What’s new for 2024

Understanding the Transition to AIXR International XR Awards

The shift from the VR Awards to the AIXR International XR Awards is more than a name update.

It’s an expansion to include all categories under the XR umbrella:

• Virtual reality (VR)
• Augmented reality (AR)
• Mixed reality (MR)
• Spatial audio
• Experimental immersive media

This change reflects the industry’s evolution and the need to include a wider range of innovative technologies and media.

This inclusivity ensures that no matter your specialization, be it creating immersive educational tools in MR, or pioneering new forms of VR for entertainment, your work has a home at the AIXR International XR Awards..…Daniel Colaianni, CEO, AIXR

Updated and New Categories for 2024 AIXR International XR Awards:

With the broader focus, the awards now embrace entries from a variety of XR domains.

Updated Categories:

• XR Film & Experience of the Year:

  The ‘VR Experience of the Year’ and ‘VR Film of the Year’ categories have merged to form this new category, embracing a wider range of immersive content.

• XR Peripheral of the Year:

  Previously part of ‘VR Hardware’, this category now specifically celebrates innovative hardware peripherals enhancing XR experiences.

• XR HMD of the Year:

  Another offshoot of the former ‘VR Hardware’ category, focusing on the best head-mounted displays (HMDs) in XR.

New Categories:

• XR Tool & Utility of the Year

  This special and prestigious award has no specific criteria other than showcasing extraordinary innovation and boundary-pushing in XR. It’s open to any sector or discipline within XR, celebrating the most groundbreaking advancements.

• Obsidian Award:

  Previously part of ‘VR Hardware’, this category now specifically celebrates innovative hardware peripherals enhancing XR

Streamlined Nomination Process: Efficiency and Clarity

The nomination process for 2024 has been revamped to reduce the time and complexity of submissions.

• Character limits have been decreased
• The number of required paragraph questions has been halved
• The Judge’s video requirements has been removed
• Tweaks to questions to make it eaisier to transfer across categories.

These changes aim to make the awards more accessible and less time-consuming for all entrants.

 Introducing Strategic Sub-Categories and XR Accolade’s

This year, we’re introducing specialized sub-categories across our key award categories.

There is only be one winner for a key categroy.

However.

You may have the opportunity to be awarded with an XR Accolade if your nomination stood out in a specific area of excellence within the broader spectrum of the industry.

How It Works: Categories and Focused Areas

• Nominate for Award Categories: Nominees apply for the overall award key categories. Your entry is judged in the context of the award category, not limited to the specialist area.
• Highlight Your Focus: Within your application for an award key category, you can highlight which specialist area your entry aligns with.
• XR Accolade: You may receive recognition for excelling within your chosen specalism for truely oustanding nominations. However this may not mean you are a key category winner.

Introducing the AIXR Diversity XR Grant

To encourage a more diverse range of voices and innovations in the XR field, the AIXR Diversity XR Grant has been established.

This initiative will allow selected independent creators, especially those from underrepresented groups, to apply for up to a 100% contribution to their nomination fees.

It’s a step towards a more inclusive and varied community of XR innovators.

In Conclusion: The Future is XR

The AIXR International XR Awards in 2024 are set to reflect the dynamic and diverse world of extended reality.

As we look forward to these exciting changes, we invite you to prepare your submissions and join us in celebrating the boundless possibilities of XR.

Are you ready to be part of this journey into the future of immersive technology?