by Aaron Einhorn
The 35th Annual Origins Awards were decided this weekend during the Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio. Every year, publishers and creators submit their best products in a host of categories to vie for the honor. From that pool, the submissions are reviewed by a jury of experts from the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design and GAMA, who select the top ten items in each category. Retailers attending the GAMA Trade Show vote upon the semi-finalists, leaving a group of five items, each of which is then allowed to display the silver seal of the Origins Awards on the product. Then those items are voted on by attendees of the Game Fair to determine the winner of each category.
Play By Mail
Atlas Games Play by Post Forums by Atlas Games
Heldenwelt by SSV Klapf-Bachler OEG. (Austria)
Hyborian War by Reality Simulations Inc.
Starweb by Flying Buffalo Inc.
The One Ring Legends Module by Harlequin Games
WINNER: Hyborian War
Collectible Card Game Rules or Expansion
Chaotic: M’arrillian Invasion Beyond the Doors Booster Pack 8
TC Digital Games LLC
MRN, To Be Continued LLC, Sam Murakami, and David Baumgartner
Highlander the Card Game: Search for Vengeance 11
HighlanderTGC
Mike Sager
Magic the Gathering: Shards of Alara 1
Wizards of the Coast
Bill Rose and Devin Low
Portal
Score Entertainment
Aik Tongtharadol, Josh Morris, Dan Posey, and Carl Braun
World of Warcraft the Trading Card Game: Servants of the Betrayer 2
Upper Deck
Mike Hummel, Antonio DeRosa, Ken Ho, Jeff Liu, and Patrick Sullivan
WINNER: Magic the Gathering: Shards of Alara 1
Children’s, Family, and Party Games
Backseat Drawing
Out of the Box Publishing
Peggy Brown
duck! duck! Go!
APE Games
Kevin G. Nunn
Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The
Mongoose Publishing
James Wallis
Living Labyrinth
Bucephalus Games
Julie Haehn
Rorschach: The Inkbot Party Game
Bucephalus Games
Dan Tibbles, Jeremy Holcomb, Joe Huber, and Stephen McLaughlin
Say Anything
North Star Games
Dominic Craphuchettes and Satish Pillalamarri
WINNER: Say Anything
Historical Miniature Figure or Line
28mm Imperial Romans
WARLORD GAMES
King Philips War 28MM
Brigade Games Inc.
SS-Panzerdivision ‘Das Reich’ Panzerkompanie (GEAB06) [15mm Line]
Battlefront Games
28mm Celts
WARLORD GAMES
15mm Ancient Saxons
Splintered Light
WINNER: SS-Panzerdivision ‘Das Reich’ Panzerkompanie
Historical Miniature Figure Game Rules Supplement
RISE OF ROME (Fields of Glory Supplement)
Osprey Publishing
Operation Cobra, The Normandy Breakout –FW206 Cobra FLAMES OF WAR
Battlefront Games
WWII Eastern Front Skirmish Scenarios
Britton Publishers
STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER
Test of Battle Games
AGE OF EAGLES: Napoleon Vs Europe 1813 – 14, AOE Scenario Book
Quantum Printing
WINNER: Rise of Rome Fields of Glory
Historical Miniature Figure Game Rules
Fields of Glory Miniature Rules
Osprey Publishing / Slitherine Software
Richard Bodley-Scott
Volley & Bayonet: Road To Glory
Test of Battle Games
Frank Chadwick and Greg Novak
Cold Steel and Canister
Decker Game Company
Jack Decker
Song of Drums and Shakos
Ganesha Games
Andrea Sfiligoi
Chevauchee: Rules for Battles with Medieval Miniatures
Skirmisher Publishing LLC
Michael J. Varhola, Robert “Mac” McLaughlin, and the Skirmisher Games Development Group
WINNER: TIE between Fields of Glory and Songs of Drums and Shakos
Historical Board Games
Conflict of Heroes: Awakening the Bear
Academy Games
Uwe Eickert
Espana 1936
DEVIR US LLC / Phalanx
Antonio Catalain
The Battle of Monmouth
Clash of Arms Games
Rich Kane
The Campaigns of King David
Clash of Arms Games
Robert Markham
Pursuit of Glory
GMT Games
Brad Stock and Brian Stock
WINNER: Conflict of Heroes: Awakening the Bear
Non-Fiction
KOBOLD Guide to Game Design, Vol. 1
by Wolfgang Baur, Nicolas Logue
Open Design
Lost Leaves From the Inn of the Last Home
by Margaret Weis
Margaret Weis Productions
No Quarter Magazine
editor-in-chief Nathan Letsinger
Privateer Press
Things We Think About Games
by Will Hindmarch & Jeff Tidball
Gameplaywright Press
Tour de Lovecraft: the Tale
by Ken Hite
Atomic Overmind Press
WINNER: Tour de Lovecraft: The Tale
Fiction
Hungerblade
by Robin D Laws
Red Juggernaut Inc.
Infernal Sorceress
by Gary Gygax
Paizo Publishing
Killing Ground, The
by Graham McNeill
Black Library
Pirate King, The
by R.A. Salvatore
Wizards of the Coast
Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons Volume 2
edited by James Lowder & Mike O’Sullivan
Devil’s Due
WINNER: Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons Volume 2
Miniature Figure or Line of Miniature Figures
Monsterpocalypse Collectible Miniature Game
Privateer Press, Inc.
Matt Wilson, Bryan Cutler, Jason Soles, Rob Stoddard, and Kevin Clark
Star Wars Miniatures: The Clone Wars
Wizards of the Coast
WARMACHINE Steam-Powered Miniatures Combat
Privateer Press, Inc.
Matt Wilson, Ron Kruzie, and Chris Walton
WH40K: Space Marines
Games Workshop
World of Warcraft Miniatures Game
Upper Deck Company
Justin Gary, David Baumgartner, John Fiorillo, Matt Hyra, and Anthony Shaheen
WINNER: Star Wars Miniatures: The Clone Wars
Miniature Figure Game Rules
Classic Battletech: Tactical Operations
Catalyst Game Labs
Randall N. Bills and Herbert A Beas II
Monsterpocalypse Collectible Miniature Game
Privateer Press, Inc.
Matt Wilson, Bryan Cutler, Jason Soles, Rob Stoddard, and Kevin Clark
WARMACHINE: Legends
Privateer Press, Inc.
Matt Wilson, Jason Soles, and Rob Stoddard
WH40K: 5th Edition
Games Workshop
Alessio Cavatore
World of Warcraft Miniatures Game
Upper Deck Company
Justin Gary, David Baumgartner, John Fiorillo, Matt Hyra, and Anthony Shaheen
WINNER: Classic Battletech: Tactical Operations
Game Accessories
Chibithulhu
Steve Jackson Games
Classic Battletech: Record Sheets 3039
Catalyst Game Labs
Randall N. Bills, Bjorn Schmidt, and David L. McCulloch
D-Total
Gamescience
Dr. A. F. Simkin, Frank Dutrain, and Louis Zocchi
Duel Decks: Jace vs Chandra
Wizards of the Coast
Erik Lauer and Ken Nagle
Living Arcanis T-Shirt
Paradigm Concepts, Inc
Pedro Barrenechea, Henry Lopez, Nelson Rodriguez, and Eric Weiner
Wicked Munchkin Bag & Die
Q-Workshop
John Kovalic and Patryk Strzelewicz
WINNER: D-Total
Role-Playing Game Supplements
Buccaneers of Freeport
Green Ronin Publishing
Ari Marmell, Anthony Pryor, Rodney Thompson, and Robert Vaughn
Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide
Wizards of the Coast
Bruce Cordell, Ed Greenwood, and Chris Sims
Hero Lab
Lone Wolf Development
Rob Bowes and Colen McAlister
Serenity Adventures
Margaret Weis Productions
Alana Abbot, Billy Aguiar, James Davenport, Ted Reed, and James M. Ward
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Wizards of the Coast
Rodney Thompson, Sterling Hershey, John Jackson Miller, and Abel Pena
WINNER: Serenity Adventures
Role-Playing Games
Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Players Handbook
Wizards of the Coast
Rob Heinsoo, Andy Collins, and James Wyatt
Mouseguard Role-Playing Game
Archaia Studios Press
Luke Crane and David Petersen
Trail of Cthulhu, The
Pelgrane Press Ltd
Kenneth Hite, Robin D Laws, Jerome Huegenin, and Simon Rogers
WINNER: Mouseguard
Card Games
Dominion
Rio Grande Games
Donald X Vaccarino
Monty Python Fluxx
Looney Labs
Andrew Looney
Red Dragon Inn 2
Slugfest Games
Geoff Bottone, Colleen Skadl, and Cliff Bohm
Ticket to Ride Card Game
Days of Wonder
Alan R. Moon
Trailer Park Wars
Gut Bustin’ Games
Lisa Steenson
WINNER: Dominion
Board Games
Agricola
Z-Man Games, Inc.
Uwe Rosenberg
Ninja vs. Ninja
Out of the Box Publishing
Tushar Gheewala
Pandemic
Z-Man Games, Inc.
Matt Leacock
TOMB
Alderac Entertainment Group
John Zinser
Wealth of Nations
TableStar Games
Nico Carroll
WINNER: Pandemic
VANGUARD AWARD
WINNER: Flames of War Firestorm Campaign
(Source: Origins Game Fair)
