As video games have become more and more accepted as an artistic medium worthy of critical acclaim and mainstream acceptance, the award show format of celebration has become increasingly adopted by the industry. The biggest recurring award show for gaming is of course The Game Awards, being commonly compared to the Academy Awards but for gaming, with other award ceremonies tied to events including GDC and BAFTA also growing in prominence. LGBTQ+ representation in gaming has become a demographic that the industry has sought to provide greater inclusion for in recent years, and now Gayming Magazine has announced their new Gayming Awards, which will acknowledge LGBTQ+ excellence in gaming.

We’re so excited to reveal that @electronicarts are our presenting partner of the #GaymingAwards 2021! Check this article out for more info on all our sponsors revealed so far and the date & time of the show! @ILoveGayFandom https://t.co/gUp6poJH6V

— Gayming Magazine ?? (@gaymingmag) October 6, 2020

Gayming Magazine recently announce their upcoming Gayming Awards on their official Twitter account. The inaugural Gayming Awards will be presented by EA and Gayming Magazine in February 2021. Any video game released in 2020 that meets the specific requirements for each award will be eligible. Most of these requirements will essentially boil down to the game having an explicitly LGBTQ+ character or having a creative team predominantly led by members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Some of the awards up for grabs are Best LGBTQ Character, Best LGBTQ Narrative, Industry Diversity Award and Game of the Year. These awards will be decided by a panel of 20 judges representing the LGBTQ+ community, while the public will be able to vote for the Best LGBTQ Streamer and the Gayming Magazine Readers Award. Some of the obvious frontrunners are likely to be The Last of Us Part II, which predominantly features lesbian protagonist Ellie, and Tell Me Why, which focuses on the relationship between Alyson and her trans brother Tyler. It’s great to see the LGBTQ+ community get a dedicated awards show highlighting the representation in gaming that they fully deserve. Let’s see The Game Awards do that.

What do you guys think about Gayming Magazine announcing their Gayming Awards? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to stay tuned for the latest gaming award news, such as The Game Awards 2020 being set for a December air date, here on Don’t Feed The Gamers! Follow us on Twitter to see our updates the minute they go live!