Honoring Innovation and Impact: Winners of the 48th Annual Origin Awards, 2024 AAGAD Hall of Fame Inductees, and GAMA Industry Awards Announced

GAMA is proud to announce the winners of the 48th Annual Origin Awards, honoring excellence in tabletop game design and publishing for 2024. Held during the Origins Game Fair, the awards ceremony also featured the induction of three influential contributors into the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design (AAGAD) Hall of Fame, along with two game titles and a presentation of special industry awards.

Special Honors

Rick Loomis Service Award

Michael Pondsmith received this year’s Rick Loomis Service Award in recognition of his outstanding dedication and lifelong contributions to the tabletop gaming community.

Sustainability Award

Endeavor: Deep Sea.  Published by Burnt Island Games and Grand Gamers Guild, and designed by Carl de Visser & Jarratt Gray, the game earned the Sustainability Award for its environmentally conscious themes and production.

AAGAD Hall of Fame Inductees – Class of 2025

The AAGAD Hall of Fame celebrates individuals and products that have left a lasting impact on the world of tabletop games. This year's honorees include:

• ·Susan McKinley-Ross – Designer of Qwirkle and the first solo woman to receive the prestigious Spiel des Jahres award.

• Stefan Feld – Renowned for his contributions to the Eurogame genre, including The Castles of Burgundy and over 60 other games.

• ·Ryo Mizuno – Visionary creator of Record of Lodoss War, a pioneering RPG replay series that laid the groundwork for today’s streaming and actual-play culture.

• Codenames– A worldwide phenomenon from Czech Games Edition, Codenames broadened the appeal of gaming with its clever wordplay and accessibility.

• Time’s Up! – This iconic charades-style party game from R&R Games has become a social staple through its fast-paced fun and countless editions.

 48th Origin Award Winners by Category

With more than 120 finalists across a dozen categories, the jury members of the Academy narrowed their selection down to the winning titles.

Co-Op / Solo Game 

Marvel United: Multiverse – CMON (Asmodee) 

Designers: Andrea Chiarvesio & Eric M. Lang

Gateway Game

Seaside – Hachette Boardgames USA 

Designer: Bryan Burgoyne

Party Game

Flip 7 – The Op 

Designer: Eric Olsen

Heavy Strategy Game

Endeavor: Deep Sea – Burnt Island Games / KTBG 

Designers: Carl de Visser & Jarratt Gray

Light Strategy Game 

Fromage – R2i 

Designers: Matthew O'Malley & Ben Rosset

Fixed Constructable Game

Compile: Main 1 – Greater Than Games 

Designer: Michael Yang

 Randomized Constructable Game

Magic: The Gathering – Bloomburrow Collector Booster Box – Wizards of the Coast 

Miniatures Core Product

Star Trek: Into the Unknown – Federation vs. Dominion Core Set – WizKids 

Designers: Max Brooke & Michael Gernes

Miniatures

Fool’s Gold Miniature – Tarrasque (Gray)– Hit Point Press 

Miniature Paints / Hobby Accessory

AK Interactive Real Colours Markers Set – AK Interactive 

RPG Core Product 

Yazeba’s Bed & Breakfast – Possum Creek Games 

Designers: Mercedes Acosta, Jay Dragon, Lillie J. Harris & M Veselak

RPG Supplement

Call of Cthulhu: No Time to Scream – Chaosium Inc. 

Designers: B.W. Holland, Bridgett Jeffries & C.L. Werner

 This year’s honorees reflect the remarkable creativity, community spirit, and innovative evolution of the tabletop gaming world. Whether reimagining strategy or enhancing cooperative storytelling, these designers and publishers continue to elevate the industry.

Inspiring individuals deserve inspiring awards and recognition

GAMA’s DEI Committee started this page and the Inspirations Award to help recognize some of the most creative and determined people in the board game industry who seek to not just grow their business - but also take the time to help grow others.

Isaac Vega (left) and Lindsey Rode (right) are the visionary co-founders of Rose Gauntlet Entertainment, a publishing company established in 2020 to craft immersive and inclusive tabletop gaming experiences. Having both worked in tabletop games for over 10 years, each have developed and contributed to many successful projects for companies such as Plaid Hat Games, Fantasy Flight, Pretzel Games, & Wyrd Games. As they developed their company and reflected on their experiences they became deeply committed to fostering diversity and community within the gaming industry. In 2023, they launched the Rose Gauntlet Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting underrepresented individuals in tabletop gaming. The foundation's initiatives include the BIPOC Lounge at Gen Con, which provides a welcoming space for gamers of color to connect and network. 

Pete Petrusha (he/him) is an ENNIE Award-winning indie game designer, tabletop RPG publisher, and the Creative Director at Imagining Games. He is the driving force behind the story-building promise of Dreamchaser: A Game of Destiny, the ridiculous roommate roleplaying of Rest in Pieces, and the foodie crime drama of CHEW: The Roleplaying Game. As the Midwest Sales Affiliate for Indie Press Revolution and an avid convention booth exhibitor (Imagining Games), Pete promotes tabletop RPGs nationwide, curating selections for RPG enthusiasts and newcomers alike. He actively fosters diverse gaming communities by speaking at universities, mentoring designers, and going the extra mile to bring RPGs to players wherever they are. Pete has hosted the Indie Groundbreaker Awards, served in leadership roles in the Indie Game Developer Network, organized Games on Demand, and led the charge behind the Metatopia Diversity Sponsorship. When Pete's not being a dad (to the best little kid ever), he's designing The Ghost in the Shell RPG for Mana Project Studios.​