Have you ever watched an awards show, seen the winner, and thought, "Wait... what?"
You poured your soul into building a true, native XR experience. You spent sleepless nights coding, designing, and building a community from scratch. Then, you see an award for "VR Game of the Year" go to a flatscreen game with a VR mod hastily tacked on.
It’s a gut punch. And it happens far too often.
This is the exact problem that keeps Scott Albright up at night. As the CEO of Combat Waffle Studios, the team behind the 2023 VR XR Game of the Year, Ghosts of Tabor, he’s seen the best and worst of the industry. Now, as a judge for the XR Awards, he’s on a mission to fix it from the inside.
He’s here to make sure that genuine, innovative XR creators like you finally get the spotlight you deserve. And he’s sharing his playbook.
The Real Fight: Championing True XR Innovation
Why would a successful CEO spend his limited time judging awards? For Scott, it’s not about prestige. It’s about protection.
I want to make sure someone that understands game and player based sentiment is voting and giving the right games the opportunity to be recognized.
— Scott Albright, CEO of Combat Waffle Studios
He’s seen firsthand how other awards can miss the mark, rewarding big names or popular IPs instead of groundbreaking XR development. This creates a landscape where true innovators are overshadowed, and the industry’s potential is diluted.
It's a frustrating cycle. A developer creates something truly new, something that could only exist in VR or AR. But without a massive marketing budget, their work gets lost. The awards, which should be a merit-based launchpad, end up rewarding the already famous.
Scott’s presence on the judging panel is a direct counter to that. He’s the voice for the indie developer, the small studio, and the visionary creator who is pushing the boundaries of the medium.
He believes the XR Awards are different. "I still think the XR awards is the best out there," he states. "They're the only ones that truly recognize XR companies."
But that doesn’t mean he’s not pushing for improvement. He’s a fierce advocate for a more rigorous process to ensure every finalist is worthy of the title.
The Problem with the Process
One of Scott’s biggest critiques of the awards landscape is the lack of a proper filter. Imagine being a judge, tasked with evaluating the best of the best, only to find your time wasted on entries that clearly don’t belong.
"There needs to be an elimination process," Scott insists, "because there were a lot of titles that had no business being listed as a finalist."
This isn't just about saving judges' time. It's about respecting the craft. When unqualified entries make it to the final round, it devalues the award for everyone who worked hard to get there. It sends a message that the bar isn't as high as it should be.
This is a core issue Scott is working to address. He champions a system where every finalist has been vetted, ensuring they meet a high standard of quality, innovation, and relevance to the XR space. It’s a move to protect the integrity of the awards and ensure that a nomination is, in itself, a mark of excellence.
He also points out a lack of transparency in the industry, where accolades can sometimes feel nonsensical.
"When it comes to like VR or XR company of the year and you're giving XR company awards to, you know, Snapdragon who makes chipsets... how is that an XR company of the year?" he questions. "It doesn't make a lot of sense."
His goal is to bring clarity and common sense to the process. An award should mean something, and its criteria should be clear, logical, and focused on the creators building the future of immersive technology.
Inside the Judge's Mind: What Scott Albright Actually Looks For
So, how does a developer-turned-judge, who has actually been in the trenches, evaluate a game? It’s not about ticking boxes or looking at sales figures alone. Scott’s approach is a deep, holistic dive into what makes a game truly great.
Here’s the thing: he’s looking for magic.
I look for the virality, the stickiness and the fun factor in games, and also originality.
Let's break that down, because this is the insider knowledge you need.
Virality and Stickiness: Does It Have a Heartbeat?
A game can have stunning graphics and flawless code, but if nobody is playing it or talking about it, does it matter? Scott goes straight to the source: the community.
"I go and I research them, their social media for their virality, the community sentiment, their community following, their Discord community, how large it is, how interactive the developers are," he explains.
He’s not just looking for numbers. He’s looking for passion. Is the Discord server alive with real conversations? Are players sharing clips on TikTok and Twitter? Are the developers actively listening and responding to feedback?
This is what he means by "stickiness." A sticky game is one that players come back to day after day. It becomes a part of their routine, their social life. It’s more than just a product; it’s a hobby, a community, a world they want to live in.
The Fun Factor: Is It Genuinely Enjoyable?
This might sound obvious, but it’s often overlooked in a world obsessed with technical specs. At the end of the day, a game is meant to be fun. Scott cuts through the hype and asks the most important question: Is this experience a blast to play?
The fun factor is subjective, but it’s tied to core game design. Does the gameplay loop feel rewarding? Do the mechanics feel intuitive and satisfying? Does it create memorable moments of joy, tension, or triumph?
He’s looking for that spark that makes you lose track of time. The kind of fun that has you telling your friends, "You have to try this."
Originality: Are You Pushing the Medium Forward?
This is where true innovators shine. In a sea of clones and sequels, originality is a beacon. Scott actively searches for games that are doing something new.
This doesn’t mean you have to reinvent the wheel entirely. Originality can be found in a unique art style, a clever twist on a familiar genre, an innovative mechanic that could only work in VR, or a narrative that explores new territory.
He wants to see developers who are using the unique capabilities of XR to create experiences that weren’t possible before. Are you using haptics in a new way? Is your approach to locomotion groundbreaking? Are you creating social interactions that feel more real than ever?
If you’re just porting a flatscreen idea into a headset, you’re not going to catch his attention. But if you’re building from the ground up for the medium, you’re exactly who he’s looking for.
Why the XR Awards Are More Crucial Than Ever
In the current market, getting noticed is harder than ever. The XR space is crowded and noisy, and marketing is a beast that many brilliant developers struggle to tame.
Many studios either don’t know how to market themselves or fall prey to third-party agencies that inflate numbers and fail to deliver real results. It’s a challenging landscape where even the most amazing products can fail to find an audience.
This is where the XR Awards become a vital lifeline.
The XR awards is a really good way for an unknown company to show off that they made an amazing product and it needs more recognition.
Think about it. An award nomination is more than just a trophy. It’s a powerful stamp of approval. It’s validation from industry experts that says, "Pay attention to this."
For an indie studio, winning an award can be a game-changer. It can lead to:
- Increased Visibility: Suddenly, your game is in headlines and on the radar of players, press, and influencers.
- Partnership Opportunities: Publishers, investors, and platform holders take notice of award winners. It opens doors that were previously locked.
- Community Growth: An award brings a new wave of curious players into your community, eager to see what the buzz is about.
- Team Morale: The recognition for your team's hard work is an incredible motivator and a powerful tool for attracting future talent.
In other words, the XR Awards can provide the marketing breakthrough that you’ve been struggling to achieve on your own. It’s a platform built to elevate the creators who are truly dedicated to the craft.
A Final Piece of Advice for Every Creator
When asked what advice he would give to nominees, Scott’s answer was simple, direct, and powerful. It’s not about a marketing trick or a development hack. It’s about the core belief that drives every great creator.
He says it all comes down to one thing:
Key Takeaway
"Believe in your product, in your community, in your passion."
That belief is the fuel. It’s what gets you through the late nights and the tough feedback. It’s what inspires your community to rally behind you. And it’s what shines through in the final product.
Your passion is your greatest asset. Don’t hide it. Let it drive your interactions with your players. Let it inform your design decisions. When judges like Scott are looking at your work, that genuine passion is something they can feel. It’s the difference between a good product and an award-winning experience.
Get the Recognition Your Work Deserves
The XR industry needs more champions. It needs more creators who are brave enough to innovate, and it needs a platform that recognizes and celebrates their work fairly.
The XR Awards, with judges like Scott Albright, is that platform. It’s a place where player sentiment matters more than brand names and where originality is rewarded.
If you’ve built something you believe in, something that is sticky, fun, and original, now is your time. If you’re a company looking to support the very fabric of this industry, this is your opportunity.
Don't let your hard work go unnoticed. Step into the spotlight.
Ready to make your mark?
Submit your work to be judged by industry leaders like Scott Albright.
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