Full release: http://www.prweb.com/releases/gaming/awards/prweb1930684.htm

Complete list of nominees: http://www.navgtr.org/id94.html

Sacheen Littlefeather covers the 2008 NAViGaTR video game nominations presented by Becky Manders of the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Awards honor the best of the interactive entertainment industry in the fields of art, technology, and production.

A voting body of more than 950 eligible video game media critics, analysts, and journalists determined the final 209 nominees in 45 categories.

Manders announces Animation, Art Direction, Innovation, Use of Sound, and Game of the Year.

This year, the Academy also announced special Honorary Awards to be given out for the first time in the organizations history. The first-ever recipients will be Mike Acton, Andy Burke, and Geoff Evans for their outstanding community contribution and dedication to Insomniacs Nocturnal Initiative, a free open-source code, tools, and information sharing effort begun in 2008 that encourages better communication and lower development costs through the sharing of resources.

With 37 nominations, Electronic Arts has more nominations than any other publisher this year. Sony follows with 22 nominations, after having set a record in the previous year with 47 nominations. Rounding out the double-digit publisher nominees are Ubisoft (16), Microsoft (15), and Square Enix (13).

With 19 nominations, the Electronic Arts studio system also holds the highest nomination tally among developers this year, with Mirrors Edge developer DICE (Digital Illusions) following with 13 nods. Square Enix follows with 11 nods, while Little Big Planet developer Media Molecule has 10 nods. Ubisoft rounds out the top five developers with 8 nominations.

The nominees for Game of the Year are Gears of War 2, Left 4 Dead, Little Big Planet, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriot, and Mirrors Edge. The nominees for Game of the Year represent 20.43% of the total nominations, down from 22.58% last year. (less info)