Bafta video game nominations 2012: Batman and LA Noire dominate

Bafta has announced the nominations for this year's video game awards. Batman: Arkham City and LA Noire are the big contenders, attracting eight nominations each. Just beneath them, PlayStation 3 titles Uncharted 3 and LittleBigPlanet 2 are competing in six categories apiece, while Valve's sci-fi adventure puzzler Portal 2 , the Guardian's game of the year in 2011 , received five. The pinnacle Best Game award looks set to be a fascinating showdown. Batman: Arkham City, Fifa 12 and LA Noire are all in the mix with Portal 2, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword . The academy has also introduced three new awards this year. Debut Game, Online browser and Online multiplayer are there in an attempt to recognise original titles, as well as the growing importance of social connectivity. Of these, Debut Game is set to be the most interesting, pitching smaller titles Bastion, Eufloria and Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet against Rockstar's LA Noire giant. The 16 main categories, all judged by groups of industry insiders, take in everything from Action and Artisic Achievement to Audio, Acting and Innovation. A wide range of titles is competing, with Namco's cult RPG Dark Souls, Eric Chahi's From Dust and Denki's word game, Quarrel all finding space. There's a star studded face-off in the Performer category, which sees Mark Hamill (The Joker, Batman) taking on Stephen Fry (LittleBigPlanet 2) and Stephen Merchant (Portal 2). The awards are taking place on 16 March and it should be an intriguing night. Here is the full list: Action Assassin's Creed Revelations Batman: Arkham City Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Deus Ex: Human Revolution Portal 2 Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Artistic Achievement Batman: Arkham City LA Noire LitteBigPlanet 2 Rayman Origins The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Audio Achievement Batman: Arkham City Battlefield 3 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Dead Space 2 The Nightjar Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Best Game Batman: Arkham City Fifa 12 LA Noire Portal 2 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Debut Game Bastion Eufloria Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet Shadow Planet Productions/Microsoft Studios LA Noire Monstermind RIFT Design Batman: Arkham City LA Noire LittleBigPlanet 2 Portal 2 Super Mario 3D Land The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Family Dance Central 2 Kinect Sports 2 Leho Pirates of the Caribbean Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars LittleBigPlanet 2 Mario Kart 7 Game Innovation Bastion Child of Eden From Dust LA Noire LittleBigPlanet 2 The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Mobile and Handheld Dead Space iOS Magnetic Billiards: Blueprint Peggle Quarrel Super Mario 3D Land The Nightjar Online – Browser Gardens of Time I Am Playr Monstermind Resistance 3 Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure The Sims Social Online-Multiplayer Assassin's Creed: Revelations Battlefield 3 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Dark Souls Gears of War 3 LittleBigPlanet 2 Original Music Assassin's Creed: Revelations Batman: Arkham City Deus Ex: Human Revolution LA Noire The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Performer Aaron Stanton (Cole Phelps) – LA Noire Mark Hamill (The Joker) – Batman: Arkham City Nolan North (Nathan Drake) – Uncharted 3:Drake's Deception Stephen Fry (Narrator) – LittleBigPlanet 2 Stephen Merchant (Wheatley) – Portal 2 Togo Igawa (Dipolomat, Advisor and Military General) – Total War: Shogun 2 Sports/Fitness Dance Central 2 DiRT 3 Fl 2011 Fifa 12 Kinect Sports 2 Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012 Story Batman: Arkham City Deus Ex: Human Revolution LA Noire Portal 2 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Strategy Dark Souls Deus Ex: Human Revolution Football Manager 2012 From Dust Ghost Recon Shadow Wars Total War: Shogun 2 Bafta Ones to Watch Award in association with Dare to Be Digital Dreamweaver Joust! Tick Tock Toys Game Award of 2011 (voted for by the public) Batman: Arkham City Battlefield 3 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Fifa 12 LA Noire Minecraft Portal 2 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception