As always, the biggest airsoft event that will mark the end of the year and start the new year will not happen on any airsoft field nor on inside an airsoft CQB facility. It will take place online involving thousands of airsoft players from around the world nominating and voting for the favourites.
Yes! It is 8th Airsoft Players’ Choice Awards and for this year, it has been expanded again to include two more categories due to readers' demand:
Best HPA Airsoft Engine. The HPA Airsoft market has grown significantly over the years with more product offerings and vendors. We’re sure you have an engine or two in mind.
Special Airsoft Player Award Female Category. We are seeing more women getting active in airsoft and we hope that this category will encourage more female airsoft players to be more active on the field and even online. It is high time to recognise the efforts of those who are paving the way for more participation of women in airsoft. Apart from that, we are getting tired of seeing just men posing for photos during the awarding ceremonies and having a woman there would surely brighten things up.
Just like in previous years, this awards period will be a two month period and it has two phases:
Nomination Period (27 November to 29 December 2017)– Airsoft players from all over start nominating for their favourites in the various awards categories. The top 5 nominees in each category will advance to the Voting/Finals Period.
Voting/Finals Period (8 January to 5 February 2018) – The period that will determine who will be the best in their categories. The nominee with the most number of votes gets the prize.
The Awarding Ceremonies will take place during the Airsoft Meetup at the IWA Outdoor Classics 2018 in Nuremberg, Germany.
Some of the winners of the 7th Airsoft Players' Choice Awards at the Airsoft Meetup, IWA Outdoor Classics 2017 in Nuremberg, Germany last March.
Here is the list of the official categories for the 8th Airsoft Players’ Choice Awards:
- Best Airsoft Retailer for North America
- Best Airsoft Retailer for Europe
- Best Airsoft Retailer for Asia
- Best Gear Retailer for North America
- Best Gear Retailer for Europe
- Best Gear Retailer for Asia
- Best Airsoft Magazine (Print or Digital)
- Best English Language Airsoft News Website
- Best Non-English Language Airsoft News Website
- Best Airsoft Blog (Regardless of Language)
- Best Airsoft Community/Forum
- Best Airsoft Video Posted Online in 2017
- Best Airsoft Event (Over 500 Players)
- Best Airsoft Podcast or Video Channel
- Best Airsoft Upgrade/Parts Maker
- Best Airsoft KABOOM (Grenade/Mine/Mortar/Rocket/Pyro) Maker
- Best HPA Airsoft Engine (New)
- Best Airsoft Pistol
- Best Airsoft Gas Blowback Rifle
- Best Airsoft Shotgun
- Best Airsoft Sniper Rifle
- Best Airsoft Automatic Electric Gun (AEG)
- Best Airsoft Manufacturer
- Special Airsoft Player Award (Male)
- Special Airsoft Player Award (Female) (New)
You’ve got until the 26th of November to do your homework and come up with the list of nominees for all the categories. The next day, the 27th of November, it will be all systems go.