Announcing GamesBeat’s Visionary Awards 2026 judging panel

I’m pleased to announce our judges for GamesBeat’s annual Visionary Awards, which will be presented at the GamesBeat Summit 2026. For the ninth time since 2018, our judges will vote on the candidates for the Visionary Awards. We’ll also select the winner of our Up-and-Comer Award. I’m pleased to note our judging panel includes a number of former winners. Our criteria for the Visionary Award goes to someone who has shown vision in their career in gaming. And the Up-and-Comer Award is for someone whose accomplishments are ahead of them. The judges will nominate the winners and we’ll reveal the winners on May 19, the second day of GamesBeat Summit 2026. (You can register here). The Visionary Awards are separate from the Boss Mode awards that also debut at the GamesBeat Summit to honor of women in the games industry. Patricia Vance was the winner of the 2025 Visionary Awards. Source: GamesBeat And an fyi: Our speaker application deadline is nearing. You can apply to speak here. Our judges include:Sarah Bond, special adviser to CEO at Xbox, former president of XboxRich Vogel, former studio head at T-Minus Zero Entertainment Don Daglow, CEO of Sausalito Games, adviser, GDC lifetime achievement winnerPatricia Vance, president of Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB)Kahlief Adams, founder of SpawnOnMeMeggan Scavio, president of Academy of Interactive Arts & SciencesMichael Pachter, managing director at Wedbush SecuritiesDean Takahashi, editorial director at GamesBeatElizabeth Olson, sole proprietor at Strategic MarketingSibel Sunar, CEO of Fortyseven Communications Sam Lake, creative director at Remedy Entertainment. Our past winners include: 2025: Visionary Award: Patricia Vance — president of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board Up‑and‑Comer Award: Xalavier Nelson Jr. — studio head, Strange Scaffold 2024: Visionary Award: Sam Lake — creative director at Remedy Entertainment (Alan Wake 2) Up‑and‑Comer Award: Kahlief Adams — CEO, Spawn On Me Laura Miele, chief operating officer for Electronic Arts. 2023: Visionary Award: Meggan Scavio, president of the Academy of Interactive Arts & SciencesUp and comer: Rich Vogel, former studio head at T-Minus Zero Entertainment 2022: Visionary Award: Sarah Bond — special adviser to CEO at Xbox; former president of Xbox Up‑and‑Comer Award: Dinga Bakaba — studio director, Arkane Lyon (Bethesda) 2021: Visionary Award: Laura Miele, president of EA Entertainment and Central Development at Electronic Artshttps://www.linkedin.com/company/1449/ Up‑and‑Comer Award: Natasha “ZombaeKillz” Zinda Rand Miller, CEO of Cyan, won GamesBeat’s first Visionary Award at the GamesBeat Summit 2018. 2020: Visionary Award: John Smedley, CEO of Distinct Possibility Studios Up-and-comer Award: Eve Crevoshay, former executive director at Take This 2019: Visionary Award: Ted Price, former CEO of Insomniac Games 2018: Visionary Award: Rand Miller, co-creator of Myst and cofounder of Cyan The post Announcing GamesBeat’s Visionary Awards 2026 judging panel appeared first on GamesBeat.

Mar 25, 2026 - 22:30

Announcing GamesBeat’s Visionary Awards 2026 judging panel

I’m pleased to announce our judges for GamesBeat’s annual Visionary Awards, which will be presented at the GamesBeat Summit 2026.

For the ninth time since 2018, our judges will vote on the candidates for the Visionary Awards. We’ll also select the winner of our Up-and-Comer Award. I’m pleased to note our judging panel includes a number of former winners.

Our criteria for the Visionary Award goes to someone who has shown vision in their career in gaming. And the Up-and-Comer Award is for someone whose accomplishments are ahead of them. The judges will nominate the winners and we’ll reveal the winners on May 19, the second day of GamesBeat Summit 2026. (You can register here). The Visionary Awards are separate from the Boss Mode awards that also debut at the GamesBeat Summit to honor of women in the games industry.

Patricia Vance was the winner of the 2025 Visionary Awards. Source: GamesBeat And an fyi: Our speaker application deadline is nearing. You can apply to speak here.

Our judges include:

Sarah Bond, special adviser to CEO at Xbox, former president of Xbox
Rich Vogel, former studio head at T-Minus Zero Entertainment
Don Daglow, CEO of Sausalito Games, adviser, GDC lifetime achievement winner
Patricia Vance, president of Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB)
Kahlief Adams, founder of SpawnOnMe
Meggan Scavio, president of Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
Michael Pachter, managing director at Wedbush Securities
Dean Takahashi, editorial director at GamesBeatElizabeth Olson, sole proprietor at Strategic Marketing
Sibel Sunar, CEO of Fortyseven Communications

Sam Lake, creative director at Remedy Entertainment.

Our past winners include:

2025: Visionary Award: Patricia Vance — president of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board

Up‑and‑Comer Award: Xalavier Nelson Jr. — studio head, Strange Scaffold

2024: Visionary Award: Sam Lake — creative director at Remedy Entertainment (Alan Wake 2)

Up‑and‑Comer Award: Kahlief Adams — CEO, Spawn On Me

Laura Miele, chief operating officer for Electronic Arts. 2023: Visionary Award: Meggan Scavio, president of the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
Up and comer: Rich Vogel, former studio head at T-Minus Zero Entertainment

2022: Visionary Award: Sarah Bond — special adviser to CEO at Xbox; former president of Xbox

Up‑and‑Comer Award: Dinga Bakaba — studio director, Arkane Lyon (Bethesda)

2021: Visionary Award: Laura Miele, president of EA Entertainment and Central Development at Electronic Artshttps://www.linkedin.com/company/1449/

Up‑and‑Comer Award: Natasha “ZombaeKillz” Zinda

Rand Miller, CEO of Cyan, won GamesBeat’s first Visionary Award at the GamesBeat Summit 2018. 2020: Visionary Award: John Smedley, CEO of Distinct Possibility Studios

Up-and-comer Award: Eve Crevoshay, former executive director at Take This

2019: Visionary Award: Ted Price, former CEO of Insomniac Games

2018: Visionary Award: Rand Miller, co-creator of Myst and cofounder of Cyan

The post Announcing GamesBeat’s Visionary Awards 2026 judging panel appeared first on GamesBeat.

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