SXSW Announces Gaming Awards Nominees

The inaugural SXSW Gaming Awards are set to take place at the Long Center right next door to the gaming expo on Saturday, March 8. The event is free and open to the public with dibs on the best seats going to badge holders. And the nominees are …

Actually before we get to the nominees let’s talk about the hosts of the show. Justine Ezarik – or iJustine as her fans know her – along with Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox of comedy website SMOSH. Both have more YouTube subscribers than any person should rightfully have, and I’ve personally never heard of them. But there’s little doubt they’ll draw a crowd young enough not to remember a web-video-less world.

Anyway, here are those nominees:

Game of the Year Award
The Last of Us – Naughty Dog
Grand Theft Auto V – Rockstar Games
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – Ubisoft
Tomb Raider – Square Enix
Tearaway – Sony Computer Entertainment
Super Mario 3D World – Nintendo
Bioshock Infinite – Irrational Games
Gone Home – The Fullbright Company

Excellence in Gameplay Award
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds – Nintendo
Super Mario 3D World – Nintendo
The Last of Us – Naughty Dog
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons – 505 Studios
Tearaway – Media Molecule

Excellence in Art Award
Bioshock Infinite – Irrational Games
Rayman Legends – Ubisoft
Tearaway – Media Molecule
Kentucky Route Zero – Cardboard Computer
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – NAMCO BANDAI

Excellence in Animation Award
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – NAMCO BANDAI
Super Mario 3D World – Nintendo
The Last of Us – Naughty Dog
Tearaway – Media Molecule
Tomb Raider – Square Enix

Excellence in Technical Achievement Award
Grand Theft Auto V – Rockstar Games
Antichamber – Demruth
The Swapper – Facepalm Games
Super Mario 3D World – Nintendo
Papa Sangre II – Somthin’Else

Excellence in Narrative Award
The Last of Us – Naughty Dog
Gone Home – The Fullbright Company
Bioshock Infinite – Irrational Games
Kentucky Route Zero – Cardboard Computer
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons – 505 Studios

Excellence in Design and Direction Award
Grand Theft Auto V – Rockstar Games
Tearaway – Media Molecule
Gone Home – The Fullbright Company
Bioshock Infinite – Irrational Games
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons – 505 Studios

Excellence in Gaming Marketing Award
Saint’s Row IV – Deep Silver
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – Ubisoft
Ridiculous Fishing – Vlambeer
Call of Duty: Ghosts – Activision
The Stanley Parable – Galactic Café

Excellence in SFX Award
Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs – The Chinese Room
Battlefield 4 – Electronic Arts
Grand Theft Auto V – Rockstar Games
Forza Motorsport 5 – Microsoft
The Last of Us – Naughty Dog

Excellence in Musical Score Award
Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – NAMCO BANDAI
Bioshock Infinite – Irrational Games
The Last of Us – Naughty Dog
Tearaway – Media Molecule
Tomb Raider – Square-Enix

Convergence Award
According to SXSW this is “Awarded to the 2013 indie or mainstream game that exemplifies excellence and pure crossover appeal through multiple mediums.” Let me know if you figure out what that means.
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Injustice: Gods Among Us – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
The Last of Us – Naughty Dog
The Wolf Among Us – Episode One: Faith – Telltale Games
The Walking Dead: Season Two – Episode One: All That Remains – Telltale Games

Cultural Innovation Award
Papers, Please – 3909 LLC
Gone Home – The Fullbright Company
Bioshock Infinite – Irrational Games
Year Walk – Simogo
Guacamelee – Drinkbox Studios

Best Multiplayer Game Award
Battlefield 4 – Electronic Arts
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm – Blizzard Entertainment
DOTA 2 (Defense of the Ancients 2) – Valve
Super Mario 3D World – Nintendo
Call of Duty: Ghosts – Activision

Texas Arts Achievement Award
This award goes to a Texas-based studio or company for achievement in game development and awareness in our great state.
Arkane Studios
Galactic Café
Gearbox Software
Semi Secret Software
Bioware / Electronic Arts
Devolver Digital

SXSW Gamer’s Voice Award
This one if for indie games and is voted on by attendees of the Gaming Expo. Check them out and cast your vote.
Extrasolar – Lazy 8 Studios
KAMI – State of Play
MirrorMoon EP – Santa Ragione
Quadrilateral Cowboy – Blendo Games
BROFORCE – Free Lives
Drei –Etter Studio
Tengami – Nyamyam
The Novelist – Orthogonal Games
Nidhogg – Messhof
Rollers of the Realm – Phantom Compass Inc.
Spin the Bottle: Bumpie’s Party – KnapNok Games
Paper Sorcerer – Ultra Runaway Games
Mushroom 11 – Untame
Ephemerid – SuperChop Games
Hermid Crab in Space – Golden Ruby Games
CAVE! CAVE! DEUS VIDET: Episode 0 – We Are Müesli
Lost Toys – Barking Mouse
TYPE: RIDER – ARTE France
Framed – Loveshack
ibb & obb – Sparpweed
Secrets of Rætikon – Broken Rules
Doggins – Brain&Brain
Sully: A Very Serious RPG – Breadbros Games
Deck Around – Deck Around
Disorder – Swagabyte Games
Gorogoa, Jason Roberts