative excellence throughout their career.
The recipient will have creatively influenced their field of expertise. This is a lifetime
achievement award and the winner has been working in the video game industry at least
15 years. The recipient of this award is peer voted. The recipient of this award is voted in
by the Video Game Industry and does not go through the judicial selection process as the
other awards do. There are no final nominees.
25. BEST ANIMATED PRODUCTION with a LICENSED VIDEO GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in an animated production that has a licensed
video game attached, the ELAN in this category will be awarded to an animated
production released either to theatres or televised during the qualifying calendar year; the
video game need NOT have been made available to the public for play yet. There is no
distinguishing between computer-generated or cell-based animation. The winner will
exhibit originality, and excellence in storytelling, movement, sound and voice
performance, visual and artistic impression and technical achievement.
26. BEST VFX-DRIVEN FEATURE FILM with LICENSED VIDEO GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in VFX in a theatrically released feature length film
where the VFX play a crucial, substantial and integral part of the production, typically
known in the industry as an "Effects Film". The film must have been released within the
qualifying calendar year and have a licensed video game attached; the video game need
NOT have been made available to the public for play yet.
27. GAMER’S CHOICE
Publicly-voted on-line, the number of votes tallied by the public determines the nominees
and ultimately the winner for their choice of Game of the Year.
28. BEST IN-GAME ADVERTISEMENT in a VIDEO GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in utilizing a video game to advertise by a
company, the ELAN in this category goes to the best advertisement in any video game
with special mention to that game.
29. BEST OVERALL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN for a VIDEO GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in an advertising campaign for a video game, the
ELAN in this category goes to the best series of thematically related advertising materials
used to promote a video game.
30. BEST VIRAL MARKETING PR CAMPAIGN for a VIDEO GAME
Recognizing outstanding achievement in engaging the keenness and imagination of
gamers to generate product buzz thru fan-generated marketing which may be a website,
a blog, a movie or any other vehicle that promotes a video game.
Thank you in advance for choosing to participate in the 2010 ELAN Awards. We wish you the very best of luck!
Sincerely,
Holly Carinci, Founder
If you have questions regarding the award categories you should check the Rules & Regulations Manual before emailing Holly Carinci, Participant & Guest Relations