Game Developers Choice Award Nominees Announced

The International Game Developers Association has announced the nominees for the 5th annual Game Developers Choice Awards, drawing on games released during 2004, and in anticipation of the awards ceremony to be held on March 9th at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. [Game Developers Conference, like Gamasutra.com, is produced by the CMP Game Group.] Nominations for the Choice Awards were free of charge and open to all game developers, regardless of membership or affiliation, ensuring that the nominees reflect the international development community's opinions. The IGDA membership will vote on the finalists. In addition to the voted award categories, honors will be presented for the Innovation, Lifetime Achievement, First Penguin, Community Contribution and Maverick awards. The nominees for the 5th annual Game Developers Choice Awards are: - Best Game: Burnout 3: Takedown, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Half-Life 2, Katamari Damacy, World of Warcraft - New Studio: Cryptic Studios, Crytek, inXile Entertainment, Obsidian Entertainment, the Behemoth - Audio: Call of Duty: Finest Hour, Doom 3, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Halo 2, Katamari Damacy - Character Design: Half-Life 2, Katamari Damacy, Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, Sly 2: Band of Thieves, World of Warcraft - Game Design: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Half-Life 2, Katamari Damacy, Pikmin 2, World of Warcraft - Technology: Burnout 3: Takedown, Doom 3, EyeToy: AntiGrav, Far Cry, Half-Life 2 - Visual Arts: Doom 3, Half-Life 2, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, World of Warcraft - Writing: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Half-Life 2, Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords A list of nominations, along with company and individual credits can be found at the International Game Developers Association website.