Bafta has announced the nominations for this year's video game awards. Batman: Arkham City and LA Noire are the big contenders, attracting eight nominations each. Just beneath them, PlayStation 3 titles Uncharted 3 and LittleBigPlanet 2 are competing in six categories apiece, while Valve's sci-fi adventure puzzler Portal 2, the Guardian's game of the year in 2011, received five.
The pinnacle Best Game award looks set to be a fascinating showdown. Batman: Arkham City, Fifa 12 and LA Noire are all in the mix with Portal 2, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
The academy has also introduced three new awards this year. Debut Game, Online browser and Online multiplayer are there in an attempt to recognise original titles, as well as the growing importance of social connectivity. Of these, Debut Game is set to be the most interesting, pitching smaller titles Bastion, Eufloria and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet against Rockstar's LA Noire giant.
The 16 main categories, all judged by groups of industry insiders, take in everything from Action and Artisic Achievement to Audio, Acting and Innovation. A wide range of titles is competing, with Namco's cult RPG Dark Souls, Eric Chahi's From Dust and Denki's word game, Quarrel all finding space. There's a star studded face-off in the Performer category, which sees Mark Hamill (The Joker, Batman) taking on Stephen Fry (LittleBigPlanet 2) and Stephen Merchant (Portal 2).
The awards are taking place on 16 March and it should be an intriguing night.
Here is the full list:
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
LA 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 12
LA Noire
Portal 2
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Debut Game
Bastion
Eufloria
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Shadow Planet Productions/Microsoft Studios
LA Noire
Monstermind
RIFT
Design
Batman: Arkham City
LA Noire
LittleBigPlanet 2
Portal 2
Super Mario 3D Land
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Family
Dance Central 2
Kinect Sports 2
Leho Pirates of the Caribbean
Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
LittleBigPlanet 2
Mario Kart 7
Game Innovation
Bastion
Child of Eden
From Dust
LA Noire
LittleBigPlanet 2
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Mobile and 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
LA Noire
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Performer
Aaron Stanton (Cole Phelps) – LA 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 12
Kinect Sports 2
Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012
Story
Batman: Arkham City
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
LA 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 12
LA Noire
Minecraft
Portal 2
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception
