Each day, the game industry steadily marches closer to equal recognition with other forms of entertainment. Billboard, the longtime authority on what"s hot and what"s not in the music and film world, added a giant step to that march as it brings video games into the fold with its first annual Digital Entertainment Awards.
The Awards will be held on November 5, 2004, as part of the Billboard Digital Entertainment Conference in Los Angeles. A panel of judges will select winners in 30 categories, honoring innovation, entrepreneurship, and brand development in digital entertainment. The list includes such traditional categories as Multiplayer Game of the Year, Best Character in a Game, and Best Use of Sound in a Game, but it also includes less traditional fare such as Visionary of the Year. Besides gaming, the event seeks to honor the use of digital media and technology in all aspects of entertainment, such as radio, television, and music.