So are we talking June 17-20, or June 24-27?
I’m just going to reuse my prior excuses.
Mark your calendars for these upcoming dates! We'll remind you of other important deadlines later in the year. Friday, Nov 15 - Badge Registration AND Hotel Block open We'll share a detailed walkthrough for both of these events as we get closer to make it as smooth as possible. Sunday, March 1 - Early Bird pricing closes Discounted rates on badges will end on this date. Make sure to register before then and use the money you save on events! Saturday, May 2 - Event Registration opens We'll share the Event Grid beforehand so you can snag all the events you're most excited for ahead of time! Monday, June 1 - Event Pre-registration closes You will still be able to register for events on-site, but closing pre-reg early helps us minimize potential problems during the show.
1. 2020 CategoriesThe Award Categories should be an accurate reflection of the current industry game offerings, and we felt there were some tweaks to make. To that end, we have removed some categories, re-added others, and additionally introduced completely new categories.2020 Awards Categories:Board GameCard GameCollectible GameDigital Adaptation of a Physical Game (NEW)Family GameHistorical Game (BROUGHT BACK)Historical Miniatures Game (BROUGHT BACK)Miniatures GameRole-Playing GameGame AccessoryThe Game of the Year will also be awarded, but this will be voted upon by all active GAMA members. They will choose their single preferred title from amongst all the nominees in the physical game categories.We will continue to have a Fan Favorite for each category listed above. Origins Game Fair attendees will be able to cast their votes in the mobile app launching in 2020.While the new mobile app removes the need for a voting booth, we will have an area for attendees to peruse the nominated titles. To that end, we will be displaying the final nominees in one of the most highly-trafficked areas of the convention center - the foyer at the foot of the escalators leading from the Hyatt. Here, we will create a walk-through gallery with the oversized Callie statue encircled by glass displays housing the final nominees. To help promote engagement with the publishers, we will have an info card in front of each title indicating the booth number where attendees can purchase and/or demo the title.There will continue to be an Origins Awards Showcase area where attendees will be able to play the finalists in the Board Game, Card Game, Family Game, and Historical Game categories. A library of the final nominees will be available and attendees can enjoy playing on luxury Game Toppers for an elevated gaming experience. We also plan on delineating this area with red carpet and velvet stanchions to draw attendees in and associate the Awards with the high level of prestige they deserve.
ISSUE: Feeling of neglect by the wargamers, as though Origins (and by extension, GAMA) is no longer interested in their niche of the hobby since the larger audiences (as therefore the larger dollars) are in games with a broader audience appeal.Solution 2: This was not discussed on the call, but mentioned in a follow-up conversation with one of my team. Origins needs to bring back an award category for historical board games (the traditional title of the wargaming area) or re/create a category specific for wargaming, if the “historical board game” title is going to open the door too wide to “the Castles of Burgundy”. Honestly, for a lot of wargamers, this was the turning point where they thought Origins had completely abandoned them. Bringing back recognition for wargaming in the awards, instead of lumping them in with the mass-market products, will undoubtedly be a serious step in the eyes of the wargaming community.
I wouldn't get too excited about it until you see what games are actually chosen for those awards.
