The awards are presented by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design to companies for outstanding games in the industry. For the 39^th annual award cycle, the Awards had fifteen categories: Best Roleplaying Game, Best Roleplaying Supplement, Best Board Game, Best Traditional Card Game, Best Family, Party or Children’s Game, Best Gaming Accessory, Best Miniatures Rules, Best Miniature Figure, Best Historical Board Game, Best Historical Miniature Figure, Best Historical Miniature Game Supplement, Best Historical Miniature Rules, and Best Game-Related Publication, and Best Collectible Card Game.

The winner of each category will be voted on by attendees at the Origins Game Fair. The winners will be announced and presented at the Origins Awards Ceremony on Saturday June 15^th of the event.

Please congratulate these companies:

Best Roleplaying Game
Iron Kingdoms Full Metal Fantasy RPG Core Rules – Privateer Press
Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Basic Games – Margaret Weis Productions
Monsterhearts – Buried Without Ceremony
Nights of the Crusades – Aetheric Dreams
Primeval RPG – Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd.

Best Roleplaying Supplement
Marvel Heroic Roleplaying Civil War Essentials Edition Event Book – Margaret Weis Productions
Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue – Wizards of the Coast
Mutants & Masterminds: Threat Report – Green Ronin
Rimward: The Outer System – Posthuman Studios
The Mythos Dossiers – Cubicle 7 Entertainment

Best Board Game
Hot Rod Creeps – Cryptozoic
Kingdom Builder – Queen Games
Lords of Waterdeep – Wizards of the Coast
Mage Knight – WizKids
Mage Wars – Arcane Wonder

Best Collectible Card Games
Card Fight! Vanguard Breaker of Limits – Bushiroad
Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters – Wizards of the Coast
Legend of the 5 Rings: Embers of War – AEG
World of Warcraft: War of the Ancients – Cryptozoic
Yu-Gi-Oh! Battlepacks – Konami

Best Traditional Card Game
Doctor Who the Card Game – Cubicle 7 Entertainment/Treefrog Games
Legendary – Upper Deck
Locke & Key – Cryptozoic
Penny Arcade: Rumble in R’lyeh – Cryptozoic
Smash Up – AEG

Best Family, Party or Children’s Game
Catan Junior – Mayfair Games
Escape: The Curse of the Temple – Queen Games
Love Letter – AEG
Once Upon A Time 3^rd Edition – Atlas Games
Quarriors! Dice Building Game – WizKids Games

Best Gaming Accessory
Castle Panic: The Wizard’s Tower – Fireside Games
Dungeon Tiles: Castle Grimstead – Wizards of the Coast
Metal Steampunk Dice Set – Q Workshop
Pathfinder Battles Miniatures: Rise of the Runelords – WizKids games
Pathfinder Serpent’s Skull Dice Set – Q Workshop

Best Miniatures Rules
Dungeon Command: Curse of Undeath – Wizards of the Coast
Heavy Gear Blitz! Perfect Storm: The NuCoal Field Guide – Dream Pod 9
The Battlefield: Miniature Modern Warfare – Bombshell Games/Brent Spivey
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Campaign Starter Set – WizKids Games
WARMACHINE: Colossus – Privateer Press

Best Historical Miniature Figure/Line
Ancient Greeks – Victrix Ltd
Austrian Napoleonic Infantry – Perry Miniatures
Early Imperial Romans – Aventine Miniatures
Early War Polish WWII – Forged In Battle
German BP44 Armored Train – Battlefront Miniatures

Best Historical Board Game
1812: The Invasion of Canada – Academy Games
Andean Abyss – GMT
Clash of Wills – Mayfair Games
Frontline General: Spearpoint 1943 Village and Defensive Line Map Expansion – Collins Epic War Games
Samurai Battles – Zvezda

Best Historical Miniature Rules Supplement
Bolt Action: Armies of Germany – Osprey Publishing/Warlord Games
Clash of Empires: Age of Ravens – Great Escape Games
Flames of War: Nuts – Battlefront Miniatures
Hail Caesar Army Lists: Late Antiquity to Early Medieval – Warlord Games
SAGA: Raven’s Shadow – Gripping Beast/Studio Tomahawk

Best Historical Miniature Rules
Brink of Battle: Skirmish Gaming Through the Ages – Strategic Elite
Bolt Action: WWII Wargaming Rules – Osprey Publishing/Warlord Games
Deus Vult – Fireforge Games
Flames of War: Open Fire! – Battlefront Miniatures
Mad Dogs With Guns – Pulp Action Library

Best Miniature Figure Line
The Aberration (Carnevale: The Miniature Game) – Vesper-On Games
Marvel HeroClix: Galactic Guardians – WizKids Games
Mountain King (Trollbloods Gargantuan) – Privateer Press
Radru-Rashaar (Carnevale: The Miniature Game) – Vesper-On Games
Trontek 29ers Corporation Team – Mantic Games

Best Game-Related Publication
Death’s Heretic – Paizo Publishing, LLC
Battletech: Weapons Free – Catalyst Game Labs
Time Traveled Tales – GAMA
Eighth Day Genesis: A World Building Codex – Alliteration Ink
Never Unprepared: The Complete Game Master’s Guide to Session Prep – Engine Publishing

We want to thank all of the companies who submitted for the awards this year! These products will be on display and available to Origins attendees to check out and play at their convenience at the Lending Library during the Origins Game Fair in June. Come play and vote on your favorites!

Hosted in Columbus Ohio at the Origins Game Fair June 18^th-22^nd, the Awards are the Industry’s oldest award program. This year’s Award ceremony will take place on Saturday evening June 15^th.

“I am very excited to see John bring his energy to the Awards” said Richard Loomis, President of GAMA and the Academy. “GAMA is totally dedicated to making the Awards a great process for the industry”.

The Academy Chair appointment changes as the Board and Academy review the internal processes for the awards.

“I think that many of us saw that moving the administrative process away from our volunteer Academy and Board members and into the hands of the full time staff will not only make us more efficient, but will remove any perceptions of bias.” said Keith Blume, outgoing Chair. “It is critical that no single manufacturer is perceived to have any control over the awards if we want to ensure they remain inclusive and represent the entire industry on any given year.”

“I just want to thank Keith, the Academy and the Board for all their faith in the GAMA staff to handle such an important program.” said John Ward, Executive Director and new Academy Chair. “I agree that as we reviewed the awards, it only made sense to keep the administration as neutral as possible and that means the full time staff taking a more active role.”

This year, the Academy will focus on two major tasks: the administration of the 2013 awards and the improvement of the Academy.

“We need to stimulate more interest in participating in the academy and that is always hard when you want people to volunteer” said John Ward. “As the new Chair and Executive Director, we can easily tie in more incentives for professionals to participate in the academy and awards process. In light of the changes and to facilitate maximum participation in the awards, I am pleased that the Academy has approved extending this year’s deadline to December 15^th 2012”.

GAMA and the Academy have outlined a three year process for the Awards that will be released later this fall. 

For more information on how to submit a game or how you can participate in the Origins Awards, please visit us on both the Academy & Origins websites at www.gama.org or at www.originsgamefair.com .

The event will take place Saturday, December 1, 2012.  COSI is expecting approximately 7,000 attendees!

Mayfair Games is co-sponsoring the event again this year and we are very excited to have them as our partner for this great holiday event!

GAMA, Mayfair Games and our awesome volunteers will be demonstrating games, holding raffles and having tons of fun!

We will have over 15 tables to run game demos, and each family that demos a game will visit Santa and get a present!

What a great time to promote your games!  We are graciously accepting your donation of games to add to Santa’s bag.  With over 7,000 attendees what a great time to promote your holiday items.

If you are interested in donating, please contact Angela Ward @ 614-255-4500 or email @ award@gama.org.

Deadline for game donations is 11/18/12.

Thank you. We truly appreciate your support of a great holiday and social gaming event!

We want to reach out to you again about the GAMA Trade Show!

Hosted at Bally’s Las Vegas on March 12-16, this event provides opportunities for retailers to learn from and network with manufacturers, retailers and professionals in our industry.

This year’s show is sponsored by Bandai, Wizards of the Coast, Mayfair Games, Cryptozoic, WizKids, Konami, Impressions, Games Workshop, Osprey, Fantasy Flight, AEG, Paizo, Topps, Sandstorm, Alliance, ACD, and ICV2.

Please remember to book your flight before rates go up!

Do not forget that a hotel stay at Bally’s is only $114 per night. GAMA recognizes that Vegas hotels sometimes offer better room rates. If you choose not to stay at Bally’s, help GAMA by staying at any Harrah’s properties. If you wish to stay at another Harrah’s property, you can use this link to find a rate that meets your Vegas Budget! Please let us know where you stay when you check in. We just want you at the show!

Five Reason to Attend GTS:

1. Retailer Appreciation Package: This year, each retail member that attends the Premier Presentation sessions will have a package worth over $1,300 retail shipped by Alliance directly to the member store after GTS.
2. New Member Orientation Program: We want our new members to feel at home at GTS. Tuesday morning, join us for coffee; meet the GAMA Board, GAMA benefits providers, and each of our distributor members; and finally listen to manufacturer presentations geared to new stores.
3. Teaching and Training: In addition to our outstanding seminar program, our sponsors are providing interactive teaching and demonstration sessions in breakout rooms. These Premier Presentation sessions are designed to provide “hands on” interaction between retailers and manufacturers to discuss, teach, and train on the newest releases. These sessions will be presented by Bandai, Wizards of the Coast, Mayfair Games, Cryptozoic, WizKids, Konami, Impressions, Osprey, Fantasy Flight, AEG, Paizo, and Topps.
4. Meals and Updates: This year, retailers will have the majority of their meals covered at the show. We are providing short presentations at each sponsored lunch and the GAMA Dinner. One dinner ticket is free with your GAMA membership. (Additional tickets are only $20). Join us Wednesday night for Games Night. Manufacturers provide gaming and demos; snacks and drinks from 6 to midnight.
5. It Pay$ to come!: With your $125 membership, you get over $1,300 worth of new product from our sponsors at GTS.

GTS is still the best bet in town!

Power Retail Awards Nominations Extended

We have found some contradicting dates for the Power Retail Awards Nominations on our website. To avoid excluding anyone, we have opted to extend the deadline for final submissions by interested nominees to February 20. Store nominations may be submitted to the GRD Chair (GRDChair@gama.org) until 11:59 PST on Tuesday, January 31, 2012. Please take 2 minutes now and nominate your store for all four categories: Outstanding Marketing, Outstanding Organized Play, Outstanding Store Design and Outstanding Store. Learn more about the Power Retail Awards and submitting your nomination on our website.

For more information about GTS, including online show registration and other details, visit us on the web at www.gamatradeshow.com!

I hope to see you at the show!
John Ward
Executive Director
Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA)
(614)-255-4500 ext.102
ed@gama.org

Columbus, OH (July 27, 2011) – The Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is pleased to announce its partnership with Wizard World, Inc. (symbol: WIZD), producer of North America’s largest pop-culture tour.  GAMA is supporting the two shows to include a trade day and gaming events at Wizard World Shows.  The first, Chicago Comic Con, will take place at the Donald E. Stevens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill., August 11-14, and the second, Mid-Ohio Comic Con at the Greater Columbus Convention Center on October 22-23.

“GAMA is thrilled to be partnering with Wizard World,” said John Ward, Executive Director. “GAMA and Wizard World are totally dedicated to making this a success.  I think this program provides a great crossover between the two entities.”

“We are excited about teaming with GAMA to highlight tabletop gaming, which has been an important part of Wizard World events,” said Gareb Shamus, Wizard World CEO.  “We are also pleased that Chicago Comic Con will serve as a venue to showcase the prestigious Origin Awards.”

The Trade Day will be a one day event on August 11 which will be free to all retailers.  This will include professional seminars by the GAMA staff and products demonstrated by Wiz Kids.

GAMA is also pleased to announce demonstrations in its gaming area in the exhibit hall.  The demonstrations will include its 2011 Origins Awards winners as well as the 2012 submissions.  The Origins Awards are presented annually by the Academy of Gaming Arts and Designs to recognize outstanding achievement in design and production of games and game related products.

If you would like more information about the Origins Awards and how to submit, please contact academychair@gama.org.

About Wizard World:

Wizard World produces Comic Cons and pop culture conventions across North America that celebrate graphic novels, comic books, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology, toys and social networking. The events often feature celebrities from movies and TV, artists and writers, and events such as premieres, gaming tournaments, panels, and costume contests. Wizard World also produces Wizard World Digital, an online publication covering new and upcoming products and talents in the pop culture world, and is distributed on a weekly basis to online and iPad users worldwide. The full event schedule can be found at www.wizardworld.com.

About GAMA:

The Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is the non-profit trade association dedicated to serving the tabletop game industry. Led by publishers and manufacturers, GAMA promotes the interests of all persons involved in the commerce of games and game-related products. GAMA strengthens and supports all industry professionals by advancing their interests, providing educational programs and opportunities and promoting our unique form of quality social entertainment.

COLUMBUS, OH (March 22, 2011) The Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is pleased to announce the 2011 Power Retailing Awards Winners. The winners were recognized by the GAMA Retail Division (GRD) and announced at the GAMA Dinner on Tuesday March 15^th of the GAMA Trade Show.

This is the second year for the Power Retailing Awards, an opportunity for the industry to honor our most innovative and professional retailers. Currently, the Awards have four categories, recognizing both overall excellence and outstanding achievement in specific areas of hobby game retail: Outstanding Store Design, Outstanding Marketing, Outstanding Organized Play, and our pinnacle award– the Outstanding Store Award.

This year’s winners are:

Outstanding Store Design: Titan’s Entertainment Café, Battle Creek, MI

Outstanding Marketing: Gnome Games Tournament Center, Green Bay, WI

Outstanding Organized Play: Kings Games, Brooklyn, NY

Outstanding Store Award: Titan’s Entertainment Café, Battle Creek, MI

Please congratulate the winning stores and the nominees for each category:

Outstanding Store Design

Dragon’s Den, Poughkeepsie, NY

Gnome Games Tournament Center, Green Bay, WI

Lone Star Comics-Games-Gifts, Arlington, TX

Saltire Games, Indianapolis, IN

Titan’s Entertainment Café, Battle Creek, MI

Outstanding Marketing

All Things Fun!, West Berlin, NJ

CartMagica, Montreal, Canada

Dragon’s Den, Poughkeepsie, NY

Gnome Games Tournament Center, Green Bay, WI

Titan’s Entertainment Café, Battle Creek, MI

Outstanding Organized Play

All Things Fun!, West Berlin, NJ

Carta Magica, Montreal, Canada

Dragon’s Den, Poughkeepsie, NY

Gnome Games Tournament Center, Green Bay, WI

RIW Hobbies, Livonia, MI

Kings Games, Brooklyn, NY

Titan’s Entertainment Café, Battle Creek, MI

Outstanding Store Award

All Things Fun!, West Berlin, NJ

Dragon’s Den, Poughkeepsie, NY

Gnome Games Tournament Center, Green Bay, WI

Lone Star Comics-Games-Gifts, Arlington, TX

Titan’s Entertainment Café, Battle Creek, MI

Additional information concerning the Power Retailing Awards can be found at www.gamatradeshow.com under the Power Retailing Awards link.

Pre-registration for the GAMA Trade Show is now closed, but it’s not too late to attend! You can still get your badge by registering for the show onsite.

It Pay$ to Come! For your $125 membership, you get two tickets to the show, a buyer’s badge, your lunches and dinner expenses and over $1,100 of new product delivered to your store for free! Join us at the 2011 Gama Trade show where everyone leaves Vegas a winner! Don’t miss your chance to attend Premier Presentations by our sponsors and get your Retailer Appreciation Package delivered to your store after the show by Alliance Game Distributors.

Although the Bally’s room block is now closed, you can help GAMA by staying at any Harrah’s properties (Planet Hollywood, the Flamingo, Harrah’s, the Imperial Palace, Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, Paris, Caesar’s Palace). Just let us know where you are staying when you check in so we can get credit for your room.

Everyone Leaves Vegas a Winner!

By now we hope you have heard about our Retailer Appreciation Package, over $1,100 in new product delivered to your store for attending the Premier Presentation Sessions. This doesn’t count onsite support provided by Wizards of the Coast, Mayfair Games, and many more!

Attend the Premier Presentations by Bandai, Cryptozoic, Sandstorm, Konami, WizKids, AEG, Osprey Publishing, and Paizo. Get your cards “stamped” at the session or by visiting their booth. Return your card to the show office and you will get a package delivered at GAMA’s expense directly to your store!

This year’s show is sponsored by Bandai, Wizards of the Coast, Cryptozoic, Mayfair Games, Sandstorm LLC, Konami, WizKids, AEG, Osprey Publishing, Paizo Publishing, Alliance Game Distributors, ACD Distribution, GameStation, and ICv2.

For more information about GTS, visit us on the web at www.gamatradeshow.com!

COLUMBUS, OH (February 18, 2011) The Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is pleased to announce the 2011 Power Retailing Awards Nominees.

This is the second year for the Power Retailing Awards, an opportunity for GAMA to recognize and honor the industry’s most innovative and professional retailers. Currently, the Awards have four categories, recognizing both overall excellence and outstanding achievement in specific areas of hobby game retail: Outstanding Store Award, Outstanding Store Design, Outstanding Marketing, Outstanding Organized Play.

The winner of each category will be decided on by a volunteer judging committee. The winners will be announced and presented at the GAMA Dinner on Tuesday March 15^th of the GAMA Trade Show.

Additional information concerning the Power Retailing Awards can be found at www.gamatradeshow.com under the Power Retailing Awards link.

Please congratulate all these stores.

Outstanding Store Award

All Things Fun!, West Berlin, NJ

Lone Star Comics-Games-Gifts, Arlington, TX

Gnome Games Tournament Center, Green Bay, WI

Titan’s Entertainment Café, Battle Creek, MI

Dragon’s Den, Poughkeepsie, NY

Outstanding Store Design

Saltire Games, Indianapolis, IN

Lone Star Comics-Games-Gifts, Arlington, TX

Gnome Games Tournament Center, Green Bay, WI

Titan’s Entertainment Café, Battle Creek, MI

Dragon’s Den, Poughkeepsie, NY

Outstanding Marketing

All Things Fun!, West Berlin, NJ

Gnome Games Tournament Center, Green Bay, WI

Titan’s Entertainment Café, Battle Creek, MI

Dragon’s Den, Poughkeepsie, NY

CartMagica, Montreal, Canada

Outstanding Organized Play

All Things Fun!, West Berlin, NJ

RIW Hobbies, Livonia, MI

Gnome Games Tournament Center, Green Bay, WI

Titan’s Entertainment Café, Battle Creek, MI

Dragon’s Den, Poughkeepsie, NY

Kings Games, Brooklyn, NY

Carta Magica, Montreal, Canada

Last chance to pre-register for the show is March 1^st. After the deadline, additional badges will increase to the onsite registration price.  So get your badges now!

Room rates extended until February 23^rd! Our hotel room rate of $114 a night, compared to the online rate of $129, has been extended.  Save $15 a night on your hotel room at Bally’s.

You can help GAMA by staying at any Harrah’s properties: Planet Hollywood, the Flamingo, Harrah’s, the Imperial Palace, Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, Paris, Caesar’s Palace. If you find a better rate on a room, let us know when you check in.

Everyone Leaves Vegas a Winner!

By now we hope you have heard about our Retailer Appreciation Package, over $1,100 in new product delivered to your store for attending the Premier Presentation Sessions. This doesn’t count onsite support provided by Wizards of the Coast, Mayfair Games, and many more!

Attend the Premier Presentations by Bandai, Cryptozoic, Sandstorm, Konami, WizKids, AEG, Osprey Publishing, and Paizo. Get your cards “stamped” at the session or by visiting their booth. Return your card to the show office and you will get a package delivered at GAMA’s expense directly to your store!

Why should I attend GTS again?

If this is your first time at the show, the GAMA Trade Show is hosted by the Game Manufacturers Association.  It is an event for our industry that provides opportunities for retailers to learn from and network with manufacturers, retailers, and professionals in the industry. GTS  Provides:

1) New Member Orientation Program We want our new members to feel at home at GTS. Tuesday morning join us for coffee, meet the GAMA Board, GAMA benefits providers, each of our distributor members, and finally listen to manufacturer presentations geared to new stores.

2) Meals and Updates This year, each retailer will have the majority of their meals covered at the show. We are providing short presentations at each sponsored lunch and the GAMA Dinner. One dinner ticket is free with your GAMA membership. (Additional tickets are only $15.) Join us Wednesday night for Games Night. Manufacturers provide gaming and demos; snacks and drinks from 6 to midnight.

3) Teaching and Training In addition to our outstanding seminar program, our sponsors are providing interactive teaching and demonstration sessions in breakout rooms. These Premier Presentation sessions are designed to provide that “hands on” interaction between retailers and manufacturers to discuss, teach, and train on the newest releases. These presentations will be presented by Bandai, Wizards of the Coast, Cryptozoic, Mayfair Games, AEG, Sandstorm, Paizo , Konami, and WizKids.

It Pay$ to Come! For your $125 membership, you get two tickets to the show, a buyer’s badge, your lunches and dinner expenses and over $1,100 of new product delivered to your store for free! Join us at the 2011 Gama Trade show where everyone leaves Vegas a winner!

This year’s show is sponsored by Bandai, Wizards of the Coast, Cryptozoic, Mayfair Games, Sandstorm LLC, Konami, WizKids, AEG, Osprey Publishing, Paizo Publishing, Alliance Game Distributors, ACD Distribution, Armstrong Forensic Labs, GameStation, and ICv2.

For more information about GTS, including online show registration and other details, visit us on the web at www.gamatradeshow.com!

This year’s show is sponsored by Bandai, Wizards of the Coast, Mayfair Games, Sandstorm, Bastion, Konami, AEG, ICv2, ACD Distribution, Gamestation, and Alliance Game Distributors. See them and tons of other companies from the industry at the show.

Our theme is “Times are Changing” and we’ve changed our show lineup with more hands-on and informative Premier Presentations. Manufacturers will provide more personal demos and product presentations to teach you about their games. Thank you, Wizards of the Coast and Mayfair Games for pioneering this new program in 2010!

In addition to our outstanding track of professional seminars, GAMA is partnering with our sponsors and program providers to bring you more meals at the show.

Check out the 2011 GAMA Trade Show on our website http://www.gamatradeshow.com for updated information concerning the show.