XBIZ Media has announced the rebranding of its awards series to the XMAs, unifying the program under a new identity while expanding its categories and introducing fan-voted awards. This change follows over two decades of the XBIZ Awards recognizing excellence in the adult entertainment industry.

Rebranding and Expanded Scope

The XBIZ Awards, established in 2003 by XBIZ Media Corp., have been rebranded as the XMAs. This rebranding, announced in September 2024, aims to unify the awards series and maintain its mission of recognizing excellence in the adult entertainment industry. The awards, often referred to as the "Adult Industry's Biggest Night®," began as a flagship Hollywood event and expanded over two decades to include international editions in Miami and Amsterdam.

A unified website has been launched for the XMAs, serving as a hub for details on future editions and showcasing highlights from past ceremonies. The refreshed brand identity is designed to reflect the global influence of the awards program and its evolution from its industry roots. The program now encompasses the widest array of categories in its history, expanded and refined to elevate the adult sphere in media narratives and engage a broader audience.

For the upcoming flagship January edition of the XMAs, presented by Fansly, categories are organized into three branches: Movies & Production, Digital Media (formerly Web & Tech), and Pleasure & Retail.

Category Updates and New Additions

The 2025 XMAs, held on January 20 at the Hollywood Palladium, featured several category changes. In movie production, Best Comedy Movie and Best Comedy Sex Scene have returned. A new Best Orgy Sex Scene category has been introduced to acknowledge the logistics and coordination required for such scenes. Other movie and production categories include Best Feature Movie, Best Vignette Movie, Best Gonzo Movie, Best Performer Showcase, Best All-Girl Movie, Best Gay Feature Movie, and Best Trans Movie. Director of the Year awards are segmented by Body of Work (Narrative), Body of Work (Non-Narrative), Individual Work, Gay Works, and Trans Works. Performer of the Year categories include Female, Male, Girl/Girl, MILF, Gay, Trans, and Best New Performer. Acting awards include Best Acting – Lead and Best Acting – Supporting. Sex scene categories cover Feature Movie, Comedy Movie, Performer Showcase, Vignette, Gonzo, All-Girl, Featurette, Career-First Performance, Gay, Trans, and Virtual Reality. Additional production categories include Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Art Direction, and Best New Studio/Imprint.

The awards recognizing creators have been refreshed to Creator of the Year - Streaming, Creator of the Year - Clips, and Creator of the Year - Premium Social. Digital Media categories also include Paysite Company of the Year, Cam Company of the Year, Creator Platform Company of the Year, Payment Services Company of the Year (IPSP, Merchant Services, Alternative), VOD Company of the Year, Web Services Company of the Year, Emerging Web Brand of the Year, Creator Platform of the Year, Cam Site of the Year (Premium, Freemium), Paysite of the Year, Best New Site, VOD Site of the Year, Gay Site of the Year, Trans Site of the Year, Virtual Reality Site of the Year, and Specialty Site of the Year.

Under the Pleasure & Retail branch, the list of categories has been streamlined to emphasize product quality and innovation. Three new categories have been introduced: Best Specialty Product, Best Novelty/Gift Product, and Best Accessory Product. Other Pleasure & Retail categories include Best Luxury Pleasure Product, Best Sex Toy (Powered, Non-Powered, Couples, Innovative), Best Male Pleasure Product, Best Queer Pleasure Product, Best Fetish Product, Best Adult Game, Best Sex Lubricant, Best Sex Enhancement Product, Best Cannabis-infused Intimacy Product, Best Intimate Apparel Line, Best Product Packaging, Pleasure Brand of the Year, Best New Pleasure Brand, Sexpert of the Year, Retailer of the Year (10+ Stores, 3-9 Stores, 1-2 Stores, Pleasure & Smoke Hybrid), Online Retailer of the Year, Boutique Online Retailer of the Year, Best Retail Education/Training Program, Home Party Company of the Year, Pleasure Products Distributor of the Year, International Retailer of the Year (10+ Stores), and International Distributor of the Year.

Fan Favorite Categories and Eligibility

The XMAs are introducing Fan Favorite categories, which are fan-voted. These categories include Fav Female Performer, Fav Male Performer, Fav Girl/Girl Performer, Fav MILF Performer, Fav Gay Performer, Fav Trans Performer, Fav New Performer, Fav Female Creator, Fav Male Creator, Fav MILF Creator, Fav Gay Creator, Fav Trans Creator, and Fav New Creator. Pre-nominations for Fan Favorite categories will run separately from October 1 through October 31.

To be eligible for nomination, movies, scenes, and pleasure products must have been released, and newly launched websites or brands must have debuted, between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024. A maximum of five entries per category may be submitted by any individual, brand, or representative. Industry professionals who are registered members of XBIZ.net can access the pre-nominations portal through September 30. Digital content links, marketing materials, and/or website access information must be provided via the entry forms.

Complementary events such as the XMA Creator Awards, XMA Europa Awards, and XBIZ Exec Awards extend recognition to specific niches, including content creators, European productions, and business executives. The 2025 XMA Creator Awards were held on May 24, 2025, in South Beach, presented by Fansly. The 2025 XMA Europa Awards were held on September 8, 2025, at Theater Amsterdam. The 2026 XMAs were held on January 18, 2026, at the Hollywood Palladium, where Digital Playground's "Deadly Vows" won Best Picture.

Key Facts

  • The XBIZ Awards have rebranded as the XMAs, announced in September 2024.
  • The upcoming flagship January edition of the XMAs is presented by Fansly.
  • Categories are organized into Movies & Production, Digital Media, and Pleasure & Retail.
  • New categories include Best Orgy Sex Scene, Best Specialty Product, Best Novelty/Gift Product, and Best Accessory Product.
  • Fan Favorite categories, which are fan-voted, have been introduced.
  • Eligibility for nominations requires releases or debuts between October 1, 2023, and September 30, 2024.