The Virtual Reality Foundation has announced the nominees for the 2016 Proto Awards, the third annual award show created to honor individuals and teams making strides in the field of virtual reality.
Selecting the nominees was done through an intensive process wherein the top rated games, experiences, and 360 videos were obtained from a public online vote posted on the Protos web site. Submission were then taken to a panel composed of VR luminaries and past Proto Awards winners. From there a General Membership panel composed of the foundation’s Board of Governors and past honorees voted to select the winner of each category.
The evening, taking place on Saturday, October 8 at AVALON Hollywood, CA, will see winners picked across 17 categories including: Best Original Score, Best Live Action Experience, Best Narrative Experience, Best Sound Design, Best Social Experience, Best Game, Best Educational Experience, Best Music Experience, Best Mobile Experience, Most Innovative, Best Interaction Design, Best Student Experience, Best Art Direction, Best Independent Experience, Most Transportive Experience, Best User Interface, and Best Overall
The Virtual Reality Foundation, a non-profit organization, also produces the semi-annual VRLA expos in Los Angeles, CA.
“It was important to me that there be an awards show put on by people who truly understand and love the medium. It’s incredibly gratifying that in our third year we see such an exciting group of honorees,” said VRLA co-founder Jonnie Ross.
Ron Funches, a comedian and actor known for his work on Kroll Show (2013) and Undateable (2014), will be hosting the award gala event, which will be recorded in 360-degree video for VR headset viewing.
Some of the nominees for the 2016 Proto Awards include (see the full list here):
Most Transportive Experience
- Apollo 11 VR – Immersive VR Education Ltd.
- The Climb – Crytek
- ADR1FT – Three One Zero
- Old Friend – Tyler Hurd
- theBlu: Season 1 – Wevr
- Irrational Exuberance: Prologue – Ben Vance, Wevr
Best Game
- Raw Data – Survios
- The Gallery – Episode 1: Call of the Starseed – Cloudhead Games
- Job Simulator – Owlchemy Labs
- The Climb – Crytek
- Space Pirate Trainer – I-Illusions
- Bullet Train – Epic Games
Best Music Experience
- Soundscape – SNAKE Productions
- Old Friend – Tyler Hurd
- Music From Every Angle – m ss ng p eces
- Grace – MacInnes Scott
- SoundStage – Logan Olson
- Apex – Arjan van Meerten
Best Overall
- Tilt Brush – Google
- Raw Data – Survios
- Space Pirate Trainer – I-Illusions
- Bullet Train – Epic Games
- Modbox – Alientrap
- The Lab – Valve