July 1, 2003 (SEATTLE) - Every player has his or her favorite game, and gamers' preferences this year point to a category that didn't exist three years ago. A new genre of game, the collectable miniatures game (CMG), has quickly become one of the hottest tabletop pastimes around, and its founding manufacturer, Seattle-based WizKids, is receiving top industry awards for its creations.
On June 28, the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design announced WizKids as winners of nine Origins Awards for gaming excellence, including the coveted title of Game of the Year.
"This year, the number of awards received really points to the overall excellence of our games, and the popularity of the new kind of game we've created," said company founder and CEO Jordan Weisman, who noted that the company's games were nominated in 13 different categories. "We're very proud of receiving so much recognition and very happy that people enjoy playing our games. It's a team effort here at WizKids, and these awards are for everyone on the team."
WizKids captured the following titles at this year's Origins ceremonies:
- Game of the Year - MechWarrior(r): Dark Age
- Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniature Series - MechWarrior: Dark Age
- Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Board Game - Marvel(tm) HeroClix(tm): Infinity Challenge
- Best Board Game Expansion or Supplement - Marvel HeroClix: Clobberin' Time
- Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Figure Miniature - Marvel HeroClix Sentinel
- Best Graphic Design of a Board Game - Mage Knight(tm) Dungeons
- Best Game-Related Fiction, Long Form - Ghost War by Michael A. Stackpole
- Best Game-Related Fiction, Short Form - "Enemy Healer" from The Official Collector's Guide to Mage Knight, Volume 1
- Best Illustration - MechWarrior: Dark Age
Voting for the awards was open to the public as well as members of the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design. All awards are for games released in 2002. WizKids has received Origins Awards in the past, taking the Best Science Fiction Fantasy Miniature and Best Vehicular Miniature awards in 2001, and the rarely awarded Origins Vanguard Award for Mage Knight: Rebellion, which was considered groundbreaking in 2000.
WizKids is a Seattle-based game developer and publisher dedicated to creating tabletop games driven by imagination. Its Mage Knight, MechWarrior and HeroClix collectable miniatures games are among the most successful games on the market today, and have sold tens of millions of figures worldwide. For additional information, visit www.wizkidsgames.com.
(c)2003 WizKids, LLC. All rights reserved. MechWarrior, Mage Knight, HeroClix and WizKids are trademarks of WizKids, LLC.
Marvel and all related characters and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Marvel Characters, Inc., and are used with permission.
(c)2003 Marvel Characters, Inc. www.marvel.com
