Rule One
Awards Definitions

1. The eSports Award shall be given annually to honor outstanding performances in the field of eSports.

2. The Awards shall be conferred at an annual Awards Presentation ceremony.

3. The eSports Award in the form of a trophy shall be presented for the following performances:

Gamers:

Overall best performance by an eSports player (eSports Player of the Year).
Best performance by a Counter-Strike player (Best Counter-Strike Player).
Best performance by a Warcraft 3 player (Best Warcraft 3 Player).
Best performance by a newcomer to the international scene (Newcomer / Breakthrough of the Year).
Best performance by an eSports team (eSports Team of the Year).

Press:

Achievements in eSports Coverage for a website crew (Best eSports Coverage).
Achievements in eSports Coverage for a scene journalist (Scene Journalist Award).
Achievements in eSports Coverage for a classic journalist (Journalist Award).

Industry:

Best eSports game of the year (eSports Game of the Year).

4. The following eSports Award shall be given at such times as there are deserving recipients, but is not necessarily given each year:

a) Lifetime Achievement Award. This eSports Award shall be given to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of eSports or continuously outstanding performances in the eSports tournament circus.

5. For special achievements in smaller fields of eSports, special Award placques will be given out. The announcement of the winners will be made online within one month before the actual eSports Award Ceremony:

Achievements in eSports photography (eSports Photo of the Year).
Best performance by a player in the Call of Duty series (Best Call of Duty Player).
Best performance by a player in Consoles eSports (Consoles Player of the Year).
Best performance by a consoles eSports team (Consoles Team of the Year).

6. The following past eSports Awards categories are currently on inactive status but may be handed out again in future ceremonies:

Best performance by a Duel player (Best FPS Duel Player).
Best performance by a Halo player (Best Halo Player).
Best performance by a female Counter-Strike player (Best Counter-Strike Player, Female).
Achievements in eSports Coverage for a German website crew (Best eSports Coverage Online Magazine (German)).
Achievements in creating eSports games (Best Publisher).
Best piece of hardware of the year (Best Hardware).


Rule Two
Eligibility of Nominees

1. All eligible nomination candidates, unless otherwise noted, must be real or legal persons, depending on the category.

2. Performances in all categories need to be put on in the timeframe between last year's nominations and the nomination deadline of this year (June 30th).


Rule Three
Eligibility of Events

1. Eligible events are those where single or team performances of gamers are valid for eSports Award considerations.

2. In order to be eligible, an event needs to have major impact on the global scene. Attendance needs to be broad spread and high-class. The event needs to feature at least one of the games that are endowed with an eSports Award for Best Performance by a single player.


Rule Four
The eSports Award Year and Deadlines

1. Eligible performances, publishings and events need to take place between the 8th of July of the previous year and the 30th of June of the year of the respective eSports Award Ceremony.

2. Nominations will be released before the 20th of July.

3. All nominees are required to submit all requested data needed for the eSports Award Ceremony until July 30th.

4. Further deadlines will be posted in due time.


Rule Five
Ballotting

1. All information regarding the ballotting process is currently not intended for the public. All will be revealed in proper time.


Rule Six
Gamers Awards

1. Clan names for the nominees will be determined by their current status on the time of the nomination announcement to the best of our knowledge.


Rule Seven
Press Awards

1. The eSports Awards for Journalist and Scene Journalist are open for application. Also applications are possible for eSports Photo of the Year and Best eSports Coverage.

2. Applicants need to apply with an English translation of their article in case it is originally in a foreign language. Both versions will be made available through the eSports Award website. Applicants need to grant the right to this publication, while all other publication rights will remain with the author and his publishing house.

3. Scene Journalist, eSports Photo of the Year and Best eSports Coverage may be voted by the community on the eSports Award website. If so, the public polling will be announced on the eSports Award frontpage. Registration as a voter is required.

4. Nominees in the category Best eSports Coverage are able to hand in a description and links to in their mind outstanding pieces of coverage to be incorporated into the nomination profiles on the eSports Award website.


Rule Eight
Scene Journalist Award

1. Rules of Submission

- Journalists may send in their own articles or be suggested as a nominee by their readers.

- Multiple articles by the same author may be submitted, but we advise to preselect the best article in order to increase chances of nomination.

- Entries need to be sent via e-mail to contact@esports-award.org.

- Articles need to be submitted until July 3rd, 2009.

- To be eligible, the article needs to be published during the time of eligibility, namely July 8th, 2008, and June 30th, 2009.

- The name of the website and the exact web link to where the article has been published is required. If the link is no longer available, a short explanation has to be given.

- The original articles have to be attached to the e-mail in either .txt, .doc, .docx or .odt format.

- The e-mail has to contain at least the e-mail address, full name and nickname of the author of the submitted article. Further contact details and postal address are welcome.

- Articles not in the English language have to be translated into English by the sender. The translation can also be published online, but publication is no requirement. It has to be attached to the e-mail though or be delivered later until the end of the submission term on July 3rd, 2009. Foreign language article without English translation will not be considered for nominations.

- With submission the author grants the eSports Award the right to republish the article in English language on its website in case of a nomination in order to permit a fair and transparent voting process. All other rights remain with the author or rights holder.

2. Voting Process

- Articles chosen for a nomination will be published on the eSports Award website.

- Any author may only be nominated once for Scene Journalist in any given year.

- Five articles will be nominated. The eSports Award reserves the right to increase the number of nominees in any given year in case of a broad spectrum of high-quality submitted articles.

- The winner will be decided by committee of former winners and nominees in the Scene Journalist Award and Best eSports Coverage categories. Committee members may not be nominated in this category.

Rule Nine
Industry Awards

1. Only products being published within the eSports Award deadlines (see Rule Four) will be considered for nomination.

2. The winner of eSports Game of the Year will be voted by the community on the eSports Award Website.