The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset wins inaugural GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Video Game at the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA, March 28, 2019 – GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, announced The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset as the recipient of the inaugural Outstanding Video Game category at the GLAAD Media Awards. The announcement came during the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles tonight.

“The video game landscape is ever-expanding, and it’s critical that all players see themselves represented fairly and accurately in the content. LGBTQ people are an important and growing part of the gaming community, and we are so proud to honor an impressive slate of nominees in this first year,” said Zeke Stokes, Chief Programs Officer at GLAAD.

The Outstanding Video Game category was introduced to the GLAAD Media Awards this year following the rise and influence of LGBTQ images in video games. The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset (Bethesda Softworks) was nominated alongside Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (Ubisoft), Guild Wars 2: Path of Fire (ArenaNet), Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire (Versus Evil) and The Sims Mobile (Electronic Arts). The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of LGBTQ community and the issues that affect their lives.

Developed by ZeniMax Online Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks, The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset is an expansion of the renowned Elder Scrolls franchise, also know for bestselling games Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim. In Summerset, players undertake a prominent questline entitled Manor of Masques to reunite a transgender woman with her estranged twin sister. The story deals with the difficult topics of coming out and acceptance in a way that reflects the lived reality of many transgender people today.

GLAAD added the Outstanding Video Game category to the GLAAD Media Awards as part of the organization’s ongoing work to increase the quality and quantity of LGBTQ charactersand stories in videogaming.

The 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are held on Thursday, March 28 in Los ANgeles where additional categories will be announced. Beyoncé and JAY-Z will receive the Vanguard Award and Sean Hayes will receive the Stephen F. Kolzak Award .The 30thAnnual GLAAD Media Awards continue in New York City on Saturday, May 4th. GLAAD previously announced that Madonna will receive the Advocate for Change Award and Andy Cohen will receive the Vito Russo Award from Sarah Jessica Parker at the New York ceremony.

GLAAD Media Award nominees were published, released or broadcast between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018.

For a full list of nominees: /mediaawards/nominees

On socials please follow @GLAAD and #glaadawards

The 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are supported by Presenting Partners Delta Air Lines, Gilead, Hyundai, Ketel One Family-Made Vodka, and Wells Fargo. GLAAD is also grateful to: Official Partners Bud Light and Google; Titanium Partner AT&T and WEN; Platinum Partners Comcast NBCUniversal-Telemundo, Creative Artists Agency, Disney ABC Television Group, Facebook/Instagram, HBO, Hulu, Kaiser Permanente, MetLife, NBA & WNBA, Netflix, Omnicom Group, PRG, Sheppard Mullin, Turner; Gold Partners CBS/Showtime, Nielsen, PWC, UM, Univision, and VER; and Silver Partners Allstate, Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley, and Warner Bros.

Contact:

Rich Ferraro, GLAAD

rferraro@glaad.org

Andy Gelb / Shawn Purdy, SLATE PR 

andy@slate-pr.com/ shawn@slate-pr.com