Canadian Videogame Awards 2013 Nominations Announced

The 2013 finalists for the Canadian Videogame Awards span seventeen categories and include 29 games, narrowed down from 75 nominated titles. To qualify titles, at least in part, must be developed in Canada. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag leads the pack this year with an impressive 12 nominations. Last year’s show saw Far Cry 3 take him the most awards, including Game of The Year.

The 2014 show will include 2013 and 2014 made games to be awarded separately, based on the nomination year, in one ceremony. Information on 2014 nominations will be released in June while the votes for the 2013 winners must be submitted by April 21st. The award ceremony takes place November 21, 2014 at the Carlu in the heart of downtown Toronto.

Game of the Year

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) Batman: Arkham Origins (WB Games MontrÃ©al) Contrast (Compulsion Games) Dead Rising 3 (Capcom Vancouver) Don’t Starve (Klei Entertainment) Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) Guacamelee! (DrinkBox Studios) Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (Next Level Games) Outlast (Red Barrels) Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist (Ubisoft Toronto)

Best Console Game

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) Batman: Arkham Origins (WB Games MontrÃ©al) Dead Rising 3 (Capcom Vancouver) Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist (Ubisoft Toronto)

Best Downloadable Game

Contrast (Compulsion Games) Don’t Starve (Klei Entertainment) Guacamelee! (DrinkBox Studios) Outlast (Red Barrels) Rogue Legacy (Cellar Door Games)

Best Game on the Go

Fast & Furious 6: The Game (Kabam) Infinite (Nexus Game Studio) Jurassic Park Builder, Battle Arena (Ludia) Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (Next Level Games) Mighty Bots (East Side Games)

Best iOS Game

Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition (Beamdog) Dungeon Hunter 4 (Gameloft Montreal) Pocket Mine (Roofdog Games) Soul Power (Gabriel Koenig) Super Splatform (P1XL Games)

Best Social/Casual Game

Ballpark Empire (Behaviour) EGGNOGG (Madgarden) Monster Loves You! (Radial Games) TraceRace (Spaddlewit Inc. ) UNO & Friends (Gameloft Toronto)

Best Animation

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) Batman: Arkham Origins (WB Games MontrÃ©al) Dead Rising 3 (Capcom Vancouver) Don’t Starve (Klei Entertainment) Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist (Ubisoft Toronto)

Best Audio

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) Batman: Arkham Origins (WB Games MontrÃ©al) Dead Rising 3 (Capcom Vancouver) Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (Next Level Games)

Best Game Design

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) Batman: Arkham Origins (WB Games MontrÃ©al) Dead Rising 3 (Capcom Vancouver) Don’t Starve (Klei Entertainment) Guacamelee! (DrinkBox Studios)

Best Game Innovation

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) Contrast (Compulsion Games) Dead Rising 3 (Capcom Vancouver) Guacamelee! (DrinkBox Studios) Infinite (Nexus Game Studio)

Best Indie Game

Contrast (Compulsion Games) Don’t Starve (Klei Entertainment) Guacamelee! (DrinkBox Studios) Infinite (Nexus Game Studio) MacGuffin Quest (Pixel Crucible) Outlast (Red Barrels) Pocket Mine (Roofdog Games) Rogue Legacy (Cellar Door Games) Sang-Froid - Tales of Werewolves (Artifice Studio) Super Stickman Golf 2 (Noodlecake Studios Inc. )

Best New Character

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) - Edward Kenway Contrast (Compulsion Games) - Didi Malenkaya Dead Rising 3 (Capcom Vancouver) - Nick Ramos Don’t Starve (Klei Entertainment) - Wilson Guacamelee! (DrinkBox Studios) - Juan Aguacate

Best Original Music

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) - Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Main Theme Batman: Arkham Origins (WB Games MontrÃ©al) - Arkham Origins Main Title Contrast (Compulsion Games) - House on Fire Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) - Power Core Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (Next Level Games) - Dark Moon

Best Technology

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) Bungee Pigs (InLight Entertainment) Contrast (Compulsion Games) Dead Rising 3 (Capcom Vancouver) Warframe (Digital Extremes)

Best Visual Arts

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) Batman: Arkham Origins (WB Games MontrÃ©al) Contrast (Compulsion Games) Don’t Starve (Klei Entertainment) Guacamelee! (DrinkBox Studios)

Best Writing

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al) Batman: Arkham Origins (WB Games MontrÃ©al) Contrast (Compulsion Games) Dead Rising 3 (Capcom Vancouver) Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon (Ubisoft MontrÃ©al)

Fans’ Choice Award

What’s the best Canadian made game of the year? Share your thoughts and favorites in the comments!

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