The Proto Awards has named its list of honorees for its second Oscars-esque awards ceremony on Sept. 22, which is the night before Oculus Connect 2. The list amounts to a greatest hits of virtual reality experiences created and released over the last year. So, if you’re looking for interesting companies and experiences to check out, start with these. It is not a complete list of all the best VR experiences, however, as people had to submit their experiences to be considered. The awards are organized by the same people who put together VRLA and its massive meetup event which is taking place Aug. 29 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
The full list of honorees and the categories are below. It will be fascinating to come back to this list next year and the year after that, after consumer VR has launched, to see what has become of these companies and the talented individuals who were building experiences before people could buy consumer VR products.
Best Graphical User Interface
Skyworld by Vertigo Games
VRMT: VR Worldbuilder by Defective Studios
Virtual Desktop by Guy Godin
World of Comenius by Tomáš “Frooxius” Mariančík
Best Art Direction
The Gallery: Emberstone Teaser by Cloudhead Games
Lucky’s Tale by Playful, Inc.
Surge by Arjan van Meerten
Technolust by Iris VR
theBlu: Encounter by WEVR
Best Live Action Experience
Bjork- ‘Stonemilker’ by VRSE
Inside The Box of Kurios by Felix & Paul Studios
Insurgent Shatter Reality GearVR by Kite & Lightning
Crystal Rift by Psytec Games
The Gallery: Emberstone Teaser by Cloudhead Games
I Expect You To Die by Schell Games
Job Simulator by Owlchemy Labs
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes by Steel Crate Games
SteamCrew VR by Aurelien Kerbeci
Vice News VR: Millions March by VRSE
Best Score
Adult Swim Presents: The Virtual Brainload by Adult Swim/WEVR
Lunadroid 237 HD by Unello Design
Playhead by Innerspace VR
Surge by Arjan van Meerten
Welcome to Oculus by Trey Davis
Best Sound Deisgn
Insurgent Shatter Reality GearVR by Kite & Lightning
Playhead by Innerspace VR
Tactera by E McNeill
Technolust by Iris VR
theBlu: Encounter by WEVR
Best Gameplay
I Expect You To Die by Schell Games
Job Simulator by Owlchemy Labs
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes by Steel Crate Games
Lucky’s Tale by Playful, Inc.
Tactera by E McNeill
Best Educational Experience
Clouds Over Sidra bt VRSE
Neos: The Universe by NeosVR
Rapid Fire: A brief history of flight by Studio Transcendent
World of Comenius by Tomáš “Frooxius” Mariančík
theBlu VR by WEVR
Best Mobile Experience
The Fifth Sleep – Short by Innerspace VR
Insurgent Shatter Reality GearVR by Kite & Lightning
Neos: The Universe by NeosVR
SteamCrew VR by Aurelien Kerbeci
theBlu VR by WEVR
Best Student Experience
ElemenTerra by Max Pittsley
Ghosts Of Hogwarts by Gregoire Davenas
Lollihop by Samuli Jääskeläinen
Nighttime Terror by Daniel Pots
Virtual Cell Classroom by Emily Donald
Best Independent Experience
Job Simulator by Owlchemy Labs
Tactera by E McNeill
Technolust: Thought Crimes by Iris VR
Virtual Desktop by Guy Godin
Vox Machinae by Space Bullet Dynamics Corporation
Most Transportive
Convrge by Shawn Whiting
D.M.Z: Memories of a no man’s land by Innerspace VR
The Gallery: Emberstone Teaser by Cloudhead Games
I Expect You To Die by Schell Games
Technolust by Iris VR
Best Innovative
ElemenTerra by Max Pittsley
Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes by Steel Crate Games
Surgeon Simulator by Bossa Studios
VRMT: VR Worldbuilder by Defective Studios
Virtual Desktop by Guy Godin
