Home Gaming Here are your Spike Video Game Award Nominations

Here are your Spike Video Game Award Nominations

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SpikeVGA

The Spike Video Game Awards, or VGAs – the videogame equivalent of Hollywood’s Academy Awards, were started in 2003 and aim to bestow recognition upon the year’s best videogames. Each year, they hand out awards in numerous categories, including the much coveted Game of the Year. Previous Game of the Year winners include GTA IV, Bioshock and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

This year? Nominees for the highest honour are :

Assassin’s Creed 2 (Ubisoft / Ubisoft Montreal)
Batman: Arkham Asylum (Eidos Interactive – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment / Rocksteady Studios)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Activision Publishing / Infinity Ward)
Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve)
UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves (Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

My personal favourite amongst a fine collection of games? Naughty Dog’s stellar Uncharted 2, but I think it may end up going to Modern Warfare 2. We’ll find out on December 12, when the awards air.

You’ll find the full list of nominees, across all categories, after the jump, where you can also complain about the omission of your favourite, or predict the winners.

GAME OF THE YEAR
Assassin’s Creed 2 (Ubisoft / Ubisoft Montreal)
Batman: Arkham Asylum (Eidos Interactive – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment / Rocksteady Studios)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Activision Publishing / Infinity Ward)
Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve)
UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves (Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

STUDIO OF THE YEAR
Infinity Ward
Naughty Dog
Rocksteady Studios
Valve

BEST SHOOTER
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Activision Publishing / Infinity Ward)
Halo 3: ODST (Microsoft Game Studios / Bungie)
Killzone 2 (Sony Computer Entertainment / Guerrilla Games)
Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve)

BEST RPG

Borderlands (2K Games / Gearbox Software)
Demon’s Souls (Atlus / FromSoftware)
Dragon Age: Origins (Electronic Arts / BioWare)
Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (Nintendo / AlphaDream)

BEST FIGHTING GAME

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger (Aksys Games / Arc System Works)
Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny (NAMCO BANDAI Games / Project Soul)
Street Fighter IV (Capcom / Capcom/Dimps)
Tekken 6 (NAMCO BANDAI Games)

BEST INDIVIDUAL SPORTS GAME
EA SPORTS Fight Night Round 4 (Electronic Arts / EA Canada)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 (Electronic Arts / EA Tiburon)
UFC 2009 Undisputed (THQ / Yuke’s Media Creations)
Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo)

BEST HANDHELD GAME

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (Rockstar Games / Rockstar Leeds)
Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (Nintendo / AlphaDream)
Professor Layton and The Diabolical Box (Nintendo / Level-5)
Scribblenauts (Warner Bros. Interactive / 5th Cell)

BEST GRAPHICS
Batman: Arkham Asylum (Eidos Interactive – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment / Rocksteady Studios)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Activision Publishing / Infinity Ward)
Killzone 2 (Sony Computer Entertainment / Guerrilla Games)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

BEST GAME BASED ON A MOVIE OR TV SHOW
Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Atari / Terminal Reality)
South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play! (Microsoft / DoubleSix)
The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena (Atari / Starbreeze AB)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition (Activision Publishing / Raven Software)

BEST MUSIC GAME

DJ Hero (Activision Publishing / FreeStyleGames)
Guitar Hero 5 (Activision Publishing / Neversoft Entertainment)
LEGO Rock Band (MTV Games – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment / Traveler’s Tales Games – Harmonix)
The Beatles: Rock Band (MTV Games / Harmonix)

BEST DRIVING GAME
Dirt 2 (Codemasters)
Forza Motorsport 3 (Microsoft Game Studios / Turn 10)
Gran Turismo (PSP) (Sony Computer Entertainment / Polyphony Digital)
Need for Speed SHIFT (Electronic Arts / Slightly Mad Studios)

BEST ACTION ADVENTURE GAME
Assassin’s Creed 2 (Ubisoft / Ubisoft Montreal)
Batman: Arkham Asylum (Eidos Interactive – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment / Rocksteady Studios)
Brütal Legend (Electronic Arts / Double Fine Productions)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

BEST TEAM SPORTS GAME
FIFA Soccer 10 (Electronic Arts / EA Canada)
Madden NFL 10 (Electronic Arts / EA Tiburon)
NBA 2K10 (2K Sports / Visual Concepts)
NHL 10 (Electronic Arts / EA Canada)

BEST SOUNDTRACK

Brütal Legend (Electronic Arts / Double Fine Productions)
DJ Hero (Activision Publishing / FreeStyleGames)
Guitar Hero 5 (Activision Publishing / Neversoft Entertainment)
The Beatles: Rock Band (MTV Games / Harmonix)

BEST XBOX 360 GAME

Batman: Arkham Asylum (Eidos Interactive – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment / Rocksteady Studios)
Forza Motorsport 3 (Microsoft Game Studios / Turn 10)
Halo 3: ODST (Microsoft Game Studios / Bungie)
Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve)

BEST Wii GAME

MadWorld (SEGA / Platinum Games)
New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Nintendo)
Punch-Out!! (Nintendo / Next Level Games)
Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo)

BEST PS3 GAME

inFAMOUS (Sony Computer Entertainment / Sucker Punch)
Killzone 2 (Sony Computer Entertainment / Guerrilla Games)
Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time (Sony Computer Entertainment / Insomniac Games)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

BEST PC GAME

Dragon Age: Origins (Electronic Arts / BioWare)
Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve)
Plants vs. Zombies (PopCap Games)
The Sims 3 (Electronic Arts / The Sims Studio)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Assassin’s Creed 2 (Ubisoft / Ubisoft Montreal)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Activision Publishing / Infinity Ward)
Halo 3: ODST (Microsoft Game Studios / Bungie)
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Sony Computer Entertainment / Naughty Dog)

BEST MULTIPLAYER GAME

Borderlands (2K Games / Gearbox Software)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Activision Publishing / Infinity Ward)
Halo 3: ODST (Microsoft Game Studios / Bungie)
Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN MALE

Bill Murray as Dr. Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Atari)
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine in X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition (Activision Publishing)
Samuel L. Jackson as Afro Samurai / Ninja Ninja in Afro Samurai (Surge)
Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Activision Publishing)
Vin Diesel as Richard B. Riddick in The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena (Atari)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A HUMAN FEMALE
Eliza Dushku as Rubi Malone in WET (Bethesda
Softworks)
Kristen Bell as Lucy Stillman in Assassin’s Creed 2 (Ubisoft)
Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen / Activision Publishing)
Tricia Helfer as Dare (Halo 3: ODST / Microsoft Game Studios)

BEST CAST
Brütal Legend (Electronic Arts / Double Fine Productions)
Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard (D3 Publisher / Vicious Cycle)
Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Atari / Terminal Reality)
South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play! (Microsoft / DoubleSix)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine Uncaged Edition (Activision Publishing / Raven Software)

BEST VOICE

Arleen Sorkin as Harley Quinn in Batman: Arkham Asylum (Eidos Interactive – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment)
Claudia Black as Chloe Frazer in UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves (Sony Computer Entertainment)
Jack Black as Eddie Riggs (Brütal Legend / Electronic Arts)
Mark Hamill as The Joker in Batman: Arkham Asylum (Eidos Interactive – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment)
Nolan North as Nathan Drake in UNCHARTED 2: Among Thieves (Sony Computer Entertainment)

BEST DOWNLOADABLE GAME
Battlefield 1943 (Electronic Arts / DICE)
Fat Princess (Sony Computer Entertainment / Titan Studios)
Plants vs. Zombies (PopCap Games)
Shadow Complex (Microsoft Game Studios / Chair Entertainment)

BEST DLC

Fallout 3 – Broken Steel (Bethesda Softworks / Bethesda Game Studios)
Fallout 3 – Point Lookout (Bethesda Softworks / Bethesda Game Studios)
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony (Rockstar Games / Rockstar North)
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost & Damned (Rockstar Games / Rockstar North)

BEST INDEPENDENT GAME FUELED BY DEW
‘Splosion Man (Twisted Pixel)
Flower (ThatGameCompany)
Osmos (Hemisphere Games)
Trials HD (RedLynx)

MOST ANTICIPATED GAME
Bioshock 2 (2K Games / 2K Marin)
God of War III (Sony Computer Entertainment / SCE Studios Santa Monica)
Mass Effect 2 (Electronic Arts / BioWare)
Starcraft II (Blizzard Entertainment)

Find out more over at the official site, where you can also vote for your favourites.

Last Updated: November 19, 2009

24 Comments

  1. BobbyKotickmademillionsofyou

    November 19, 2009 at 10:38

    MW2 potentially game of the year? You have to be kidding me, if it wins, then I demand that MacDonalds be called cuisine of the decade. 🙄

    Reply

  2. Joe

    November 19, 2009 at 10:45

    Year of the sequels

    Wish we had more original games nominated

    Reply

    • Geoff

      November 19, 2009 at 10:48

      That’s something I agree with completely; We need more new, fresh Ip’s.

      Reply

  3. BobbyKotickmademillionsofyou

    November 19, 2009 at 10:46

    So I guess that Call of Duty MMO might just happen huh?

    Reply

  4. RSA-Ace

    November 19, 2009 at 10:52

    Please not MW2 as GOTY… Just because a game sells well doesn’t mean it’s the best game of the year.

    I think one game is really missing from this list… Wipeout HD – it really should be in the best downloadable game) and/or at least best DLC (for the fury expansion pack). The game was and still is amazing and if i’m not mistaken its 60fps 1080p and only costs $14.99. then the DLC basically doubled the gaming experience with all the new game modes!

    Reply

    • Geoff

      November 19, 2009 at 10:59

      Wipeout HD was release 25 September 2008 25 September 2008, making it ineligible for this year’s award.

      Reply

      • RSA-Ace

        November 19, 2009 at 11:09

        ahh that would make sense… ok so that excuses the best downloadable game award. the dlc on the other hand was definitely this year :biggrin:

        to those that havent bought wipeout yet and have a ps3 you really are missing out. huge learning curve but really really fun!

        Reply

    • BobbyKotickmademillionsofyou

      November 19, 2009 at 11:01

      I agree Ace, however since it’s the Spike Video Game Awards, MW2 will win the GOTY. It’s not quite in the same leagues as the Academy awards. It’s more of a big wig group masturbation session hosted on a television network dedicated to manboys. 😕

      Reply

      • Geoff

        November 19, 2009 at 11:07

        You are right- it is more of a pissing/popularity contest than the Academy awards – but it’s the closest thing we’ve got. 😛

        Reply

        • BobbyKotickmademillionsofyou

          November 19, 2009 at 11:22

          I guess what we need is a gaming award more akin to the Sundance Film Festival, but you’re right, this is all we have.

          In that case, MW2 MW2! 😛

          Reply

    • BobbyKotickmademillionsofyou

      November 19, 2009 at 11:06

      This isn’t an award show, it’s a popularity contest. :sleeping: That’s why AC2 and L4D2 can be nominated Lazy. It lacks credibility (from a gamer’s view point), and acts more as a marketing tool.

      Reply

  5. LazySAGamer

    November 19, 2009 at 10:54

    How can Assassin’s Creed 2 and Left 4 Dead 2 be nominated before they are released? It just feels wrong.

    Sure they are most likely both going to be great games but they are not out yet and surely then will need to be in contention for next years awards instead?

    Reply

    • Karl

      November 19, 2009 at 11:21

      They were both released yesterday or the day before weren’t they?

      That said, Spike is hardly an authoritative source. I’m annoyed Dragon Age wasn’t nominated for GOTY.

      Reply

      • LazySAGamer

        November 19, 2009 at 11:34

        released in some areas… but either way.. 1 day cannot be enough to nominate it for GOTY. Especially a game like L4D2 which is ALL about the multiplayer

        Reply

  6. easy

    November 19, 2009 at 11:23

    uncharted 2 is a stunning game and deserves some acclaim, but as the goty? i think thats wrong.

    goty should be a multiplat game imo!

    Reply

    • WitWolfyZA

      November 19, 2009 at 11:37

      Agreed, no use having exclusives taking the win

      Reply

    • RSA-Ace

      November 19, 2009 at 12:27

      why? what does exclusive-ness have to do with a game being the best of the year?

      Reply

      • easy

        November 19, 2009 at 14:04

        because i think exclusives are wrong, and only used as a vice to lock gamers into a console.
        multiplatform games are more representative of the gaming community than exclusives. kinda obvious.

        no offence was intended, purely an opinion.

        Reply

        • RSA-Ace

          November 19, 2009 at 14:37

          oh no its cool i understand.

          and well i agree with you. i would prefer if there wasnt exclusives.

          but the thing is there are exclusives… so why would we just negate them because of that reason. a game as masterful as uncharted 2 (or GeoW1) should not be shunned because it’s exclusive.

          If there was only one console it would be easy. developers could then spend all their time on just one console and not have to limit development because you cannot optimize a multiplatform engine on two very very different consoles…

          in a way no multiplat should win an award (except best multiplat game :D).

          Reply

          • easy

            November 19, 2009 at 14:50

            for sure!
            if i had to choose a goty, uncharted2 would win it, it’s seriously a brilliant game.

        • RSA-Ace

          November 19, 2009 at 14:38

          (Lazy pls get a sign up system so i can edit my comments)

          i see what i said is kinda contradicting. what i meant by i would prefer no exclusives is more of a ‘one console world’ than every game being multiplatform – which i think limits games somewhat.

          Reply

  7. Uberutang

    November 19, 2009 at 11:49

    Uncharted 2 should win over all GOTY and most of the other titles also.

    It has the best graphics, excellent voice cast, cool story, epic multiplayer…. everything a growing fanboy needs.

    MW2 was cool, but at 4 hours SP and more of the same MP? Not GOTY.

    Batman should also take away a few rewards. It was brilliant.

    Reply

  8. bokka1

    November 19, 2009 at 11:55

    Batman was my best original game of the year.

    Forza 3 and MW2 are both great sequels but Batman was something freash.

    Battlefield 1943 is the best downloadable game.

    Reply

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