Red Dead and Limbo lead nominees for 2011 GDC Awards

What involves 'innovation'? Limbo is an absolutely amazing game but I don't know if I'd call it innovative in the same way I would the others in the category.

Whoa, Black Ops got nominated for Game Of The Year?

@ForeverAndEver
To placate the masses who'd complain if the best selling game of the year wasn't nominated. Kinda like nominating Avatar for Best Picture Oscar.

@ForeverAndEver Because it is a good game it's good at what it does which is a being a fast paced shooter sure it's just shooting and action but that's the point of the game and they do it right with Nice graphics, interesting story,and smooth and tight controls. so I think that's why It's always Goty nominated it's good at what it does.

What? A legit selection of nominees? For an awards show? I must be in some parallel universe.

I thin MNC should win best Debut game from the second I played it I was surprised at how original and refreshing it really was to me sure it's a 3rd person shooter but it's tower defense elements and colerful cast are what really makes it shine.

As far as innovation goes that's hard to say cause none of those games are REALLY innovative Minecraft is building stuff out of blocks sure it's amazing stuff but still...Kirby is a world full of yarn....Limbo is basically a silent platformer with little lighting that uses the environment to tell the story proving that sometimes silence is louder than words...heavy rain is kinda more or less QTE events with compelling characters...and dance central is basically another dance game using the kinect (aka eyetoy)

Over all I would chose Kirby mostly because of the whole Idea of making game based on yarn and fabric sure if someone walked up to you on the street and said that you would be like..."err...no" but Nintendo and Co. Proved that it could be done.

@ForeverAndEver I found minecraft to be cool but after a while it becomes a boring you can build but so much till you eventually just get bored.

A lot of Costume Quest love...

@ForeverAndEver Minecraft? That's still in beta. I still enjoy the game, but it wasn't 'released' in 2010. It's drowning out all the other great 'indie' titles.

Nevermind the fact that I enjoyed Super Meat Boy TONS more.

Hmmm. Heres my winner list.
Design: Limbo
Innovation: Heavy Rain
Technology: Not too sure here, between SC2 and GOW3
Handheld game: Peace Walker
Audio: i pick ME2 but Read Dead would work as well.
Downloadable: Minecraft
Writing: Mass effect 2. The story made the game what it is
Debut Game: Super Meat Boy
Visual Arts: Limbo
GOTY: Mass Effect 2 obviously.

Will people stop calling Kinect an eyetoy already?! You are just making yourself look extremely stupid and biased. Thanks.

@JnRx

You mean the 3 hours of story that is the 'single player experience?'

Where's Alan Wake?

Limbo is overrated.

How is Kirby's Epic Yarn nominated for 'Innovation' when it's only real innovation was gameplay centered around it's excellent 'Visual Arts'?

I'm so tired of Blops getting all this GOTY recognition. It's not that much different from MW2.

Oh well, whatever.

If CoD gets game of the year, I'll eat my beret.

That said, by and large this is a great list. Regardless of who "wins", this seems like a good cross-section of the gaming landscape this year. I am more stunned by the complete lack of Halo: Reach anywhere. Looks like Bungie moved on to the new IP exactly when they needed to.

@fhdsads9a
Die monster!

It's really interesting how Indie Games have a big presence in this year's nominee. Seeing how much love Limbo got with the amount of nominees, I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up winning Game of the Year.

Okay, so I'm going to be a dork and make my list.

Best Game Design

* Limbo (Playdead)

Innovation

* Limbo (Playdead)

Best Audio

* Limbo (Playdead)

Best Downloadable Game ( It's a tie folks! )

* Limbo (Playdead)
* Super Meat Boy (Team Meat)

Best Writing

* Limbo

Best Debut Game

* Limbo (Playdead)
* Super Meat Boy (Team Meat)

Best Visual Arts

* Limbo (Playdead)

Game of the Year

* Limbo (Playdead)


Playdead is a small independent development studio from Copenhagen, Denmark. Limbo is their first game and they spent 4 years making it. Also, Dr. Fetus is a big jerk.

I'm sure any awards list can be picked apart, so overall this one is pretty good. I would have like to see something for Enslaved (Best Writing perhaps) and Alan Wake.