Each day, the game industry steadily marches closer to equal recognition with other forms of entertainment. Billboard, the longtime authority on what’s hot and what’s not in the music and film world, added a giant step to that march as it brings video games into the fold with its first annual Digital Entertainment Awards.

The Awards will be held on November 5, 2004, as part of the Billboard Digital Entertainment Conference in Los Angeles. A panel of judges will select winners in 30 categories, “honoring innovation, entrepreneurship, and brand development in digital entertainment.” The list includes such traditional categories as Multiplayer Game of the Year, Best Character in a Game, and Best Use of Sound in a Game, but it also includes less traditional fare such as Visionary of the Year. Besides gaming, the event seeks to honor the use of digital media and technology in all aspects of entertainment, such as radio, television, and music.

Billboard drew the members of the awards panel from the digital entertainment industry elite. Among the companies represented are Electronic Arts, Sony, Disney, and Yahoo, with such individuals as Don Levy (Sony), Howie Singer (Warner Music), Neil Young (EA), and GameSpot’s own Vince Broady, included in the judging pool. Says Billboard president John Kilcullen: "The individuals who we have chosen as judges for these awards are visionary executives and creative minds who are driving the transformation of the digital entertainment industry."

The deadline for submissions is September 15, and a list of finalists will run in an upcoming issue of Billboard. Rules, entry forms, and a full list of judges and categories can be found at the event’s Web Site.