Game Critics Awards

The Game Critics Awards are a set of annual awards held after the E3 video game conference since 1998. The awards are given to products displayed at E3 with the title Best of E3 of their category. The nominees and winners of the awards are chosen by individual judges representing 36 (as of 2008) major North American media outlets. The media outlets include: TIME, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Business 2.0, Wired, Giant, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Gannett News Service, San Jose Mercury News, Comcast Games, Games For Windows Magazine, Electronic Gaming Monthly, Game Informer, Game Informer Online, Gamepro, GameSpot, GameSpy, Comcast GamesNet, Hollywood Reporter, 1UP.com, Gamesradar, IGN, Official PlayStation Magazine, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer, Playboy, PSM, UGO, Yahoo!, Sympatico, Game-Revolution, CNN, G4TV, MTV, Electric Playground, Kotaku. The awards are given independently of the Expo's organisers.

Award winners

Note on "all systems" as platform: Because games shown at E3 are still in development, the platforms for which the game is published might still be in question.

Best of Show

:2008 : "Fallout 3" (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360):2007 : "Rock Band" (for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360):2006 : Wii:2005 : "Spore" (for PC and Mac):2004 : PlayStation Portable:2003 : "Half-Life 2" (for PC) :2002 : "Doom 3" (for PC):2001 : Nintendo GameCube:2000 : "Black and White" (for PC):1999 : "Freelancer" (for PC)

Best Original Game

:2008 : "Mirror's Edge" (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360):2007 : "LittleBigPlanet" (for PlayStation 3):2006 : "Spore" (for PC):2005 : "Spore" (for PC):2004 : "Donkey Kong Jungle Beat" (for GameCube):2003 : "Full Spectrum Warrior" (for PC and Xbox):2002 : "Psychonauts" (for Xbox):2001 : "Majestic" (for PC):2000 : "Black and White" (for PC):1999 : "Black and White" (for PC)

Best Console Game

:2008 : "LittleBigPlanet" (for PlayStation 3):2007 : "Mass Effect" (for Xbox 360):2006 : "Gears of War" (for Xbox 360):2005 : "" (for Nintendo GameCube):2004 : "Halo 2" (for Xbox):2003 : "Halo 2" (for Xbox):2002 : "" (for Nintendo GameCube):2001 : "" (for PlayStation 2):2000 : "Jet Grind Radio" (for Sega Dreamcast):1999 : "Perfect Dark" (for Nintendo 64):1998 : "Metal Gear Solid" (for PlayStation)

Best PC Game

:2008 : "Spore":2007 : "Crysis":2006 : "Spore":2005 : "Spore":2004 : "":2003 : "Half-Life 2":2002 : "Doom 3":2001 : "Star Wars Galaxies":2000 : "Black and White":1999 : "Freelancer":1998 : "Half-Life"

Best Handheld Game

:2008 : "" (for PSP):2007 : "" (for Nintendo DS):2006 : "" (for Nintendo DS):2005 : "Nintendogs" (for Nintendo DS)

Best Action Game

:2008 : "Gears of War 2" (for Xbox 360):2007 : "Call of Duty 4" (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360):2006 : "Gears of War" (for Xbox 360):2005 : "F.E.A.R. (for PC):2004 : "Halo 2" (for Xbox):2003 : "Half-Life 2" (for PC):2002 : "Doom 3" (for PC):2001 : "" (for GameCube):2000 : "" (for PC):1999 : "Team Fortress" (for PC):1998 : "Half-Life" (for PC)

Best Action/Adventure Game

:2008 : "Dead Space" (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360):2007 : "Bioshock" (for Xbox 360):2006 : "Assassin's Creed" (for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360):2005 : "" (for GameCube):2004 : "Splinter Cell 3" (for PC):2003 : "" (for multiple systems):2002 : "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell" (for multiple systems):2001 : "" (for PlayStation 2):2000 : "Escape From Monkey Island" (for PC):1999 : "Oni" (for PC):1998 : "Grim Fandango" (for PC)

Best Fighting Game

:2008 : "Street Fighter IV" (for Arcade):2007 : "Virtua Fighter 5" (for PlayStation 3):2006 : "Heavenly Sword" (for PlayStation 3):2005 : "Soul Calibur 3" (for PlayStation 2):2004 : "" (all console systems):2003 : "Soul Calibur 2" (all console systems):2002 : "Tekken 4" (for PlayStation 2):2001 : "Super Smash Bros. Melee" (for Nintendo GameCube):2000 : "Ultimate Fighting Championship" (for Sega Dreamcast):1999 : "Soul Calibur" (for Sega Dreamcast):1998 : "Tekken 3"

Best Role Playing Game

:2008 : "Fallout 3" (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360):2007 : "Mass Effect" (for Xbox 360):2006 : "Mass Effect" (for Xbox 360):2005 : "" (for PC and Xbox 360):2004 : "Jade Empire" (for Xbox):2003 : "Fable" (for Xbox):2002 : "Neverwinter Nights" (for PC):2001 : "Neverwinter Nights" (for PC):2000 : "Neverwinter Nights" (for PC):1999 : "" (for PC):1998 : "Baldur's Gate" (for PC)

Best Racing Game

:2008 : "Pure" (for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360):2007 : "Burnout Paradise" (for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360):2006 : "Excite Truck" (for Wii):2005 : "Burnout Revenge" (for PlayStation 2 and Xbox):2004 : "Burnout 3" (for PlayStation 2 and Xbox):2003 : "Gran Turismo 4" (for PlayStation 2):2002 : "Auto Modellista" (for PlayStation 2):2001 : "" (for PlayStation 2):2000 : "" (for PC):1999 : "" (for PlayStation, PC):1998 : "" (for PC)

Best Simulation Game

(Combat, Flight, Non-Combat):2008 : "Tom Clancy's EndWar" (for PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360):2006 : "Spore" (for PC):2005 : "Spore" (for PC):2004 : "The Sims 2" (for PC):2003 : "Full Spectrum Warrior" (for PC, and Xbox):2002 : "The Sims Online" (for PC):2001 : "The Sims Online" (for PC):2000 : "" (for PC):1999 : (|F) "Janes USAF" (for PC):1999 : (|N) "Freelancer" (for PC):1998 : (|C) "Fighter Legends" (for PC) :1998 : (|N) "Railroad Tycoon 2" (for PC)

Best Sports Game

:2008 : "Madden NFL 09" (for multiple systems):2007 : "Madden NFL 08" (for multiple systems):2006 : "Wii Sports" (for Wii):2005 : "Madden NFL 2006" (for multiple systems):2004 : "Madden NFL 2005" (for multiple systems):2003 : "Tony Hawk's Underground" (for multiple systems):2002 : "NFL 2K3" (for GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox):2001 : "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3" (for PlayStation 2):2000 : "Madden NFL 2001" (for PlayStation 2):1999 : "NFL 2K" (for Sega Dreamcast):1998 : "Madden NFL 99" (for PC, Nintendo 64, and PlayStation)

Best Strategy Game

(Real-Time or Turn-Based):2007 : "World in Conflict" (for PC):2006 : "Supreme Commander" (for PC):2005 : "Company of Heroes" (for PC):2004 : "" (for PC):2003 : "" (for PC):2002 : "" (for PC):2001 : "Age Of Mythology" (for PC):2000 : "Black and White" (for PC):1999 : "Homeworld" (for PC):1998 : (RTS) "Homeworld":1998 : (turn-based) "Alpha Centauri"

Best Social/Casual/Puzzle Game

:2008 : "LittleBigPlanet" (for PlayStation 3):2007 : " Rock Band" (for Playstation 3 and Xbox 360):2006 : "Guitar Hero 2" (for PlayStation 2):2005 : "We Love Katamari" (for PlayStation 2):2004 : "" (for Nintendo GameCube):2003 : "The EyeToy Games" (for PlayStation 2):2002 : "Super Monkey Ball 2" (for Nintendo GameCube):2001 : "Pikmin" (for Nintendo GameCube):2000 : "Samba de Amigo" (for Sega Dreamcast):1999 : "Um Jammer Lammy" (for PlayStation):1998 : "Sentinel Returns"

Best Online Multiplayer

:2008 : "Left 4 Dead" (for PC and Xbox 360):2007 : "Halo 3" (for Xbox 360):2006 : " (for PC):2005 : "Battlefield 2 (for PC):2004 : "Halo 2" (for Xbox):2003 : "City of Heroes" (for PC):2002 : "Star Wars Galaxies" (for PC) [2] :2001 : "Star Wars Galaxies" (for PC) [1] :2000 : "Neverwinter Nights" (for PC):1999 : "Team Fortress" (for PC):1998 : "EverQuest"

Best Peripheral/Hardware

:2008 : "Rock Band 2 Ion "Drum Rocker" Set":2007 : "Rock Band" instruments:2006 : Wii:2005 : Xbox 360:2004 : PlayStation Portable:2003 : EyeToy (for PlayStation 2):2002 : WaveBird Wireless Controller (for Nintendo GameCube):2001 : (PC) nVidia GeForce 3:2001 : (Console) Nintendo GameCube:2000 : (PC) nVidia GeForce 2:2000 : (Console) Xbox:1999 : (PC) nVidia RIVA TNT2:1999 : (Console) Sega Dreamcast:1998 : Microsoft Sidewinder Freestyle Pro

Winners of older awards

pecial Commendation for Graphics or Sound

:2007 : (G) "Killzone 2" (for Playstation 3):2005 : (G) "Killzone (for PlayStation 3):2004 : (G) "Splinter Cell 3" (for PC):2003 : (G) "Half-Life 2" (for PC):2002 : (S) "Doom 3" (for PC):2001 : (S) "" (for PC):2000 : (G) "" ((for PlayStation and GameCube):1999 : (G) "Freelancer" (for PC):1999 : (+S) "Outcast" (for PC):1999 : (+S) "Um Jammer Lammy" (for PlayStation and GameCube)

Best Platformer

:1999 : "Donkey Kong 64" (for Nintendo 64)

Most Promising New Game

:1998 : "Homeworld"

Best Booth

:1999 : Electronic Arts [2] :1998 : Electronic Arts [1]

Best Party

:1998 : Babylon 5

External links

* [http://www.gamecriticsawards.com/ Game Critics Awards homepage]