Tech Blog

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The Canadian Video Game Awards (CVAs) are set to kick-off their inaugural ceremony honouring the very best and brightest in Canadian games, computer animation and visual effects this Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.  The brand new awards show, which was first announced in February 2010 as the "Canadian Video Game and Digital Arts Awards" (original logo can be seen here ) has since narrowed its focus and rebranded as simply the Canadian Video Game Awards.

Originally accepting nominations for nine video game categories and seven VFX / Animation categories spanning video games, television and film, the producers of the show have since dropped all but the video game categories.  In addition to the ten video game categories previously announced, a new category, Most Promising Game, now rounds out the award list.

All awards are for work completed in Canada by December 31st 2009. This includes products that were certified gold (i.e. development has finished) during the 2009 calendar year, but not released at retail.  Upgrade patches, expansion packs and DLC mission packs are not eligible.

The 2010 CVA categories and finalists are:

Game of the Year

• Assassin’s Creed II
• Dawn of War II
• Dragon Age: Origins
• FIFA 10
• Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes

Best Console

• Assassin’s Creed II
• Dragon Age: Origins
• FIFA 10
• NHL 10
• Prototype

Best Handheld Game

• Battle of Giants: Dragons
• LEGO Battles
• Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes
• MySims Racing
• Pandemica

Best Downloadable Game

• Critter Crunch
• Implode!
• Osmos
• Pandemica
• Super Monkey Ball 2

Best Audio

• Assassin’s Creed II
• Dawn of War II
• Dragon Age: Origins
• Skate 2
• WET

Best Game Design

• Assassin’s Creed II
• Dawn of War II
• Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes
• NHL 10
• Prototype

Best Technology

• Assassin’s Creed II
• FIFA 10
• Fight Night: Round 4
• Prototype
• Skate 2

Best Visual Arts

• Academy of Champions
• Assassin’s Creed II
• Dragon Age: Origins
• Fight Night: Round 4
• Punch-Out!!

Best Writing

• Assassin’s Creed II
• Dawn of War II
• Dragon Age: Origins
• Prototype
• WET

In-Game Cinematic

• Ghostbusters: The Video Game Cinematics
• LEGO Battles
• NBA Live 10
• Prototype Web of Intrigue

Most Promising Game

• Dead Rising 2
• Deus Ex: Human Revolution
• ModNation Racers
• Need for Speed World
• TRON: Evolution

Including many of the most popular and successful worldwide game releases from 2009, the CVA finalists list is reflective of the outstanding work produced by the Canadian video game industry.  Many of these titles have received universal acclaim according to Metacritic, including Assassin's Creed II (PS3 - 91%), Dragon Age: Origins (PC - 91%), FIFA Soccer 10 (Xbox 360 - 90%), Punch Out!! (Wii - 86%), and Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes (Nintendo DS - 86%) among others.  Given the high caliber of the finalists it's very likely that many Canadian gamers own one or more of these titles without even realizing they were produced right here at home.

Leading the nomination pack is Assassin's Creed II (Ubisoft Montreal), with seven nominations, followed by Dragon Age: Origins (Bioware) with five nominations, and Dawn of War II (Relic Entertainment) and Prototype (Radical Entertainment) with four nominations each.

"The lineup of finalists is a stunning collection of global blockbusters," said Victor Lucas, host of Electric Playground and one of the award show's producers. "These are among the biggest games in the world and they represent the best in this country's innovation and creativity."

The CVA's will be held just prior to the second annual Game Developers Conference Canada (GDC Canada) in Vancouver and will feature musical entertainment by the world renowned Video Games Live symphony.

If you're looking to check out the awards show, tickets are available on the Reboot Communication website for $35 (general public) $28 (association members or students) or $22 (GDC pass holders).

The entire event will be broadcast on television on G4 Canada through the Rogers Network, starting I presume at 7pm PST (10pm EST).

Among the sponsors of the event are G4, Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation, Ubisoft and Electronic Arts Canada.