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AIXR Partners With VRChat to Bring 4th Annual VR Awards Online

How to experience the VR Awards and a look at the competition.

 

The Academy of International Extended Reality (AIXR) is hosting the 4th International VR Awards on November 12. The remote event is being organized in partnership with VRChat.

Here, we’ll look at what the event will look like, how to register, and – of course – who the nominees for the VR Awards are.

About the VR Awards

The VR Awards recognize organizations, individuals, and experiences. Winners from the past three events include Oculus Rift and Quest, Google Tilt Brush, HTC VIVE Pro, and the Vader Immortal series.

Historically, the VR Awards also included networking sessions and a formal dinner. While the event – like Auggies before it – is going online this year, AIXR is presenting those networking opportunities through other methods accessible through mobile devices, computers, or VR headsets.

In addition to the awards ceremony and networking opportunities, the program includes live and prerecorded entertainment and premieres. AIXR promises that the VR Awards will be “indistinguishable from a televised, physical awards show.”

To some degree, networking opportunities in particular, have to do with the ticket tier that you invest in. Free and Professional ticket holders have access to lobbies for networking with other people with the same level of access. VIP ticket holders also have access to “curated Academy meet and greet sessions.” However, all have equal access to the VR Awards themselves.

AIXR, the organization behind the VR Awards, is an international, independent, non-profit organization dedicated to growing the XR sector through professional development and general education.

Blogs and industry publications by the organization are free to access to anyone. However, events that take place throughout the year require industry membership at the Company, University, or Freelancer level.

VRChat, the group bringing the VR Awards online, is a free-to-play virtual world currently in early access on Steam, Oculus, and VIVEPORT.

This Year’s Categories

This year, the VR Awards will be given for thirteen categories to be judged by over 70 judges. Judges include Charlie Fink, HP’s Joanna Popper, Google’s Greg Ivanov, HTC’s Shen Ye, and NVIDIA’s Lisa Bell.

VR Social Influencer

cas and chary VR Awards finalists

VR Hardware of the Year

VR headset Pimax Artisan
Pimax Artisan
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VR Game of the Year

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VR Experience of the Year

National Geographic Explore VR experience
The National Geographic Explore VR experience by Force Field

VR Film of the Year

VR Marketing of the Year

Rising VR Company of the Year

cybershoes
Cybershoes

Innovative VR Company of the Year

cleanbox
Cleanbox
  • Virtual sports arena maker EVA.
  • Deep tech innovator Kagenova.
  • Training simulation maker Orka.
  • Tech giant Qualcomm.
  • Skydance Interactive – the studio behind fellow nominee The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners.
  • VR marketing, education, and training solution provider Visbit.

VR Education and Training of the Year

VR Healthcare of the Year

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Out-of-Home VR Entertainment of the Year

  • Damage Control, a contribution to the MARVEL Avengers world by The VOID and ILMxLAB.
  • Virtual reality snorkeling experience DIVR by Ballast and Sub Sea Systems.
DIVR ballast VR snorkeling
DIVR VR snorkeling experience
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VR Social Impact Award

  • Alcove, the “family corner in VR” by AARP Innovation Labs.
  • Galeriku, the “VR museum like no other” by Entropia.
  • VR project Lessons of Auschwitz, a student group’s VR tribute made available by RT.
lessons of auschwitz VR project
Lessons of Auschwitz VR project

VR Enterprise Solution of the Year

Another Event Online

While it is a shame that the VR Awards can’t happen in person this year, it seems fitting that a VR awards ceremony should take place in VR. And, like many remote events this year, it seems likely that having the event remotely will allow more people than ever to attend.

Jon Jaehnig
the authorJon Jaehnig
Jon Jaehnig is a freelance journalist with special interest in emerging technologies. Jon has a degree in Scientific and Technical Communication from Michigan Technological University and lives in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. If you have a story suggestion for Jon, you may contact him here.