Third Annual Game Developers Choice Online Awards Finalists Revealed

SAN FRANCISCO, July 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- UBM TechWeb Game Network, organizers of the Game Developers Conference® Online (formerly GDC Austin), have announced the finalists for the third annual Game Developers Choice Online Awards, the premiere awards show honoring the best in connected online gaming, from social network titles to major MMOs and beyond.

The most-nominated titles include BioWare Austin's MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic, which grabbed six nominations, as well as multiple nominations for diverse titles including OMGPOP/Zynga's addictive social mobile app Draw Something, Playfish/EA's Facebook treatment of one of gaming's biggest franchises, The Sims Social, Blizzard Entertainment's record-breaking PC online-integrated title Diablo III, Tiny Speck's quirky casual MMO Glitch, and more.

The range of nominees this year highlights the constantly evolving online game ecosystem, which is particularly reflected in the Awards' top prize categories, Best Live Game and Best New Online Game. 

In the Best Live Game category, recent but strong online contenders Rift  (Trion World) and League of Legends (Riot Games), the latter of which was nominated in the same category at last year's Awards, compete against titles including fan favorite CityVille (Zynga) and cornerstone title World of Warcraft (Blizzard Entertainment). Best New Online Game nominees include the aforementioned Star Wars: The Old Republic, which runs against OMGPOP's much buzzed-about Draw Something and F2P mobile standout Rage of Bahamut (Cygames/Mobage), among others.

The Game Developers Choice Online Awards are a sister event to the Game Developers Choice Awards which takes place annually at GDC in San Francisco. The ceremony will be held on the evening of Wednesday, October 10, 2012 during the Game Developers Conference Online (GDC Online), which takes place at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas October 9-11.

The Choice Online Awards-specific International Choice Awards Network (ICAN Online) is responsible for selecting both the finalists and the winners for each regular awards category. ICAN Online is comprised of an invitation-only group of 400 leading game creators from all parts of the online game industry.

Returning to the Game Developers Choice Online Awards for 2012 is industry veteran and popular host Mike Goslin of Rebel Entertainment, who will once again act as master of ceremonies during the "for developers, by developers" awards ceremony.

The complete list of finalists for the 2012 Game Developers Choice Online Awards, presented in association with 2012 Platinum Sponsor EdgeCast, are as follows:

BEST SOCIAL NETWORK GAME:

• CastleVille (Zynga Dallas)
• Rage Of Bahamut (Cygames/Mobage)
• Draw Something (OMGPOP/Zynga)
• Empires & Allies (Zynga LA)
• The Sims Social (Playfish)

BEST AUDIO:

• Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin)
• Tribes: Ascend (Hi-Rez Studios)
• Marvel: Avengers Alliance (Playdom/Disney)
• Diablo III (Blizzard Entertainment)
• Indiana Jones Adventure World (Zynga Boston)

BEST ONLINE GAME DESIGN:

• Glitch (Tiny Speck)
• Realm of the Mad God (Wild Shadow Studios/Kabam w/Spry Fox)
• Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin)
• DragonVale (Backflip Studios)
• Woodland Heroes (Row Sham Bow)

BEST ONLINE VISUAL ARTS:

• Tera (Bluehole Studio/En Masse)
• Empires & Allies (Zynga LA)
• Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin)
• Age of Empires Online (Robot Entertainment & Gas Powered Games)
• Glitch (Tiny Speck)

ONLINE INNOVATION:

• Journey (thatgamecompany)
• Realm of the Mad God (Wild Shadow Studios/Kabam w/Spry Fox)
• Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin)
• DayZ Mod for ArmA II (Dean Hall/Bohemia Interactive)
• Idle Worship (Idle Games)

BEST COMMUNITY RELATIONS*:

• World of WarCraft (Blizzard Entertainment)
• League of Legends (Riot Games)
• Solitaire Blitz (PopCap/EA)
• World of Tanks (Wargaming.net Belarus)
• Diamond Dash (Wooga)

BEST ONLINE TECHNOLOGY:

• Diablo III (Blizzard Entertainment)
• Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin)
• Indiana Jones Adventure World (Zynga Boston)
• Tera (Bluehole Studio/En Masse)
• The Sims Social (Playfish)

BEST LIVE GAME*:

• League of Legends (Riot Games)
• Rift (Trion Worlds)
• CityVille (Zynga)
• World of WarCraft (Blizzard Entertainment)
• EVE Online (CCP Games)

BEST NEW ONLINE GAME:

• CastleVille (Zynga Dallas)
• Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin)
• DragonVale (Backflip Studios)
• Draw Something (OMGPOP/Zynga)
• Rage Of Bahamut (Cygames/Mobage)

Special Note: All nominees launched in public Beta or full launch in North America between June 2011 and May 2012, other than starred categories, which are for all currently-operating games.

Voting for the 2012 Game Developers Choice Online Awards "Audience Award" category opens in the near future at www.GDCOnlineAwards.com.  

The Choice Online Awards will also feature two Special Award categories: the Online Game Legend Award and the Choice Online Awards Hall of Fame. These categories are designed to celebrate iconic developers and games that have left an everlasting impression and shaped the way that massive online games are played worldwide. Winners for the 2012 Awards categories will be revealed in the coming weeks.

More information about the Game Developers Choice Online Awards is available at the official website at www.GDCOnlineAwards.com.  GDC Online takes place in Austin, Texas from October 9-11, 2012. Information about sessions and registration is available at www.GDCOnline.com.  All GDC Online pass holders, including the Expo Pass, will have access to the awards ceremony.

About the UBM TechWeb Game Network 
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