It’s once again that time of the year: time for the Spike Video Game Awards. Over the years the Spike VGAs have grown in prominence, both as a major televised industry event and a place to showcase some of the next year’s hot new titles, but not necessarily in quality. Some could argue that the awards themselves, while usually indicative of sales trends, don’t exactly fall in line with the collective gamer opinion.
This year’s nominees, however, are actually some of the strongest we’ve seen in quite some time. Rather than go for the obvious choices – granted, many are still there – Spike opted to reward some new IPs and even a downloadable title few gamers would even consider being a ‘Game of the Year’ contender. Actually, make that two downloadable titles.
Games like Halo 4, Assassin’s Creed 3, and Black Ops 2 all receive credit in some form or another, but they have some stiff competition from some unexpected titles. Though, if these three games don’t sweep their respective categories, that would be surprising, but at the same time invigorating.
Without further ado here are the nominees:
Game of the Year
- Assassin’s Creed 3
- Dishonored
- Journey
- Mass Effect 3
- The Walking Dead
Studio of the Year
- Gearbox Software
- 343 Industries
- Arkane Studios
- Telltale Games
Best Xbox 360 Game
- Assassin’s Creed 3
- Dishonored
- Borderlands 2
- Halo 4
Best PS3 Game
- Assassin’s Creed 3
- Borderlands 2
- Journey
- Dishonored
Best Wii/Wii U Game
- New Super Mario Bros. U
- The Last Story
- Xenoblade Chronicles
- ZombiU
Best PC Game
- Diablo 3
- Guild Wars 2
- Torchlight 2
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Best Shooter
- Borderlands 2
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
- Halo 4
- Max Payne 3
Best Action Adventure Game
- Assassin’s Creed 3
- Dishonored
- Darksiders 2
- Sleeping Dogs
Best RPG
- Diablo 3
- Mass Effect 3
- Torchlight 2
- Xenoblade Chronicles
Best Multi-Player Game
- Borderlands 2
- Guild Wars 2
- Halo 4
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
Best Individual Sports Game
- Hot Shots Golf World Invitational
- SSX
- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13
- WWE ’13
Best Team Sports Game
- FIFA Soccer 13
- Madden NFL 13
- NBA 2K13
- NHL 13
Best Driving Game
- Dirt: Showdown
- F1 2012
- Forza Horizon
- Need for Speed: Most Wanted
Best Song in a Game
- “Castle of Glass” by Linkin Park – Medal of Honor: Warfighter
- “Cities” by Beck – Sound Shapes
- “I Was Born for This” by Austin Wintory – Journey
- “Tears” by Health – Max Payne 3
Best Original Score
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
- Halo 4
- Journey
- Max Payne 3
Best Graphics
- Assassin’s Creed 3
- Dishonored
- Halo 4
- Journey
Best Independent Game
- Dust: An Elysian Tail
- Fez
- Journey
- Mark of the Ninja
Best Fighting Game
- Dead or Alive 5
- Persona 4 Arena
- Street Fighter X Tekken
- Tekken Tag Tournament 2
Best Handheld/Mobile Game
- Gravity Rush
- LittleBigPlanet (Vita)
- New Super Mario Bros. 2
- Sound Shapes
Best Performance By a Human Female
- Emma Stone as Amanda Cartwright – Sleeping Dogs
- Jen Taylor as Cortana – Halo 4
- Jennifer Hale as Commander Shepard – Mass Effect 3
- Melissa Hutchison as Clementine – The Walking Dead
Best Performance By a Human Male
- Dameon Clarke as Handsome Jack – Borderlands 2
- Dave Fennoy as Lee Everret – The Walking Dead
- James McCafferey as Max Payne – Max Payne 3
- Nolan North as Captain Martin Walker – Spec Ops: The Line
Best Adapted Video Game
- Disney Epic Mickey 2
- LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
- The Walking Dead
- Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
Best DLC
- Dawnguard – The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
- Leviathan – Mass Effect 3
- Mechromancer Pack – Borderlands 2
- Perpetual Testing Initiative – Portal 2
Best Downloadable Game
- Fez
- Journey
- Sound Shapes
- The Walking Dead
Best Social Game
- Draw Something
- Marvel: Avengers Alliance
- Sim City Social
- You Don’t Know Jack
As we alluded to, Dishonored, Journey, and The Walking Dead are all getting their name out their in some typically high-profile categories. The fact that all three are nominated for Game of the Year, and Halo 4 is nowhere to be seen, is probably the biggest shocker of the bunch. But knowing those games, as a bunch, have better odds chance against Mass Effect 3 and AC 3 could lead to some interesting developments.
This year’s Studio of the Year choices are also fairly solid, with props being given to some of this year’s biggest risk takers. It’s surprising to see that BioWare isn’t in the mix just by virtue of their name, but then thoughts of the Mass Effect 3 ending debacle and the Doctors departing paint a decidedly grimmer picture.
Though gamers can’t officially vote on any of these nominees – that task is up to the 2012 VGA Advisory Council – they can, however, vote in the ‘Most Anticipated Game’ and ‘Character of the Year’ categories. Most Anticipated Game is (surprisingly) the juiciest category of all those announced with BioShock Infinite, Grand Theft Auto 5, and The Last of Us battling for pre-2013 supremacy. Fan response to GTA 5‘s trailers tells me Rockstar’s latest will take the category, but it nonetheless has some stiff competition.
Most Anticipated Game
- BioShock Infinite
- Grand Theft Auto 5
- The Last of Us
- Tomb Raider
- South Park: The Stick of Truth
Character of the Year
- Connor – Assassin’s Creed 3
- Commander Shepard – Mass Effect 3
- Clap Trap – Borderlands 2
- Master Chief – Halo 4
- Raul Menendez – Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
Character of the Year, on the other hand, is a really silly category. And is mainly just a chance for these voice actors to perform some scripted skit that was hastily put together by the game’s respective developer. Last year The Joker won for Arkham City, but Mark Hamill was seated up in a balcony and didn’t get to accept the award.
While most gamers typically don’t look forward to hearing which title came away with the award for ‘Best Driving Game’ or ‘Best RPG,’ there’s still an entire awards show wrapped around the guise of one big marketing event. In reality, most look to the Spike VGAs as a Winter E3 – a chance to see what unannounced games they can look forward to and to receive closer looks at some of next year’s most anticipated titles.
We’ve yet to hear anything regarding major reveals, though, so for now gamers can mull over the nominees.
What do you think of the nominees for the 2012 Spike Video Game Awards? Who will/should win in each category?
The 10th Annual Spike Video Game Awards will air live at 9 PM ET and 6 PM PT on SpikeTV. Samuel L. Jackson will be hosting this year’s festivities.
-
Source: Spike
Bethesda Reveals ‘The Evil Within’ Trailer & Images from ‘Resident Evil’ Creator 
‘Ratchet & Clank’ Venture onto the Big Screen 
‘Metal Gear Solid: Legacy Collection’ Releasing in June 
New ‘Minecraft’ Update Brings Armored Horses and Mounted Combat 
Loading ...
Kind of disappointed that Spec Ops: The Line is only nominated in one category.
Me too! Should have been nominated in at least the Best Shooter category. The storyline and mature themes make it a real stand out amongst other shooters. Especially for military shooters.
I personally thought the “shooting” in Spec Ops: The Line was the worst part about it. If there was a best story category I could see it getting some love there, but that’s about it. They had to find a way to squeeze in Nolan North and I think Spec Ops was the best choice.
Agreed. It was a below-average shooter in terms of gameplay. It was like Battleship the movie tie-in game in that regard.
I still disagree whole heatedly with both of you. Spec Ops is one of those games that’s not solely about the gameplay. It’s about giving an insular look on the shooter genre, and using gameplay elements to drive the story forward. In that sense, it succeeded quite well.
Compared to Halo 4 and GR:FS, Spec Ops may not have the best gameplay, but it does what those games don’t: it gets the player to think. And that’s why it’s my personal candidate for Game of the Year.
I still disagree whole-heatedly with both of you. Spec Ops is one of those games that’s not solely about the gameplay. It’s about giving an insular look on the shooter genre, and using gameplay elements to drive the story forward. In that sense, it succeeded quite well.
Compared to Halo 4 and GR:FS, Spec Ops may not have the best gameplay, but it does what those games don’t: it gets the player to think. And that’s why it’s my personal candidate for Game of the Year.
Ah poop. Double comment.
@Rob Keyes- No way! They did some cool things with the environment and sand adding a little more variety in combat. I gotta say it’s above average. Especially if you look at how it would actually make you feel guilty once a gunfight ended when you saw the enemy soldiers on the ground groaning from their wounds leaving you with the choice to finish them off or let them bleed out. It didn’t make you feel good about the violence which I thought was very unique.
*sigh*
I just want to say that despite being a farced mockery of an awards show for gaming that its nice to see Max Payne 3 get a bragging rights nomination. That is all…
No Borderlands 2 for GOTY means I simply couldn’t give a damn. At least Handsome Jack is up for best performance. Spike is a bunch of bonerfarts.
yess AC 3 up for the goty.
The Last or Us for most anticpated!!
speaking of is any word on a official release date. a friend of mine told me march and i just missed it but i dont think so, iv been looking forward to it since its annoucment.
Also hoping for AC3 to grab the game of the year or mass effect 3.
Why isnt Halo 4 up for GOTY? I am a huge Mass effect fanboy but I feel that Halo 4 is way more deserving then ME 3.
character of the year is probably connor… from the list.
halo representative should have been cortana. i liked her more in halo4 and its wierd master got in that category over her.
i dont like the nominations… there are games out there that are brilliant and better (imo) that should be here.
Where is Vaas from Far Cry 3 as best male character?
^^ co sign…also hope Max Payne wins for best song. “TEARS” was a great choice.
How in the heck is Mass Effect 3 not in the running for best score?!!! It is one of the most beautiful soundtracks I’ve ever heard. Also, despite the fact that Mass Effect 3 was, in my opinion, the best out of all in the goty category, the controversy over the endin will without a doubt remove it from contention
Not to mention the score was one of the best things about ME3. I even downloaded it so that I could listen to it in my free time.
It’s nice to see Journey getting some much deserved recognition. I wish Kingdoms of Amalur would have a least been given a Best RPG nod, or something. Definitely one of my favorite games this year.
I don’t know about their Handheld/Mobile games they picked. There were so many great games. Professor Layton, Kid Icarus, Kingdom Hearts, Virtue’s Last Reward, Pokemon, Paper Mario… all are deserving of nominations IMO.
Typical, FPS crowd will take the awards. It seems only sequals and FPS’s win these things. Max Payne 3 not up for GOTY, it’s a disgrace
I really hope that Journey wins GOTY, it would be pretty cool if an indie game won, plus I always like to root for the underdog