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The South by Southwest (SXSW) Gaming Expo will add an official awards ceremony in 2014, according to the event's organizers.
The SXSW Gaming Expo will take place March 7-9, 2014 in Austin, Texas, and the inaugural Gaming Expo Awards ceremony will be held March 8. Organizers will honor games spanning from indie to major studios and 15 categories, including best fan-submitted indie game. The full list of categories includes:
- Gamer's Voice Award: Awarded to the best fan-submitted indie game, voted by SXSW Gaming Expo attendees.
- Game of the Year: Awarded to the indie or mainstream game that exemplifies gaming excellence
- Excellence in Gameplay: Awarded to the indie or mainstream game that exemplifies excellence in gameplay mechanics
- Excellence in Art: Awarded to the indie or mainstream game that exemplifies excellence in art and design
- Excellence in Animation: Awarded to the indie or mainstream game that exemplifies excellence in animation
- Excellence in Technical Achievement: Awarded to the indie or mainstream game that exemplifies excellence technical achievement
- Excellence in Narrative: Awarded to the indie or mainstream game that exemplifies excellence in game narrative
- Excellence in Design and Direction: Awarded to the indie or mainstream game that exemplifies excellence design and direction
- Texas Arts Achievement Award: Awarded to a Texas-based studio or game for their achievements in game development
- Excellence in Gaming Marketing: Awarded to the most memorable marketing campaign for a game title or hardware
- Convergence Award: Awarded to the indie or mainstream game that exemplifies excellence and pure crossover appeal through multiple mediums
- Cultural Innovation in Gaming: Awarded to the indie or mainstream game that most challenges the "norm" of everyday gaming and offers a culturally innovative view of a game world, character or gameplay
- Excellence in SFX: Awarded to the indie or mainstream game that exemplifies excellence game sound effects
- Excellence in Musical Score: Awarded to the indie or mainstream game that exemplifies artistic excellence in musical score and how it is used to progress the narrative of a game
- Best Multiplayer Game: Awarded to the indie or mainstream game that exemplifies excellence in multiplayer gaming
Eligible games must have been released between Jan. 1, 2013 and Dec. 1, 2013. Those interested in submitting their games can do so through the SXSW Gaming Awards website.
