The nominees for 2011′s Video Game Awards include a number of expected and unexpected titles. This full list doesn’t just include the nominees for game of the year, and best game for each platform, but the titles that stood out in their particular genres.
Have a look, and then make your counter-arguments below.
GAME OF THE YEAR
Batman: Arkham City
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Portal 2
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
STUDIO OF THE YEAR
Bethesda Game Studios
Naughty Dog
Rocksteady Studios
Valve
BEST XBOX 360 GAME
Batman: Arkham City
Forza Motorsport 4
Gears of War 3
Portal 2
BEST PS3 GAME
inFAMOUS 2
Killzone 3
LittleBigPlanet 2
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
BEST Wii GAME
Disney’s Epic Mickey
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land
Lost in Shadow
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
BEST PC GAME
Battlefield 3
Minecraft
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
Portal 2
BEST HANDHELD/MOBILE GAME
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Infinity Blade
Super Mario 3D Land
Jetpack Joyride
BEST SHOOTER
Battlefield 3
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Gears of War 3
Rage
BEST ACTION ADVENTURE GAME
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
Batman: Arkham City
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
BEST RPG
Dark Souls
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Dragon Age II
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
BEST MULTIPLAYER
Battlefield 3
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Gears of War 3
Portal 2
BEST INDIVIDUAL SPORTS GAME
Fight Night Champion
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters
Top Spin 4
Virtua Tennis 4
BEST TEAM SPORTS GAME
FIFA Soccer 12
NBA 2K12
NHL 12
MLB ’11: The Show
BEST DRIVING GAME
DiRT 3
Driver: San Francisco
Forza Motorsport 4
Need For Speed: The Run
BEST FIGHTING GAME
The King of Fighters XIII
Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
Mortal Kombat
WWE All Stars
BEST MOTION GAME
Child of Eden
Dance Central 2
The Gunstringer
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
BEST INDEPENDENT GAME
Bastion
Minecraft
Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP
The Binding of Isaac
BEST ADAPTED VIDEO GAME
Back to the Future: The Game
Batman: Arkham City
Captain America: Super Soldier
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
BEST SONG IN A GAME
“Build that Wall (Zia’s Theme)” by Darren Korb — Bastion
“Exile Vilify” by The National — Portal 2
“I’m Not Calling You a Liar” by Florence + the Machine — Dragon Age II
“Setting Sail, Coming Home (End Theme)” by Darren Korb — Bastion
“Want You Gone” by Jonathan Coulton — Portal 2
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Bastion
Batman: Arkham City
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Portal 2
BEST GRAPHICS
Batman: Arkham City
LA Noire
Rage
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN MALE
J.K. Simmons as Cave Johnson — Portal 2
Mark Hamill as The Joker — Batman: Arkham City
Nolan North as Nathan Drake — Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Stephen Merchant as Wheatley — Portal 2
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN FEMALE
Claudia Black as Chloe Frazer — Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Ellen McLain as GLaDOS — Portal 2
Emily Rose as Elena Fisher — Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Tara Strong as Harley Quinn — Batman: Arkham City
BEST DOWNLOADABLE GAME
Bastion
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Stacking
Trenched
BEST DLC
Fallout: New Vegas — Old World Blues
Mass Effect 2: Arrival
Mortal Kombat: Freddy Krueger
Portal 2 Peer Review
MOST ANTICIPATED GAME
BioShock: Infinite
Diablo III
Halo 4
Mass Effect 3
The Last Guardian
madmikee
Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 8:58 AM1 nomination for Witcher 2??????
dmag87
Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 11:01 AMIt’s sad tok a game as good as the Witcher 2 won’t get any spoils in this year’s awards, but I suppose it demonstrates what an incredible year it has been for the gaming industry.
James Mac
Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 9:24 AMHow is Rage on the list for best shooter?
I’d say it’s comparable to Crysis 2, and that wasn’t on the list.
Also, how is Skyrim not nominated for Orgional score?
Trex
Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 9:36 AMAll I’ve got to say is WHAT A YEAR!!
Hiero
Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 9:45 AMSkyward Sword not on the list for Best Original Score? Xenoblade Chronicles not on the list for Best Wii game? Anyway, while I’m a Zelda fan, I can probably see Skyrim and Uncharted 3 walking away with most of the wins here.
Ruari Moran
Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 10:43 AMDeus Ex isn’t nominated for Game of the Year? Sad face.
Ruari Moran
Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 10:48 AMIt could have at least been put in the shooter category. Best RPG will obviously go to Skyrim or Skyward Sword.
Ben
Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 11:46 AMNo Dark Souls for GotY, I hear a lynch mob approaching.
The games that are nominated are more deserving in my opinion anyway, I hope Skyrim or Arkham City picks up the honor.
Will
Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 12:16 PMSo much love for Portal 2 <3 good to see
clint
Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 12:46 PMI would have thought witcher 2 for game of the year, but I can accept if it wins best on PC.
and seriously
minecraft?
AerintheADEQUATE
Friday, November 18, 2011 at 4:12 AMWas the Captain America: Super Soldier game any good? I love me some Caps but I just assumed it’d be crap.
Or did they nominate it just to fill the spot?