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Deathloop, It Takes Two and Forza Horizon 5 Lead Finalists for the 22nd Annual Game Developers Choice Awards

Mathew Anderson
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Deathloop, It Takes Two and Forza Horizon 5 Lead Finalists for the 22nd Annual Game Developers Choice Awards

SAN FRANCISCO  – January 11, 2022 – The finalists for the 22nd Annual Game Developers Choice Awards, the leading peer-based video game event celebrating the industry’s top games and developers, have been revealed today. Winners in all categories will be honored at the Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA) ceremony, taking place at the 2022 Game Developers Conference (GDC) on Wednesday, March 23 and held in conjunction with the Independent Games Festival Awards (IGF). The ceremony is available to watch for all GDC 2022 pass-holders. The 36th edition of GDC will be held in-person and virtually at San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center from March 21 – 25.

The developer-picked nominations are led by Deathloop, which received a total of six nominations, closely followed by It Takes Two, which received five nominations and Forza Horizon 5, which earned four nominations. All three of these titles are nominated for the Game of the Year award. 

Arkane Studios’ Deathloop, the next-gen first person shooter where two rival assassins are trapped in a mysterious timeloop on the island of Blackreef, was nominated for six awards: Best Audio, Best Design, Innovation Award, Best Narrative, Best Visual Art and Game of the Year. Hazelight Studios’ It Takes Two, a genre-bending platform adventure game where players can work together across a variety of gleefully disruptive gameplay challenges, was nominated for five awards: Best Design, Innovation Award, Best Narrative, Social Impact Award and Game of the Year. Playground Games’ Forza Horizon 5, the twelfth main installment of the Forza series set in the open world landscapes of Mexico, follows closely behind with four awards: Best Audio, Best Technology, Best Visual Art and Game of the Year. 

Deathloop by Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks (L), It Takes Two by Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts (C), and Forza Horizon 5 by Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios (R) are the leading nominees for the 2022 Game Developers Choice Awards. (Image: GDC)

Any video game that was released and made publicly available during the 2021 calendar year is eligible for free nomination for the 2022 Game Developers Choice Awards. Both nominees and winners are selected by the Game Developers Choice Awards-specific International Choice Awards Network (ICAN), which is an invitation-only organization, composed of leading game creators from all parts of the industry.

The complete list of nominees, including honorable mentions, for the 22nd annual Game Developers Choice Awards is as follows:

BEST AUDIO

Returnal (Housemarque / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Unpacking (Witch Beam / Humble)

Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Eidos-Montréal / Square Enix) 

Forza Horizon 5 (Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios)

Honorable Mentions: Halo Infinite (343 Industries / Xbox Game Studios), It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts), Genesis Noir (Feral Cat Den / Fellow Traveller), Kid A Mnesia: Exhibition (Arbitrarily Good Productions, Namethemachine / Epic Games), Resident Evil Village (Capcom) 

BEST DEBUT

Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Ember Lab)

Valheim (Iron Gate Studio / Coffee Stain Publishing)

Wildermyth (Worldwalker Games / WhisperGames)

The Artful Escape (Beethoven & Dinosaur / Annapurna Interactive)

Sable (Shedworks / Raw Fury) 

Honorable Mentions: Genesis Noir (Feral Cat Den / Fellow Traveller), ElecHead (Tsuyomi / NamaTakahashi), Unsighted (Studio Pixel Punk, Humble)

BEST DESIGN

It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)

Psychonauts 2 (Double Fine / Xbox Game Studios) 

Halo Infinite (343 Industries / Xbox Game Studios)

Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)

Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games / Devolver Digital)

Honorable Mentions: Resident Evil Village (Capcom), Unpacking (Witch Beam / Humble), Death’s Door (Acid Nerve, Devolver Digital), Loop Hero (Four Quarters, Devolver Digital)

INNOVATION AWARD

It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)

Wildermyth (Worldwalker Games / WhisperGames)

Unpacking (Witch Beam / Humble)

Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games / Devolver Digital)

Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)

Honorable Mentions: Returnal (Housemarque / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Chicory: A Colorful Tale (The Chicory: A Colorful Tale Team / Finji), Loop Hero (Four Quarters, Devolver Digital)

BEST NARRATIVE

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Eidos-Montréal / Square Enix) 

Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)

It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)

Psychonauts 2 (Double Fine / Xbox Game Studios) 

Unpacking (Witch Beam / Humble)

Honorable Mentions: Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Ember Lab), Life is Strange: True Colors (Deck Nine / Square Enix), The Forgotten City (Modern Storyteller / Dear Villagers), Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games / Devolver Digital), Wildermyth (Worldwalker Games / WhisperGames)

SOCIAL IMPACT AWARD

Before Your Eyes (GoodbyeWorld Games / Skybound Games)

It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)

Life is Strange: True Colors (Deck Nine / Square Enix)

Boyfriend Dungeon (Kitfox Games)

Chicory: A Colorful Tale (The Chicory: A Colorful Tale Team / Finji)

Honorable Mentions: Forza Horizon 5 (Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios)

BEST TECHNOLOGY

Halo Infinite (343 Industries / Xbox Game Studios)

Forza Horizon 5 (Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios)

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Returnal (Housemarque / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Hitman 3 (IO Interactive)

Honorable Mentions: Battlefield 2042 (EA DICE / Electronic Arts), Resident Evil Village (Capcom) 

BEST VISUAL ART

Forza Horizon 5 (Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios)

Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Ember Lab)

Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)

Psychonauts 2 (Double Fine / Xbox Game Studios) 

Honorable Mentions: The Artful Escape (Beethoven & Dinosaur / Annapurna Interactive), Resident Evil Village (Capcom), Genesis Noir (Feral Cat Den / Fellow Traveller), Returnal (Housemarque / Sony Interactive Entertainment), Sable (Shedworks / Raw Fury)

GAME OF THE YEAR

Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games / Devolver Digital)

Forza Horizon 5 (Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios)

Resident Evil Village (Capcom)

Deathloop (Arkane Studios / Bethesda Softworks)

It Takes Two (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)

Honorable Mentions: Halo Infinite (343 Industries / Xbox Game Studios), Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (Eidos-Montréal / Square Enix), Psychonauts 2 (Double Fine / Xbox Game Studios), Chicory: A Colorful Tale (The Chicory: A Colorful Tale Team / Finji), Death’s Door (Acid Nerve / Devolver Digital)

For more information about the 22nd annual Game Developers Choice Awards, visit: http://www.gamechoiceawards.com. As in years past, the Game Developers Choice Awards will be livestreamed alongside the Independent Games Festival Awards on the official GDC Twitch channel.

For more details on the Game Developers Conference, please visit the GDC’s official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS. Official photos are available via the Official GDC Flickr account: www.flickr.com/photos/officialgdc.

ESL Gaming Celebrates 10 Years of Intel® Extreme Masters with the Return of IEM Katowice Featuring a Combined $1.5M Prize Pool

Mathew Anderson
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ESL Gaming Celebrates 10 Years of Intel® Extreme Masters with the Return of IEM Katowice Featuring a Combined $1.5M Prize Pool

Cologne/New York/Katowice — ESL Gaming is proud to invite everyone to experience one of the longest-running series of live esports tournaments in the world, the Intel® Extreme Masters. For the first time in almost two years, the Intel® Extreme Masters Katowice 2022 competition will star the world’s best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) teams competing in front of a live audience for their share of the $1 million prize pool.

In addition to CS:GO, IEM Katowice 2022 will host the StarCraft® II EPT Championship, where 36 players from around the world will battle it out for their share of the $500,000 prize pool. Fans are welcome to attend the highly anticipated esports competitions live in the iconic Spodek Arena in Katowice, Poland on February 25-27, 2022. An IEM Expo at the International Congress Center is not planned for this years’ edition.

To celebrate the unique anniversary within the esports landscape, ESL Gaming is launching a dedicated campaign: “X Years of IEM Katowice — Celebrate the heroes” to commemorate ten years of Intel® Extreme Masters.

As part of the anniversary campaign, ESL is planning unique activations in Katowice to honour the legendary heroes of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and StarCraft® II in cooperation with the city of Katowice.

“Thinking back to when this place held an Intel® Extreme Masters tournament for the first time, what followed would not have been imaginable. This event represents a dream come true to everyone that wanted to build esports into something bigger and unforgettable memories shared by fans and players,” said Michal “Carmac” Blicharz, VP Product Development at ESL Gaming. “We are proud to be coming to Katowice again as an in-person competition and we are so looking forward to celebrating the commemorative anniversary together.”

New for 2022, ESL has refreshed the Intel® Extreme Masters visual brand. Starting with IEM Katowice 2022, the anniversary edition will be the first event with a new and fresh design. The changes build on top of the overall brand refresh for ESL, initially launched in 2019, with the aim of emphasizing the characteristics of each and every individual ESL product, while maintaining the common identity of brands within the portfolio of the ESL ecosystem.

“The modern and bold visual identity will reflect the legacies and history that is carved out at Intel® Extreme Masters, and in particular, IEM Katowice,” commented Shahin Zarrabi, VP Brand & Corporate Marketing at ESL Gaming. “The identity sets us up for success in many more years to come, and ensures the high quality our fans deserve.”

IEM Katowice 2022 will also provide fans with access to exclusive photos, BTS-materials and articles that summarize a whole decade of esports tournaments. With each week preceding IEM Katowice 2022, ESL will reveal the campaign’s following stages and “behind the scenes” components.

We invite you to visit the IEM X website to learn more about the history of the legendary tournament series in Katowice.

To stay up to date with all news, head to about.eslgaming.com or follow ESL Gaming on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and sign up to our press release subscription list.

Finalists for the 24th Annual Independent Games Festival Led by Inscryption From Daniel Mullins Games and Witch Beam’s Unpacking

Mathew Anderson
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Finalists for the 24th Annual Independent Games Festival Led by Inscryption From Daniel Mullins Games and Witch Beam’s Unpacking

SAN FRANCISCO – January 7, 2022 – Informa Tech, organizers of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2022 have revealed the finalists for the 24th annual awards ceremony of the Independent Games Festival (IGF), the longest running festival, summit and showcase celebrating independent games and their creators. The IGF is part of the Game Developers Conference 2022, which will be held in-person and virtually at San Francisco’s Moscone Convention Center from March 21 – 25.

Leading the nominations are Inscryption by Daniel Mullins Games and Unpacking by Witch Beam, which have both been nominated for four awards each. Both titles are nominated for the categories of Excellence in Audio, Excellence in Design, Excellence in Narrative and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize. Inscryption is a genre-bending love letter to video games that blends the deckbuilding roguelike, escape-room style puzzles and psychological horror into a surprising mix. Quite differently, Unpacking is a zen game about the familiar experience of pulling possessions out of boxes and fitting them into a new home, all while learning clues about the life of the person whose belongings are being unpacked.

Unpacking by Witch Beam (L) and Inscryption by Daniel Mullins Games (R) are leading the pack for award nominations at the 2022 Independent Games Festival (Image: IGF)

The other nominees for the Seumas McNally Grand Prize are:

  • Cruelty Squad (also nominated for the Nuovo Award) by Consumer Softproducts is a tactical first-person shooter where players are an emotionally dead combat-substance fueled grunt of Cruelty Squad, a depraved subsidiary company tasked with performing wetworks for its host conglomerate.
  • Loop Hero by Four Quarters, a game where players help the brave hero to defeat the Lich that has thrown the world into a timeless loop by wielding an expanding deck of mystical cards that place enemies and terrain to help challenge the hero and, in doing so, strengthen them.
  • The Eternal Cylinder (also nominated for Excellence in Visual Art) by ACE Team sees players control a herd of adorable creatures as they explore a strange alien world filled with exotic lifeforms, surreal environments, all while under the constant threat of the Cylinder, a gargantuan rolling structure of ancient origin which crushes everything in its path.
  • Unsighted by Studio Pixel Punk is a science-fiction adventure where player’s choices have powerful consequences. As the Automaton Alma, players traverse a vast world in search of hidden passages, powerful weapons and critical tools—all while facing dire decisions in a race against time to save their friends from a tragic fate.

After an initial assessment completed by hundreds of judges, over 400 entries for the 2022 IGF Awards were distributed to a diverse set of expert jurors from across the games industry for final consideration. The juries for each individual category then selected the finalists after playing, discussing and meticulously evaluating them.

The winners will be announced during the Independent Games Festival Awards, taking place at the 2022 Game Developers Conference (GDC) on Wednesday, March 23 (with a simultaneous broadcast on GDC Twitch). The IGF Awards will immediately precede the Game Developers Choice Awards, which recognizes the best games of the year across all sections of video game development. Both the Game Developers Choice Awards and IGF ceremonies are available to watch for all GDC 2022 pass-holders.

The full list of finalists for each category of the 2022 Independent Games Festival, along with “honorable mentions,” is as follows:

Best Student Game

Cai Cai Balão (Look Up Games)

Abriss – build to destroy (Randwerk Games eG)

Letter Lattice (Ethan Zarov)

Smalllife (Yueqi Wu)

Nainai’s Recipe (Fan Fang, Mai Hou)

Live Adventure (Live Adventure Team)

Honorable Mentions: Astreia’s Gift (Femy Nassirou & Hervé Blanchot), There You Are (Funky Dango),  The Bleeding Tree (No Input Interactive), dumpling.love (the parks staff), Lysfangha (Baptiste Marsac & Daphne Pauchet-Deloffre), Jivana (Team Jivana), Hook Up (Team Hook Up), Come with Me (Xin Ye) 

Excellence in Audio

Toem (Something We Made)

Unpacking (Witch Beam)

Jett: The Far Shore (Superbrothers A/V + Pine Scented)

Mini Motorways (Dinosaur Polo Club)

Sable (Shedworks)

Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games)

Honorable Mentions: Severed Steel (Greylock Studios), A Musical Story (Glee-Cheese Studios), Death’s Door (Acid Nerve), The Vale: Shadow of the Crown (Falling Squirrel), Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Ember Lab), Overboard! (inkle), The Wild at Heart (Moonlight Kids)

Excellence in Design

Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games)

Unpacking (Witch Beam)

Overboard! (inkle)

Strange Horticulture (Bad Viking)

Webbed (Sbug Games)

Midnight Protocol (LuGus Studios)

Honorable Mentions: Loop Hero (Four Quarters), Unsighted (Studio Pixel Punk), Mini Motorways (Dinosaur Polo Club), Card Shark (Nerial), KeyWe (Stonewheat & Sons), Sunshine Heavy Industries (Daisyowl Games)

Excellence in Narrative

Last Call (Nina Freeman and Jake Jefferies)

Neurocracy (Playthroughline)

Closed Hands (Passenger)

Overboard! (inkle)

Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games)

Unpacking (Witch Beam)

Honorable Mentions: Card Shark (Nerial), Norco (Geography of Robots), The Big Con (Mighty Yell ),

Tux and Fanny (Ghost Time Games), Opus: Echo of Starsong (Sigono), Sable (Shedworks), Blackhaven (Historiated Games)

Excellence in Visual Art

The Eternal Cylinder (ACE Team)

Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery (Silver Lining Studio)

Papetura (Petums)

Fuzz Dungeon (Jeremy Couillard)

The Wild at Heart (Moonlight Kids)

Jett: The Far Shore (Superbrothers A/V + Pine Scented)

Honorable Mention:

Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games), A Musical Story (Glee-Cheese Studios), Kena: Bridge of Spirits (Ember Lab), Saturnalia (Santa Ragione) Stonefly (Flight School Studio), Cris Tales (Dreams Uncorporated, Syck)

Nuovo Award

Memory Card (Lily Zone)

Okthryssia and Saturnia’s Bureaucratic Adventures (Outlands)

Space Hole 2020 (Sam Atlas)

Tux and Fanny (Ghost Time Games) 

Cruelty Squad (Consumer Softproducts)

Sparkles & Gems (Resnijars)

Fuzz Dungeon (Jeremy Couillard)

Cuccchi (Fantastico Studio)

Honorable Mentions: 

Last Call (Nina Freeman and Jake Jefferies), The Shape of Time (落日间 xpaidia studio), The Under Presents (Tender Claws), ~Song of Homunculus~ (Diamond Ace (Lily Zone + Zoë Sparks)), Card Shark (Nerial), The Vale: Shadow of the Crown (Falling Squirrel)

Seumas McNally Grand Prize

Inscryption (Daniel Mullins Games)

Unpacking (Witch Beam)

Loop Hero (Four Quarters)

The Eternal Cylinder (ACE Team)

Cruelty Squad (Consumer Softproducts)

Unsighted (Studio Pixel Punk)

Honorable Mentions: 

Toem (Something We Made), Norco (Geography of Robots), Overboard! (inkle), Saturnalia (Santa Ragione), Dodgeball Academia (Pocket Trap), Webbed (Sbug Games), Fuzz Dungeon (Jeremy Couillard)

The Independent Games Festival has served as a springboard for breakthrough independent titles. Previous IGF prize winners include Umurangi Generation, A Short Hike, Return of the Obra Dinn, Quadrilateral Cowboy, Night in the Woods, Her Story, Spelunky, Braid, Castle Crashers, and many more critical and cultural hits.

For more information on the 2022 Independent Games Festival, including submission specifics and frequently asked questions, please visit the official Independent Games Festival website.

For more details on the Game Developers Conference, please visit the GDC’s official website, as well as gamedeveloper.com. You can also subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS. Official photos are available via the Official GDC Flickr account: www.flickr.com/photos/officialgdc/.

E3 2022 May be Online-Only for Second Straight Year

Paul Philleo
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E3 2022 May be Online-Only for Second Straight Year

We’re not even a week into 2022 and the omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus has already started turning event plans for the year on their head.

Omicron-driven infections bent but didn’t break the major annual technology convention, CES 2022, was impacted by the spike in omicron-driven infections. Several major companies withdrew as exhibitors and health and safety measures were strengthened — but the show still proceeded this week as a hybrid event, held in Las Vegas and online. Other show organizers have had to pick their own approach to handling the latest COVID-19-related roadblock, while others still may change their approach over the next few months.

The Electronic Software Association (ESA) trade group who organizes the E3 show has made their judgment call: For the the second consecutive year, E3 could potentially be held as an online-only event. In 2020, that year’s E3 show was canceled altogether. This year, an in-person version of E3, usually held in June, is off the table.

“Due to the ongoing health risks surrounding COVID-19 and its potential impact on the safety of exhibitors and attendees, E3 will not be held in person in 2022,” the ESA stated in a communication to IGN. “We remain incredibly excited about the future of E3 and look forward to announcing more details soon.” In a follow-up, according to IGN, the ESA was unsure whether they’d host a digital event in replacement of a physical one. More details about the future of E3 in 2022 and beyond may be announced in the coming months.

E3 2021 was presented free and featured publishers and developers showcasing upcoming game titles online across several different platforms. Other games and publisher-centered events, such as the Summer Game Fest online showcase, which was developed during E3’s absence in 2020, will return in the summer of 2022.

Crowds like these from E3 2019 look and feel like they’re from a different time and place. E3 2019 had brought in 66,100 attendees. (Image: E4G)

This isn’t the first, second, or even third year that the E3 show has been repositioned or reinvented. In 2007, in reaction to some complaints that E3 had gotten too large, E3 was scaled back and spread out across several small venues — before returning to Los Angeles in 2008 while remaining a smaller event. In 2017, the E3 show was pushed in the other direction toward growth by adding passes for the public to have access to the show floor. COVID-19 is only the latest challenge to the ESA and the E3 show, but it is certainly one of the longest-lasting challenges.

As we become more acclimated to getting the latest information about games and other technologies more often via livestream, how might the E3 show, whether online, offline, or as a hybrid, need to be reinvented this year (and going forward) to remain influential in promoting games?

Gen Con Announces 2022 Registration Dates, Badge Prices, and Vaccination and Masking Requirements

Paul Philleo
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Gen Con Announces 2022 Registration Dates, Badge Prices, and Vaccination and Masking Requirements

INDIANAPOLIS (January 6, 2022) — Gen Con, the largest and longest-running tabletop gaming convention in North America, today announced badge registration information and issued an update on health and safety procedures for its upcoming 2022 convention. Gen Con Indy 2022 will run August 4-7 in the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium, celebrating 55 years of events since Gen Con’s founding in 1968.

Badges for Gen Con Indy 2022 will go on sale Sunday, January 30 at noon Eastern on gencon.com. The convention will continue to operate in a hybrid format, featuring virtual Gen Con Online event programming as well as Pop-Up Gen Con in-store events across the country. All in-person participants in Gen Con Indy 2022 will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and wear a mask in all indoor spaces.

“After a successful return to in-person events in 2021, we can’t wait to return to Indianapolis for Gen Con Indy 2022,” said Gen Con President David Hoppe. “We look forward to celebrating 55 years of Gen Con with attendees in-person in the Indiana Convention Center, online through our livestreaming and Gen Con Online virtual events, and across the country at Pop-Up Gen Con in-store activations.”

BADGE REGISTRATION

Gen Con Indy 2022 4-Day and single-day badges will be available for purchase beginning at noon Eastern on January 30. Registration for a free Gen Con Online-only badge will begin on May 8, and Pop-Up Gen Con badge registration will cost $5 and begin on June 19.

Badge TypePrice
4-Day$125
Thursday$65
Friday$65
Saturday$80
Sunday$16
Trade Day$225
Gen Con Online-Only$0 (Available May 8)
Pop-Up Gen Con$5 (Available June 19)

Most attendees who rolled their 2020 or 2021 badges forward to 2022 will find their badges on their Gen Con account and no further action is needed. A few will be sent instructions on how to claim their rolled-over badges. Badge holders who do not wish to attend Gen Con Indy 2022 have the option to return their badge for a refund starting on January 30 by contacting Gen Con customer service at customerservice@gencon.com with full name and account information. There will not be an option to roll over any badge to 2023.

Housing registration will begin at noon Eastern on February 13, and event registration for ticketed events will open at noon Eastern on May 15.

HEALTH AND SAFETY INFORMATION

Based on evolving public health and safety concerns, Gen Con will implement vaccination and masking requirements for all in-person convention participants in an effort to provide a safe and healthy environment for attendees, partners, and staff.

Everyone participating in Gen Con Indy — including all attendees, exhibitors, gamemasters, event organizers, and event staff — will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 with a vaccine approved or authorized by the FDA or WHO, and proof of vaccination will be required to attend the convention and gain entry to the convention center.

Details about acceptable documentation and the verification process will be announced in the coming months, but convention organizers anticipate that participants will be required to show either verified digital proof of vaccination on a smartphone or their physical vaccination card, along with government-issued ID, before entering the convention center.

Everyone participating in Gen Con Indy — including all attendees, exhibitors, gamemasters, event organizers, and event staff — will be required to wear a mask in all indoor spaces unless actively eating or drinking in designated areas.

Gen Con’s restrictions and requirements are subject to change, and Gen Con will consider modifications to its mandatory vaccination policy on a case-by-case basis based on the most up to date information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Indiana and Marion County public health agencies.

For more information, stay tuned to our Convention Health and Safety page for updates.

CES to Open with 2200+ Exhibitors

Paul Philleo
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CES to Open with 2200+ Exhibitors

Arlington, VA Dec. 31, 2021 – The Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®  today announced that CES® 2022 will be closing one day early, and the in-person event will take place in Las Vegas on Jan. 5-7, 2022. The step was taken as an additional safety measure to the current health protocols that have been put in place for CES. 

Over 2200 exhibitors are confirmed to exhibit in person at CES 2022. In the last two weeks, 143 additional companies have signed up to exhibit in person. Construction of exhibitors’ show floor space is well underway and soon attendees will be able to see and experience the latest tech innovations.

“As the world’s most influential technology event, CES is steadfast in its pledge to be the gathering place to showcase products and discuss ideas that will ultimately make our lives better,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. “We are shortening the show to three days and have put in place comprehensive health measures for the safety of all attendees and participants.”

Those that are unable to travel to Las Vegas for CES 2022 have the flexibility to join digitally and will have the opportunity to experience the magic of Las Vegas. Digital registration will grant access to more than 40 livestreamed conference sessions, keynotes, select Media Days press conferences and the ability to engage with exhibitors at CES. Additional registration information can be found at CES registration.

Those that are traveling to Las Vegas can find important details on updated health protocols and show entry process below to make their CES arrival and entry experience as smooth as possible.

Arrival Instructions — CES 2022
1) Before Leaving Home
All attendees must be FULLY vaccinated against COVID-19. Only individuals who are fully vaccinated will be able to pick up a CES badge and access CES in-person in Las Vegas.

CES also recommends individuals test for COVID-19 prior to departing for Las Vegas. International travelers coming to the U.S. must have a COVID test within 24 hours before departing for the U.S. Please check your airline website for more details.

2) Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination (REQUIRED)
All attendees MUST show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to attend CES in Las Vegas. If one is unable to do so, attendee will not receive a CES 2022 badge to access the official show venues.

  • U.S. based attendees are encouraged to use CLEAR’s free mobile app and Health Pass feature to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and expedite their CES badge pick up. Learn more.
  • Non-U.S. based attendees, as well as U.S. based attendees who may be unable to use CLEAR, will need to provide their proof of vaccination at designated locations on-site. Learn more.

3) Pick up badge BEFORE entering show facilities (REQUIRED)
Attendees must pick up their own CES badge. Attendees cannot pick up badges for other attendees.

If arriving at McCarran Airport, CES recommends attendees use the Badge Pickup locations in the airport terminal, located in Terminals 1 and 3, to show proof of vaccination and obtain their show badge and Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Self Test.

If attendees are not using the CLEAR app, they must go to a designated Customer Service Center location or airport locations to show their COVID-19 vaccine documentation. Customer Service Centers are located in public access areas before a CES security checkpoint. Once attendees provide proof of vaccination and pick up their badge, they will not need to verify their vaccination status again.

4) Test Before Entering a CES Venue
CES requests that attendees test for COVID-19 less than 24 hours before entering a CES venue.

CES will give attendees one complimentary Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test kit, provided by Abbott, when they collect their badge. Test kits are available at select Badge Pickup and Customer Service Center locations. If attendees pick up their badge at a location that does not have test kit distribution, attendees may go to one of the Customer Service Centers to pick up their test kit.

CES recommends attendees use their complimentary Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Self Test less than 24 hours before entering an official show venue. The test is easy to use, requires only a shallow nasal swab, takes 15 minutes and one can do it from the convenience of their hotel room. NOTE: Each kit contains 2 tests.

During CES 2022
5) Mask during the Show (REQUIRED)
Masks are required for large indoor events in the State of Nevada. Attendees will be required to wear masks as follows:

  • In exhibit booths and indoor exhibit facilities.
  • In conference and keynote rooms.
  • CES shuttle buses and any CES transportation services.

6) Test if experiencing COVID-19 Symptoms
If an attendee is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms while at a CES venue, they are to immediately visit a First Aid area in the venue in which they are located to obtain a COVID-19 test.

At Show Close
7) PCR Tests for International Travelers Returning Home
CES will provide complimentary RT-PCR testing for attendees who are traveling back to their international destination and who require a test to travel. Attendees will be required to present proof of outbound international travel within 72 hours to be eligible to receive your test at no charge. Please check your airlines to understand when you will need to test.

Will the Omicron Variant Change Events in 2022?

Paul Philleo
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Will the Omicron Variant Change Events in 2022?

Events have teetered between virtual, hybrid, and live through 2021, echoing the ebb and flow of the COVID-19 pandemic, through the delta variant — and now the omicron variant. One of the first cases of the omicron variant in the United States, as chance would have it, began at the Anime NYC 2021 convention in November. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that a vaccinated Minnesota attendee experienced mild symptoms on November 22 before getting tested, confirming they’d come down with the second known case of the omicron variant of COVID-19 in the U.S. In early December, the convention organizers then encouraged all attendees to be tested as a precaution.

There’s a lot of blank spaces yet to fill about what’s known about the omicron variant because of how recent its discovery is. So there’s plenty about its effects to study. In general, what’s understood about the omicron variant at this point is that it is much more virulent than the delta variant of COVID-19, it may cause less serious cases in many infected people. But with the potential rate and breadth of infection, the impact may actually be more than serious enough.

Since the variant was first discovered abroad and then in the U.S., over the next few weeks, the omicron variant has rapidly spread to become the dominant version of COVID-19 infection in the U.S. As of last week, according to the CDC, 73% of all new COVID-19 infections last week were omicron, representing about 650,000 new infections in the U.S. alone. The CDC’s live tracker of COVID-19 infections overall shows a spike of well over 400,000 infections daily. As a result of omicron-driven infections, several countries have banned travel to and from several countries, which will certainly impact live event participation for the near future. For example, Israel has recently blocked travel to the U.S. and Canada, with other travel restrictions imposed by governments and companies frequently changing.

So, that takes us to where we are now, with a question looking ahead: What effect might this have on events (in gaming and technology) in 2022, at least toward the start of the year? With infections on the rise again, how might event planners change their events in the first quarter of 2022? How might attendees, speakers, and sponsors adjust the way they participate in such events coming up?

CES 2022 won’t be nearly as busy with booths or attendees as it was during CES 2020, the last physically live show. (“CES 2020 – Las Vegas” by nlintheusa is licensed under CC0 1.0)

With the CES 2022 tradeshow coming up in Jan. 5-7 as a hybrid event in Las Vegas and online, we may have an idea what impacts the rising number of omicron infections may have on a major event. Whether or not a surge of infections will overlap with CES in Las Vegas, some effects already have been felt over the last several days. Several big name sponsors and exhibitors (many known to gamers), such as Intel, Microsoft, MSI, AMD, T-Mobile, HyperX, Google, and Lenovo, have withdrawn from CES or are attending with limited staff or a digital-only presence. Many major media publications have made it known they will cover CES 2022 remotely. CES announced they will now have a shortened schedule by a day, concluding instead on Jan. 7 at 6 p.m., as an “additional safety measure. Variety’s CES Summit will transition to a virtual event that will take place later in January. Some other CES-related events and parties have also been canceled. A number of companies have put out a statement that attribute their change of status to the rise in COVID-19 cases and a desire to minimize exposure of staff to pandemic-related risks.

Last week, CES organizers, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) have asserted via a press statement and via a Twitter thread they will continue with the physical component of CES in a manner they believe will be safer with fewer in attendance and greater social distancing.

Gary Shapiro, head of the CTA, took out an editorial piece in the Las Vegas Journal-Review to further emphasize that CES 2022 will continue as a hybrid event. Shapiro states that they face a tough choice: canceling and harming smaller organizations who rely on CES — and not canceling, thus facing criticism from the media and other voices who focus on drama and big-name companies. According to a recent Investor’s Business Daily interview with Jamie Kaplan, Dr. Director of CES Communications at the CTA, “We have 2,200 companies who want to have a show. So, we are having a show.” The number of cancellations represent under 10% of total exhibit space. The CTA has also expected CES 2022 to draw about 40,000-60,000 attendees. By comparison, in 2020, CES officially hosted 171,268 attendees and had 4,419 exhibitors.

To attend CES 2022 in person, proof of vaccination and masks are required. CES will provide one free rapid COVID test kit per attendee available to those who attend in person.

CES 2022 is looming large on the immediate horizon, but there are many other events coming up over the next few months that might be affected by changing COVID-19 requirements. Among some of the key events in the games industry coming up in Q1 2022 with a physical or hybrid footprint are:

It’s too soon to say whether either of these events will be affected by the latest surge of COVID-19 infections. However, the RSA security-focused show, a larger event that was also on deck for San Francisco in early February, was just moved to early June. It wouldn’t be a big surprise if the 2022 GDC or the D.I.C.E. Summit (or other events over the next few months) experience a change of format, date or venue. Of course, one tip we can recommend is that you keep track of the status of events that interest you by keeping tabs on the Events for Gamers calendar.

Dec. 31: Updated with revised CES schedule and note about media publications participating remotely

Evolution Championship Series (EVO) Appoints Rick “TheHadou” Thiher as New GM

Paul Philleo
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Evolution Championship Series (EVO) Appoints Rick “TheHadou” Thiher as New GM

SAN MATEO, Calif., December 21, 2021 – Evolution Championship Series (known as Evo), announced today the appointment of Rick “TheHadou” Thiher as its new General Manager for the world’s largest fighting game event. Thiher will be responsible for overseeing the overall strategic vision and direction for the event as well as the day-to-day operations. He will also continue as Event Director for Combo Breaker, a series of community-based conventions and an apparel brand dedicated to competitive fighting games.

“The fighting game community has had an idyllic vision of what Evo could be. As part of Evo’s team, I’m looking forward to realizing that aspiration while delivering memorable experiences for our players and fans in the process,” said Thiher. “The fighting game genre has attracted new fans across generations. We want to continue celebrating that legacy through Evo by introducing our community to undiscovered audiences for generations to come. “

Evo’s storied history includes celebrating some of the best fighting game titles on the planet. Evo recognizes the legacy of the fighting game genre, so it will continue to be supportive of the publishers as we collaboratively build the genre’s future. Evo plans to return next year as a live event with details to be announced in 2022.

“We have full trust and faith in Rick to propel Evo even further as the premier fighting game tournament while remaining true to its roots,” said Steven Roberts, VP of Global Competitive Gaming for Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). “Together with RTS and our valued publishing partners, we are excited to add Rick to the team that is working to bring Evo 2022 to the FGC!”

In March 2021, SIE and RTS formed a joint venture esports partnership and acquired Evo from Triple Perfect, Inc. Evo co-founders Tony and Tom Cannon will continue to serve as advisors and work in partnership with Thiher.

“Rick brings an exciting vision to Evo and understands the importance that this is a community driven event, so we must strike the balance between listening to our fans and players and pushing the envelope to innovate the experience for everyone,” said Stuart Saw, CEO for RTS.

Thiher is a strong advocate and voice for the fighting game community and brings a wealth of experience producing events, including most recently as a product manager for Twitch, where he worked on third party esports and the Twitch Rivals brand for the past 4+ years. For more than 13 years, he has also led The Hadou, a creative consultancy, focused on events from ideation and creation to branding and marketing to broadcast development. He is a graduate of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

ESL Gaming Announces New #GGFORALL Program and Launches $500,000 Prize Pool Women’s Circuit for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive as First 2022 Initiative

Paul Philleo
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ESL Gaming Announces New #GGFORALL Program and Launches $500,000 Prize Pool Women’s Circuit for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive as First 2022 Initiative

Cologne/New York/Stockholm –ESL Gaming, the world’s leading esports company, together with Intel® and DHL, today announced the women’s CS:GO circuit. As part of ESL Gaming’s long-term ambition to create a world where everybody can be somebody, this all-new competitive ecosystem around Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), one of the most popular esports titles worldwide, aims to increase awareness, provide new opportunities, and improve the representation for all women CS:GO players.

The initiative is the first step of many in ESL Gaming’s new #GGFORALL program, following the belief that “it’s not GG (Good Game), until it’s GG for all,” and focusing on pushing the boundaries to ultimately make gaming and esports an inclusive, respectful and all-empowering space. This program will include several Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives to decrease the company’s environmental impact, to aid in establishing an inclusive gaming community free of discrimination, verbal abuse, and bullying, and much more.

Supported by Intel® and DHL, the CS:GO ecosystem for women offers $500,000 across regional leagues, standalone events at DreamHack festivals, and ESL Cash Cups:

  • The new leagues feature eight teams in both Europe and North America and a total of $150,000 prize pool. The three best teams from both regions, together with a South American and an Asian-Pacific team coming from open qualifiers, participate in the Global League Finals at DreamHack Dallas (June 3-5, 2022) and DreamHack Winter (November 25-27, 2022).
  • Furthermore, during DreamHack festivals, there will be standalone events which will, per event, see eight teams from all four regions battle over a $100,000 prize pool, equal to ESL Challenger events that are part of ESL Pro Tour. The first event will take place at DreamHack Valencia on July 1-3, 2022.
  • Finally, starting in January 2022, ESL Cash Cups for women’s teams will be added to ESEA, giving teams featuring a full women’s roster the opportunity to compete twice a month for their share of a total of $4,000 prize pool (split evenly between the Asian-Pacific, European, North American and South American regions).
ESL’s 2022 Women’s Cup for CS:GO, which is part of their #GGFORALL program (Image: ESL)

On top of that, ESL Gaming has committed to instituting a women players council that will aid in defining further details around the CS:GO ecosystem for women and that provides women a platform for consolidated feedback towards ESL Gaming and other Tournament Organizers. Moreover, ESL Gaming continues to work towards increasing the representation of women as broadcasting talents as well as within the company. To amplify that, it will introduce a talent development program that provides select aspiring broadcast talents the necessary tactics and tools to become successful and offers opportunities to cast competitions within ESL Gaming’s CS:GO ecosystem. Likewise, the company is opening up additional job opportunities within the company to enhance the new product further.

“By providing an infrastructure equal to their male counterparts, we are thrilled to create more visibility and opportunities for women in the esports space, as well as to support them in their professional development and to help make their dreams come true,” said Roberta Hernandez, SVP People and Culture at ESL Gaming. “This is only the first part of a number of #GGFORALL initiatives we are currently working on and we can’t wait to tell you more about what is yet to come.”

“At ESL Gaming we truly believe in a world where everybody can be somebody, so going back to the grassroots level and creating an all-new ecosystem to ensure ambitious women CS:GO players are given equal chances is a great step forward,” added Brian Krämer, General Manager, CS:GO at ESL Gaming, and Charlie Sirc, Product Manager at ESL Gaming, in a joint statement. “With a great lineup of events for next year already, we are super excited to develop this new product further in 2022 and beyond.”

Other CSR initiatives launched in conjunction with the women’s CS:GO circuit include ESL Gaming’s recently announced efforts to offset its carbon footprint.

For more information about the CS:GO ecosystem for women please visit the official website via ggforall.gg.

Stay tuned as more #GGFORALL initiatives will be announced in due course. For more general information please head to about.eslgaming.com, follow ESL Gaming on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and sign up to ESL Gaming’s press release subscription list.

January 2022 Game Industry Events Calendar

Mathew Anderson
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January 2022 Game Industry Events Calendar

To help you discover upcoming game industry events calendar that includes conferences, conventions, festivals and many other types of events, we post a consolidated list here on Events for Gamers each month.

January brings a hopeful sign that the game industry events are starting to return to normal. While 2022 is certainly going to be mixed for online-only vs on-site, part of that mix now includes online-only events not due necessarily to the pandemic but also due to simply good business. We shall see how the year progresses, but our estimate is by end of 2022 we will see the ‘new normal’ solidify for events moving forward long-term.

View this month’s event list below. You can also click here for the main calendar view that includes events into 2022 and beyond.

JAN 5-8: CES (Hybrid)
6-9: Super MAGFest
9-16: Awesome Games Done Quick (Online)
15-16: ANIME Impulse
20-25: Taipei Game Show
25: GamesBeat and Facebook Gaming Summit (Online)
26: GamesBeat: Into the Metaverse 2 (Online)
26-27: PG Connects London (Online)
26-27: Devcom Pitch It! Winter Edition (Online)
28-30 Global Game Jam (Online)

Which events are you attending this month? Let us know by commenting on this article here or on Twitter and Facebook!

Excitement Builds for CES 2022 as Confirmed Exhibitors Surpass 2100

Paul Philleo
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Excitement Builds for CES 2022 as Confirmed Exhibitors Surpass 2100

Arlington, VA, Dec. 17, 2021 – The Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® today announced that CES® 2022 , the world’s most influential technology event, is adding an additional layer of health protocols and will offer complimentary COVID-19 rapid testing kits. This additional measure builds upon the previously announced requirement that all in-person attendees must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

Upon arriving at designated badge pick up locations, CES attendees will be provided with Abbott BinaxNOW COVID-19 Self Test kits. Each BinaxNOW Self Test kit contains two tests, which can be used twice while attending the show. The test is easy to use, requires only a shallow nasal swab, takes 15 minutes and can be done from the convenience of your hotel room. CES strongly encourages all participants to test for COVID-19 before they leave home and within 24 hours before entering a show venue.

“CES is a global event, and we continue to see strong momentum with new exhibitors signing up every day,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. “In August, we announced that every CES attendee must be fully vaccinated. CES will also provide complimentary COVID-19 rapid tests, onsite at badge pickup locations, as an additional step to protect the health and safety of all our attendees, exhibitors and staff.”

CES 2022 returns to Las Vegas Jan. 5-8, 2022, convening over 2100 exhibitors, global media, top retailers and industry leaders. Confirmed exhibitors include brands like Abbott, Amazon, AMD, Autograph, Damon, Goodyear, Hisense, Hyundai, IBM, Intel, LG Electronics, Meta, Microsoft, Oracle, Panasonic, Procter & Gamble, Qualcomm, Revival Health, Samsung Electronics, Sierra Space, Sony, Waymo and more. A full exhibitor directory and floorplans can be accessed at CES.tech.

Below are the updated health protocols planned for CES 2022:

Testing – All CES attendees MUST be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We also request that attendees test for COVID-19 within the 24 hours period prior to entering a CES venue.

CES will provide complimentary PCR testing for non-US based attendees who require testing prior to their return flight home.

Vaccination Requirement –CES attendees MUST show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to attend CES. Detailed information on the proof of COVID-19 vaccination process can be found here.

  • Attendees must be fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or World Health Organization (WHO). A list of approved vaccines can be found here. 
  • U.S. based attendees are encouraged to use the CLEAR complimentary mobile app and Health Pass feature to expedite vaccine validation.
  • Non-U.S. based attendees, as well as U.S. based attendees who may be unable to use CLEAR, will need to provide their proof of vaccination at designated locations on-site.

Mask Requirement –Masks are required for large indoor events in the State of Nevada. CES attendees will be required to wear masks as follows:

  • In exhibit booths and indoor exhibit facilities.
  • In conference and keynote rooms.CES shuttle buses and any CES transportation services.
  • Safety ambassadors will be walking the exhibit floor to offer masks to those who may need one.

Additional health protocols include:

  • Venues – Enhanced ventilation systems and cleaning protocols in CES venues.
  • Conference programming and meeting rooms – Set to enable social distancing.
  • Show floor design and flow – Wider aisles and one-way traffic flows in certain areas.
  • Food and beverage – Sanitizing stations and guidance on attendee best practices.

Detailed information for all CES 2022 health protocols can be found here. Those unable to travel to Las Vegas will be able to access CES digitally.

Owned and produced by CTA, CES 2022 will convene the tech industry in person and digitally, Jan. 5-8, 2022, with Media Days taking place Jan. 3-4, 2022. Global audiences will have access to major brands and startups, as well as the world’s most-influential leaders and industry advocates. For 55 years, CES has been the global stage for innovation, and CES 2022 will provide an opportunity for companies from around the world, both large and small, to launch products, build brands and form partnerships. Visit CES.tech for all CES 2022 updates, including health protocols, registration details and the media page for all press resources.

Video of the Month — The Game Awards 2021 Highlights

Paul Philleo
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0
Video of the Month — The Game Awards 2021 Highlights

Arguably, the biggest event in the game industry in and around the holiday season, hosted in Los Angeles and online on Dec. 9, The Game Awards 2021 represented a couple of milestone opportunities for the game industry. It was both a celebration of some of the biggest games from the last year, and even more than that, an open door to reveal new games and more for next year to a large audience

The original event and livestream for The Game Awards 2021 clocked in at almost four hours, but there are a number of crisply edited videos online, which are videos trimmed to a selection of key reveals, winners, and other highlights. For this month’s video, let’s check out Washington Post Gaming’s YouTube edit of the event.

In not-quite 13 minutes, this video is neatly carved into 31 segments that start with the the host, Geoff Keighley, walking through the audience and closing out with the “Game of the Year” announcement. In-between the bookends, there’s plenty of the more memorable celebrities-doing-gaming-things moments, new games and content, and winners in headlining categories like “Best Indie Game” and “Best Ongoing Game” packed into the video. Let’s just say it’s enough of a CliffsNotes version of the event that you can keep up with most conversations with your gamer friends and colleagues.

But if you’d like to check out all the winners, reveals, and other announcements that was packed into The Game Awards 2021 full-length ceremony, swing by the original YouTube link, pop open a beverage and snack and settle in for a longer watch.

Enjoyed the video? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more videos!

Whether you are an event coordinator, press, or general attendee, if you have an event video to share with us, please let us know and we’ll be happy to feature it!

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