Evolve and 2K lead the way for E3 Game Critics Awards nominations

PS4 was the platform with the most nominees, barely

With E3 2014 in the rear-view mirror, it’s time to see which publishers and games impressed the Game Critics judges the most. The Game Critics Awards are handed out after judges from 39 outlets vote on titles that were at E3. These awards have such clout that even a nomination is a substantial accomplishment.

This year, Turtle Rock’s Evolve leads the way with six nods, including Best of Show. Due in part to Evolve‘s strong showing, 2K Games is the publisher with the most nominations — eight. PlayStation 4 barely edged the competition with 26 total games nominated; Xbox One and PC had 25 and 24 respectively (all multiplatform titles are tallied once for each appropriate platform).

While Destructoid’s Best of Show was Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, it wasn’t available to judges for hands-on time, thus making it not eligible for voting. The same is true for Tom Clancy’s The Division, and Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

Here’s the full breakdown of categories and nominees:

Best of Show:

• Alien: Isolation
• Batman: Arkham Knight
• Evolve
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
• No Man’s Sky
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege

Best Original Game:

• Destiny
• Evolve
• No Man’s Sky
• Splatoon
• Sunset Overdrive

Best Console Game:

• Alien: Isolation
• Batman: Arkham Knight
• Destiny
• Evolve
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

Best Handheld Game:

• Murasaki Baby
• Personal Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
• Super Smash Bros. for 3DS
• Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call

Best PC Game:

• Civilization: Beyond Earth
• Dragon Age: Inquisition
• Evolve
• Far Cry 4
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege

Best Hardware:

• Alienware Alpha
• Oculus Rift
• PlayStation TV
• Project Morpheus

Best Action Game:

• Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
• Destiny
• Evolve
• Far Cry 4
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege

Best Action/Adventure Game:

• Alien: Isolation
• Assassin’s Creed Unity
• Batman: Arkham Knight
• Sunset Overdrive
• The Order: 1886

Best RPG:

• Bloodborne
• Dragon Age: Inquisition
• Fable Legends
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
• Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth

Best Fighting Game:

• Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-
• Killer Instinct Season 2
• Mortal Kombat X
• Personal 4 Arena Ultimax
• Super Smash Bros. Wii U

Best Racing Game:

• Driveclub
• Forza Horizon 2
• The Crew

Best Sports Game:

• FIFA 15
• NHL 15
• Madden NFL 15

Best Strategy Game:

• Civilization: Beyond Earth
• Grey Goo

Best Social/Casual Game:

• Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes
• Fantasia: Music Evolved
• LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham
• Mario Maker
• Yoshi’s Wooly World

Best Online Multiplayer:

• Battlefield: Hardline
• Destiny
• Evolve
• Splatoon
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege

Best Indie:

• Axiom Verge
• CounterSpy
• Below
• No Man’s Sky
• Ori and the Blind Forest

Best of E3 2014 [Game Critics Awards]