Winners

National Academy of Video Game Testers and Reviewers

Winners

Minecraft^TM wins Game of the Year

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: THOMAS J. ALLEN
PHONE: 410.721.8895
E-MAIL: INFO AT NAVGTR DOT ORG

Boston, MA (April 9, 2012) / NAVGTR CORP. -- The National Academy of Video Game Testers and Reviewers Corp.^(R) has announced winners in 53 categories for its 11th annual awards honoring the best of video game art, technology, and production.

Minecraft^TM is the first game to win Game of the Year without winning any other awards. The closest feat dates back to the first awards year (2001), when Grand Theft Auto^TM III won only two awards (Game of the Year, Outstanding Action Game Sequel).

Each Game of the Year nominee won an award except Dark Souls^TM. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception^TM won five awards, more than any other game this year. L.A. Noire^TM and Portal 2^TM both won three awards each.

Batman: Arkham City^TM won for Control Design 3D and Lighting/Texturing. Bastion^TM won for Lead Performance in a Comedy (Logan Cunningham) and Original Role Playing Game. Catherine^TM won for Supporting Performance in a Drama (Michelle Ruff) and Writing in a Drama. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim^TM won for "Game Design, Franchise" and Outstanding Role Playing Game Sequel.

Several smaller games pulled out victories against big-budget competition. Notable upsets include Alice: Madness Returns^TM, Stacking^TM, Spacechem^TM, Lost in Shadow^TM, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet^TM, Papa Sangre^TM, The Baconing^TM, and Payday: The Heist^TM.

This year's Honorary Award went to Skip Rizzo for the use of virtual reality, motion control, and gaming technologies in pain distraction for surgery and chemotherapy, as well as for training, stress relief, and rehabilitation of cognition and memory loss. The award was announced by Tara Platt and Tom Sizemore earlier this year.

The complete list of winners is available at http://navgtr.org.

Each year, 640 registered voters determine the recipients of the NAVGTR^TM AWARDS.

More than any other professional group in the industry, testers spend the most time playing games and are therefore most apt to evaluate them on a technical level with intense detail or analysis.

Reviewers in the media also spend a great deal of time analyzing and writing about games from a creative perspective to aid consumers in their evaluations. The best reviewers sometimes parlay their reputation into industry jobs as producers or testers.

For these reasons, the recommendation of testers and reviewers serves as a special mark of quality that balances important creative and technical perspectives and represents the most hard-core enthusiasts from industry and media.

The NAVGTR Caribbean Cabal^TM, an informal fan gathering, will take place at the Melia Caribe Tropical^TM resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on August 9-11, 2012. Rates apply three days before and three days after for extended stays. Booking links are available at youtube.com/navgtr

ABOUT NAVGTR CORP.

NAVGTR Corp.^TM is a 501(c)(6) non-profit corporation devoted to promoting and recognizing the developments and achievements of the interactive entertainment industry for public awareness and education.

Through annual awards, television specials, videos, special events, and other future plans, the Academy hopes to preserve the history of the medium as well as honor the creative and technical individuals who have paved the way for new ideas and innovations.

Follow the Academy at http://www.facebook.com/navgtrawards

http://navgtr.org

-30-

11th Annual NAVGTR Awards

1. Game of the Year
Batman: Arkham City
Battlefield 3
Catherine
Dark Souls
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Minecraft - WINNER
Portal 2
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

2. Animation
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
L.A. Noire
Rayman Origins - WINNER
Dead Space 2
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

3. Art Direction, Period
Assassin's Creed Revelations - WINNER
Total War: Shogun 2

4. Art Direction, Fantasy
Alice: Madness Returns - WINNER
Bastion
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
Little Big Planet 2
Rayman Origins

5. Art Direction, Contemporary
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Portal 2
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - WINNER

6. Camera Direction in a Game Engine
Dead Space 2 - WINNER
Gears of War 3
Sonic Generations
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

7. Character Design
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten
The Gunstringer
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Stacking - WINNER

8. Control Design, 2D or Limited 3D
Anomaly: Warzone Earth
Child of Eden
Kung-Fu High Impact - WINNER
Little Big Planet 2
Rayman Origins

9. Control Design, 3D
Batman: Arkham City - WINNER
Bulletstorm
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
Gears of War 3
Portal 2

10. Control Precision
Super Mario 3D Land
Dead Space 2
Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Portal 2 - WINNER
Rayman Origins

11. Costume Design
no nominations

12. Direction in a Game Cinema
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Catherine
Dead Space 2
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - WINNER
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

13. Game Design, New IP
Bastion
From Dust
Frozen Synapse
Solatorobo: Red the Hunter
Spacechem - WINNER

14. Game Design, Franchise
Batman: Arkham City
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - WINNER
Portal 2
Rayman Origins

15. Game Design, Classic Revival (new category)
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
The ICO™ & Shadow of the Colossus™ Collection HD
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
Metal Gear Solid HD Collection
Okamiden - WINNER

16. Graphics, Technical
The ICO™ & Shadow of the Colossus™ Collection HD
Crysis 2 - WINNER
Little Big Planet 2
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
L.A. Noire
Sonic Generations

17. Innovation in Game Play
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Minecraft
Rayman Origins
Lost in Shadow - WINNER
Spacechem

18. Innovation in Game Technology
Child of Eden
Just Dance 3
L.A. Noire - WINNER
Rayman Origins
Rift

19. Lead Performance in a Comedy
Logan Cunningham as "Rucks," Bastion - WINNER
Steve Blum as "Grayson Hunt," Bulletstorm

20. Lead Performance in a Drama
Aaron Staton as "Cole Phelps," L.A. Noire - WINNER
Adam Harrington as "Roy Earle," L.A. Noire
Troy Baker as "Vincent Brooks," Catherine
Billy Murray as "Price," Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Elias Toufexis as "Adam Jensen," Deus Ex: Human Revolution

21. Lighting/Texturing
Batman: Arkham City - WINNER
Battlefield 3
Dead Space 2
F.E.A.R. 3
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

22. Original Light Mix Score, New IP
Bastion
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet - WINNER
Jetpack Joyride
Medieval Moves: Deadmund's Quest
PlayStation Move Heroes

23. Original Light Mix Score, Franchise
Kung-Fu High Impact
Little Big Planet 2
Patapon 3 - WINNER
Rayman Origins

24. Original Dramatic Score, New IP
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
Payday: The Heist
Rage - WINNER
Rise of Nightmares
Shadows of the Damned

25. Original Dramatic Score, Franchise
Assassin's Creed Revelations
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Crysis 2
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
InFamous 2
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - WINNER

26. Original/Adapted Song
"Victoria's Lab," Little Big Planet 2
"Torched Song," L.A. Noire
"Want You Gone," Portal 2 - WINNER
"Setting Sail, Coming Home," Bastion

27. Song Collection
Abba: You Can Dance
Just Dance 3 - WINNER
L.A. Noire

28. Sound Editing in a Game Cinema
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Child of Eden
Portal 2
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - WINNER

29. Sound Effects
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Clone Wars Adventures: Battle of Umbara
Dead Space 2
Portal 2 - WINNER
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

30. Supp Performance in a Comedy
Anthony De Longis as "General Sarrano," Bulletstorm
Chris Cox as "Rell," Bulletstorm
Greg Ellis as "Johnson," Shadows of the Damned - WINNER
Colin McFarlane as "Avalon Centrifuge," Little Big Planet 2

31. Supp Performance in a Drama
Michelle Ruff as "Katherine McBride," Catherine - WINNER
Will Collyer as "James Tiernan," L.A. Noire
Erika Heynatz as "Elsa Lichtmann," L.A. Noire
Yuri Lowenthal as "Tobias Nebbins," Catherine
Kevin McKidd as "Soap," Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

32. Use of Sound in New IP
Catherine
L.A. Noire
Papa Sangre - WINNER
Pulse
Rage

33. Use of Sound in a Franchise
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - WINNER
Dead Space 2
F.E.A.R. 3
Rayman Origins
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

34. Writing in a Comedy
The Baconing - WINNER
Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One
Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster
Stacking

35. Writing in a Drama
Brink
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Catherine - WINNER
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

"OUTSTANDING GAME" categories (by genre)

36. Game, Classic Revival
Beyond Good & Evil HD
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary - WINNER
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
Oddworld Strangers Wrath HD
Rayman 3D
Star Fox 64 3D

37. Game, Music or Performance
The Black Eyed Peas Experience
Disneyland Adventures
Just Dance 3
Rocksmith - WINNER
Twister Mania

38. Game Original Action
Bulletstorm
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Jetpack Joyride
Payday: The Heist - WINNER
Rage

39. Game Original Adventure
Catherine
Lost in Shadow
L.A. Noire - WINNER
Stacking
Superbrothers: Sword And Sworcery EP

40. Game Original Children's
Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster
Solatorobo: Red the Hunter
Skylanders Spyro's Adventure - WINNER
Where is My Heart?

41. Game Original Fighting
no nominations

42. Game Original Racing
no nominations

43. Game Original RPG
Bastion - WINNER
The Binding of Isaac
Cave Story 3D
Rift

44. Game Original Sports
no nominations

45. Game Sequel Action
Batman: Arkham City
Battlefield 3 - WINNER
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Portal 2
Saints Row: The Third

46. Game Sequel Adventure
Assassin's Creed: Revelations
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - WINNER

47. Game Sequel Children's
Little Big Planet 2
Nintendogs + Cats
Rayman Origins
Sonic Generations
Super Mario 3D Land - WINNER

48. Game Sequel Fighting
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 - WINNER
Mortal Kombat
Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online
WWE All Stars
Yakuza 4

49. Game Sequel Racing
Driver: San Francisco
Forza Motorsport 4
Mario Kart 7
Motorstorm: Apocalypse - WINNER
Need for Speed: The Run

50. Game Sequel RPG
Dark Souls
Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten
Dungeon Siege III
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - WINNER
Star Wars: The Old Republic

51. Game Sequel Sports
Madden NFL 12 - WINNER
NHL 12
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters
Top Spin 4
Virtua Tennis 4

52. Game Simulation Game
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon - WINNER
Steel Diver

53. Game Special Class
Doc Clock: The Toasted Sandwich of Time
Fruit Ninja Kinect
Kung-Fu High Impact
Spacechem
Swarm - WINNER

54. Game Strategy
Age of Empires Online - WINNER
From Dust
Frozen Synapse
Iron Brigade (Trenched)
Total War: Shogun 2

55. Honorary Award
Skip Rizzo

Multiple winners:
05 Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
03 L.A. Noire
03 Portal 2
02 Batman: Arkham City
02 Bastion
02 Catherine
02 Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Nomination totals:
13 Uncharted 3
12 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
10 L.A. Noire
10 Rayman Origins
09 Portal 2
08 Catherine
07 Dead Space 2
07 Little Big Planet 2
06 Bastion
05 Batman: Arkham City
05 Deus Ex
05 Bulletstorm

Archive: 2011 Nominees Page

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