With the awards season in full swing, excitement is growing around the games industry’s own blue ribbon awards, the GAME British Academy Video Games Awards, which celebrates and rewards creativity and innovation in the industry. Today, the UK’s leading games retailer and British Academy Video Games Awards sponsor, GAME reveals the shortlist for the only publically-voted award of this prestigious event, the BAFTA GAME Award.

The Award recognises the best game of the year, as chosen by GAME customers and the general public. Selected by a panel of esteemed representatives and media experts including The Gadget Show’s Jason Bradbury, Johnny Minkley (Eurogamer), Jonathon Pile (Shortlist), Neil Long (Official Nintendo Magazine) and John Hicks (Official Xbox Magazine), the final shortlist was a tough decision after a bumper year of huge releases in 2011. Last year’s BAFTA GAME Award saw over 110,000 votes being cast by GAME customers across the UK and this year’s shortlist is guaranteed to get fans and customers voting in their thousands once again.

With heavyweights from 2011 including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, FIFA 12, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Battlefield 3 all nominated in the shortlist, the list also includes more niche titles such as Minecraft and Portal 2.

The much-hyped L.A. Noire, critic’s favourite Batman: Arkham City and Unchartered 3: Drake’s Deception, soon to be adapted for film, also make the list, while in its 25th anniversary year, cult fans of the Legend of Zelda could have more to celebrate as Skyward Sword completes the line-up.

The shortlist of this top games accolade will be announced exclusively by internet sensation and the number one subscribed UK solo gaming commentator YouTube channel, The Syndicate Project, which has over 235,000,000 views to date. The overall winner, as chosen by the public at www.BAFTAGAMEAWARD.com will then be presented at a star-studded ceremony on Friday 16 March.

With such a stellar line up, GAME customers have a tough choice to make ahead of the ceremony on 16 March, but they can keep up to date on the latest news on the event and make sure their favourite game is in with a chance to win by voting at www.BAFTAGAMEAWARD.com.

Anna-Marie Mason, Marketing Director at GAME said: “The gaming industry is hugely creative and the GAME BAFTA Video Games Awards aims to recognise the talented and exiting figures and games that have set the industry alight over the past year. The BAFTA GAME Award is an award we are particularly proud of as it gives our customers the chance to make their opinion heard. This year’s shortlist is really exciting and we would like to encourage every GAME customer to vote for their favourite game – we can’t wait to see the final result!”


Full shortlist:

*Batman: Arkham City
*Battlefield 3
*Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
*FIFA 12
*L.A. Noire
*Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
*Minecraft
*Portal 2
*The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
*Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception

The BAFTA Panel:

*Guy Cocker – Gamespot
*Jon Hicks – Official Xbox Magazine
*Neil Long – Official Nintendo Magazine
*Johnny Minkley – Eurogamer
*Alex Simmons – IGN
*Jonathan Pile – Shortlist
*Tim Clark – Future Publishing
*Tom Cassel – The Syndicate Project
*Jason Bradbury – The Gadget Show
*Michael Underwood – TV presenter and tech enthusiast


Downloads:

Press Release: BAFTA GAME Award Shortlist [PDF]

Press Release: BAFTA GAME Award Shortlist [Word]


Further Information:

Please contact the GAME team at The Red Consultancy on [email protected] or 020 7025 6688 for further information.

For general information about the GAME British Academy Video Games Awards please contact:

Kristoff Clark _freud communications_
Tel: 020 3003 6472
Email: [email protected]


About GAME:

GAME is part of GAME Group plc, Europe’s leading retailer of pc and video games, video game consoles and related accessories. We operate from over 1,000 GAME stores, concessions and franchises in the UK, Eire, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Portugal, France and Australia; and over 220 Gamestation stores in the UK. Together with our online and multi channel shopping services, our aim is to be the destination of choice for every consumer.


About BAFTA:

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public. In addition to its Awards ceremonies, BAFTA has a year-round Learning & Events programme that offers unique access to some of the world’s most inspiring talent through workshops, masterclasses, lectures and mentoring schemes, connecting with audiences of all ages and backgrounds across the UK, Los Angeles and New York. BAFTA relies on income from membership subscriptions, individual donations, trusts, foundations and corporate partnerships to support its ongoing outreach work. For further information, visit www.bafta.org, www.facebook.com/bafta or twitter.com/baftagames.