Game BAFTA Nominees Announced

This morning, BAFTA announced the nominees list for this year’s prestigious awards. Although some of their categories can seem a bit peculiar to those of us used to games only being commended in very narrow terms, it’s very interesting to see how they fill each category. It would be fascinating to listen in on the judging panel’s discussions of the nominees. How do they judge whether L.A. Noire was more innovative than Bastion, for example?

It’s a huge list but there is quite a nice mix, although the heavy-hitters obviously receive multiple nominations. Batman: Arkham City and L.A. Noire both lead the nominations with eight each.

Action

• Assassin’s Creed Revelations
• Batman: Arkham City
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution
• Portal 2
• Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Artistic Achievement

• Batman: Arkham City
• L.A. Noire
• LitteBigPlanet 2
• Rayman Origins
• The Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim
• Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Audio Achievement

• Batman: Arkham City
• Battlefield 3
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• Dead Space 2
• The Nightjar
• Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception 

Best Game

• Batman: Arkham City
• FIFA 2012
• L.A. Noire
• Portal 2
• The Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Debut Game

• Bastion
• Eufloria
• Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
• L.A. Noire
• Monstermind
• RIFT

Design

• Batman: Arkham City
• L.A. Noire
• LittleBigPlanet 2
• Portal 2
• Super Mario 3D Land
• The Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim

Family

• Dance Central 2
• Kinect Sports 2
• LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean
• LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
• LittleBigPlanet 2
• Mario Kart 7

Game Innovation

• Bastion
• Child of Eden
• From Dust
• L.A. Noire
• LittleBigPlanet 2
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Mobile & Handheld

• Dead Space iOS
• Magnetic Billiards: Blueprint
• Peggle
• Quarrel
• Super Mario 3D Land
• The Nightjar

Online – Browser

• Gardens of Time
• I Am Playr
• Monstermind
• Resistance 3
• Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure
• The Sims Social

Online-Multiplayer

• Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
• Battlefield 3
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• Dark Souls
• Gears of War 3
• LittleBigPlanet 2

Original Music

• Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
• Batman: Arkham City
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution
• L.A. Noire
• The Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim
• Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Performer

• Aaron Stanton (Cole Phelps) – L.A. Noire
• Mark Hamill (The Joker) – Batman: Arkham City
• Nolan North (Nathan Drake) – Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
• Stephen Fry (Narrator) – LittleBigPlanet 2
• Stephen Merchant (Wheatley) – Portal 2
• Togo Igawa (Dipolomat, Advisor and Military General) – Total War: SHOGUN 2 

Sports/Fitness

• Dance Central 2
• DiRT 3
• Fl 2011
• FIFA 2012
• Kinect Sports 2
• Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012

Story

• Batman: Arkham City
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution
• L.A. Noire
• Portal 2
• The Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim
• Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Strategy

• Dark Souls
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution
• Football Manager 2012
• From Dust
• Ghost Recon Shadow Wars
• Total War: SHOGUN 2

BAFTA Ones to Watch Award in association with Dare to Be Digital

• Dreamweaver
• Joust!
• Tick Tock Toys

GAME Award of 2011

(Voted for by the public)

• Batman: Arkham City
• Battlefield 3
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• FIFA 2012
• L.A Noire
• Minecraft
• Portal 2
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
• Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception