This year also, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) honored the gaming excellence in its annual awards ceremony. BAFTA’s Video Game Awards 2012 ceremony held at London on 16th March to celebrate the skill and innovation of best of the best talent in gaming industry. The awards were given out for 18 different categories. The winners of the awards were somewhat surprised and many were in the direct contrast to the winners selected at the GDC awards.
Dara O’Briain was the host of BAFTA’s Video Game Awards 2012. The show was stolen by Portal 2. Portal 2 got three awards in some of the top gongs which include Best Game Award, Best Storyline Award and Best Design Award. Battlefield 3 also got three awards: one for the GAME Award and other two for Best Audio Achievement & Best Online Multiplayer.
The GAME Award is the only public voted award at the ceremony. LittleBigPlanet 2 scooped two awards including Game Innovation Award and Best Family Game. A Special Award by games legend Ian Livingstone was given to Markus Persson in BAFTA Videogames Awards 2012. At BAFTA website, the whole awards ceremony was filmed and streamed live online.
List of 2012 BAFTA Game Awards Winners:
- Best Game: Portal 2
- Game Innovation Award: LittleBigPlanet 2
- Best Action Game: Batman: Arkham City
- Best Audio Achievement: Battlefield 3
- Best Storyline: Portal 2
- Best Artistic Achievement: Rayman Origins
- Best Online Browser Game: Monstermind
- Best Original Music: LA Noire
- Best Debut Game: Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
- Best Performer: Mark Hamill (Joker)
- Best Design in a Game: Portal 2
- Best Family Game: LittleBigPlanet 2
- Best Mobile and Handheld Game: Peggle HD
- Best Online Multiplayer: Battlefield 3
- Best Sports/Fitness Game: Kinect Sports 2
- Best Strategy Game: Total War: Shogun 2
- BAFTA Ones to watch: Tick Tock Toys
- The GAME Award: Battlefield 3
Video of BAFTA Game Awards 2012 from youtube: