British Academy Video Game Awards 2012

Once again it’s March and that means the BAVGAs. Once more hosted by Irish comedian Dara O’Briain. Opening with a terrible “arrow in the knee” joke, then lambasting ITV for its use of ARMA II footage as never-before-seen footage of the IRA.  Surprisingly no quips about the current status of BAVGA sponsor GAME. This year introduces the “Performer” award.

The results are as follows.

Action
Assassin’s Creed Revelations
Batman: Arkham City
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Portal 2
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Artistic Achievement
Batman: Arkham City
L.A. Noire
LitteBigPlanet 2
Raymans Origins
The Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Audio Achievement
Batman: Arkham City
Battlefield 3
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Dead Space 2
The Nightjar
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Debut Game
Bastion
Eufloria
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
L.A. Noire
Monstermind
RIFT

Design
Batman: Arkham City
L.A. Noire
LittleBigPlanet 2
Portal 2
Super Mario 3D Land
The Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim

Family
Dance Central 2
Kinect Sports 2
LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean
LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars
LittleBigPlanet 2
Mario Kart 7

Game Innovation
Bastion
Child of Eden
From Dust
L.A. Noire
LittleBigPlanet 2
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

Online – Browser
Gardens of Time
I Am Playr
Monstermind
Resistance 3
Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure
The Sims Social

Online Multiplayer
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
Battlefield 3
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Dark Souls
Gears of War 3
LittleBigPlanet 2

Original Music
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
Batman: Arkham City
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
L.A. Noire
The Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Performer
Aaron Stanton – L.A. Noire
Mark Hamill – Batman: Arkham City
Nolan North – Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
Stephen Fry – LittleBigPlanet 2
Stephen Merchant – Portal 2
Togo Igawa – Total War: SHOGUN 2

Sports/Fitness
Dance Central 2
DiRT 3
Fl 2011
FIFA 2012
Kinect Sports 2
Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012

Story
Batman: Arkham City
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
L.A. Noire
Portal 2
The Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Strategy
Dark Souls
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Football Manager 2012
From Dust
Ghost Recon Shadow Wars
Total War: SHOGUN 2

BAFTA Ones To Watch Award
Joust
Dreamweaver
Tick Tock Toys

GAME Award of 2011
Batman: Arkham City
Battlefield 3
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
FIFA 2012
L.A Noire
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Minecraft
Portal 2
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception

Best Game
Batman: Arkham City
FIFA 2012
L.A. Noire
Portal 2
The Elder Scrolls V – Skyrim
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

BAFTA Special Award
Markus “Notch” Persson

[youtube UWxGOHiTPz]

This year, despite some stellar games up for nominations, felt a bit flat. Not helped by the same stellar games being up for nomination again and again. Though one highlight for me would be the introduction to The Nightjar, which unfortunately I can’t play due to lack of an iOS device.

[youtube gyO-09wsLR4]

Congratulations to all the winners, especially to DICE and Valve for picking up three awards each, including Best Game for Portal 2.

Once the stream has been archived you can watch it on the BAFTA site.

By Dean Bowes

Founder of the site. Based in Britian I'm primarily a PC gamer, looking to spread my wings to the best the games industry has to offer.