Call of Duty 4 tops BAFTA nominees

Modern Warfare nets seven nods in extended Brit game awards; GTAIV, Fable II, Little Big Planet.
Some 15 months after the debut of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, one might think it was done competing for Game of the Year awards. One would be wrong, however, as the British Academy of Film and Television Arts today announced the gaming nominees for its (mostly) annual BAFTA awards, and Modern Warfare led all comers with nominations in seven categories, including Best Game.

More proof that Modern Warfare isn't ancient history.
The last BAFTA game awards were doled out in October of 2007, with publishers needing to submit eligible games in completed form by early September. Last year, the British Academy opted to delay the awards (and the submission cutoff), ensuring that games competing on shelves in the same holiday season would also be competing in the same awards season. But along with that delay comes a one-time extra-large pool of candidates, with a 2007 release like Modern Warfare competing against games like Ubisoft's Prince of Persia, which launched in December 2008.
Modern Warfare was by no means the only 2007 game to nab honors, nor the only one to pick up multiple nominations. Assassin's Creed was named in four categories, while Rock Band and Super Mario Galaxy each received three nods. As for the representatives of 2008, Grand Theft Auto IV garnered six nominations, Fable II and Little Big Planet scored five each, and Dead Space and Fallout 3 could soon need shelf space for an extra four awards each.
The winners will be announced March 10 in a cermony at the London Hilton on Park Lane. One guaranteed honoree that night is Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, who has been confirmed as the recipient of this year's Fellowship accolade.
The full list of categories and nominees follows.
Action & Adventure
Call of Duty 4: Modern WarfareDevelopment TeamInfinity Ward/Activision
Dead SpaceGlen Schofield, Chuck Beaver, Bret RobbinsElectronic Arts/Electronic Arts
Fable IIDevelopment TeamLionhead Studios/Microsoft Game Studios
Grand Theft Auto IVDevelopment TeamRockstar North/Rockstar Games
Prince of PersiaBen Mattes, Jean-Christophe GuyotUbisoft Montreal/Ubisoft Entertainment
Tomb Raider: UnderworldNoah Hughes, Pat Sirk, Toby GardCrystal Dynamics/Eidos
Artistic Achievement
Assassin's CreedJade Raymond, Patrice Desilets, Claude LanglaisUbisoft Montreal/Ubisoft Entertainment
Call of Duty 4: Modern WarfareDevelopment TeamInfinity Ward/Activision
Dead SpaceIan MilhamElectronic Arts/Electronic Arts
Gears of War 2Development TeamEpic Games/Microsoft Games Studios
Little Big PlanetKareem Ettouney, Mark Healey, Leo CubbinMedia Molecule & XDev Studio Europe/Sony Computer Entertainment
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the PatriotsYoji ShinkawaKojima Productions/Konami Digital Entertainment
Best Game
Call of Duty 4: Modern WarfareDevelopment TeamInfinity Ward/Activision
Fable IIDevelopment TeamLionhead Studios/Microsoft Game Studio
Fallout 3Todd Howard, Emil Pagliarulo, Istvan PelyBethesda Game Studio/Bethesda Softworks Europe
Grand Theft Auto IVDevelopment TeamRockstar North/Rockstar Games
Rock BandAlex Rigopulos, Eran Egozy, Mike DornbrookHarmonix Music Systems/MTV Games
Super Mario GalaxyDevelopment TeamNintendo/Nintendo
Casual
Boom BloxDevelopment TeamElectronic Arts LA/Electronic Arts
Buzz! Quiz TVDavid Amor, Andrew Eades, Lee ClareRelentless Software & XDev Studio Europe/Sony Computer Entertainment
Guitar Hero: World TourDevelopment TeamNeversoft/Activision
Little Big PlanetMark Healey, Dave Smith, Pete SmithMedia Molecule & XDev Studio Europe/Sony Computer Entertainment
SingStar Vol. 2Vera So, Gillian Connole, Kevin MasonSCE London Studio/Sony Computer Entertainment
Wii FitDevelopment TeamNintendo/Nintendo
Gameplay
Call of Duty 4: Modern WarfareDevelopment TeamInfinity Ward/Activision
Grand Theft Auto IVDevelopment TeamRockstar North/Rockstar Games
Left 4 DeadGabe Newell, Mike Booth, Chet FaliszekValve/Valve
Mario Kart WiiDevelopment TeamNintendo/Nintendo
Rock BandAlex Rigopulos, Dan Teasdale, Tracy Rosenthal-NewsomHarmonix Music System/MTV Games
Super Mario GalaxyDevelopment TeamNintendo/Nintendo
Handheld
Geometry Wars: GalaxiesJames Brooksby, Jim MummeryDoublesix/Sierra
God of War: Chains of the OlympusDevelopment TeamReady at Dawn & SCE Santa Monica Studio/Sony Computer Entertainment
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom HourglassDevelopment TeamNintendo/Nintendo
PataponDevelopment TeamPyramid & SCE Japan Studio/Sony Computer Entertainment
Professor Layton and the Curious VillageDevelopment TeamNintendo/Nintendo
Soul BubblesOlivier Lejade, Omar Cornut, Frederick RaynalMcKensleep/Eidos
Multiplayer
Buzz! Quiz TVDavid Amor, Andrew EadesRelentless Software & SCE XDev Studio Europe/Sony Computer Entertainment
Call of Duty 4: Modern WarfareDevelopment TeamInfinity Ward/Activision
Gears of War 2Development TeamEpic Games/Microsoft Games Studios
Left 4 DeadGabe Newell, Mike Booth, Chet FaliszekValve/Valve
Mario Kart WiiDevelopment TeamNintendo/Nintendo
Rock BandAlex Rigopulos, Kasson CrookerHarmonix Music System/MTV Games
Original Score
Assassin's CreedJade Raymond, Patrice Desilets, Claude LanglaisUbisoft Montreal/Ubisoft Entertainment
Dead SpaceDevelopment TeamElectronic Arts/Electronic Arts
Fable IIDevelopment TeamLionhead Studios/Microsoft Game Studios
Fallout 3Todd Howard, Emil Pagliarulo, Istvan PelyBethesda Game Studio/Bethesda Softworks Europe
Little Big PlanetKenneth Young, Mark Healey, Leo CubbinMedia Molecule & XDev Studio Europe/Sony Computer Entertainment
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the PatriotsHarry Gregson-WilliamsKojima Productions/Konami Digital Entertainment
Sports
FIFA 09Andrew Wilson, David Rutter, Gary PatersonEA Canada/Electronic Arts
Football Manager 2009Development TeamSports Interactive/SEGA
Motorstorm Pacific RiftDevelopment TeamEvolution Studios/Sony Computer Entertainment
PureJason Avent, Jim Callin, Craig GabellBlack Rock Studios/Disney Interactive Studios
Race Driver: GRIDDevelopment TeamCodemasters Studios/Codemasters
Wii FitDevelopment TeamNintendo/Nintendo
Strategy
Advance Wars: Dark Conflict (Advance Wars: Days of Ruin in the US)Development TeamNintendo/Nintendo
Command and Conquer: Red Alert 3Development TeamEA Los Angeles/Electronic Arts
NinjatownShawn Smith, Brandon Curiel, Jeremy PopeVenan in conjunction with Casmere Productions & Shalinamals/Southpeak Games
Sid Meier's Civilization RevolutionDevelopment TeamFiraxis Games/2K Games
SOCOM: US Navy Seals Tactical StrikeDevelopment TeamSlant Six Games & SCE Foster City Studio/Sony Computer Entertainment
Viva Pinata: Pocket ParadiseGary Richards, Paul Machacek, Joe HumfreyRare/THQ
Story and Character
Assassin's CreedJade Raymond, Patrice Desilets, Claude LanglaisUbisoft Montreal/Ubisoft Entertainment
Call of Duty 4: Modern WarfareDevelopment TeamInfinity Ward/Activision
Fable IIDevelopment TeamLionhead Studios/Microsoft Game Studios
Fallout 3Todd Howard, Emil PagliaruloBethesda Game Studio/Bethesda Softworks Europe
Grand Theft Auto IVDevelopment TeamRockstar North/Rockstar Games
Mass EffectCasey Hudson, Drew Karpyshyn, Derek WattsBioware/Electronic Arts
Technical Achievement
Assassin's CreedJade Raymond, Patrice Desilets, Claude LanglaisUbisoft Montreal/Ubisoft Entertainment
Fable IIDevelopment TeamLionhead Studios/Microsoft Game Studios
Fallout 3Todd Howard, Guy CarverBethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks Europe
Grand Theft Auto IVDevelopment TeamRockstar North/Rockstar Games
Little Big PlanetAlex Evans, Dave Smith, Leo CubbinMedia Molecule & XDev Studio Europe/Sony Computer Europe
SporeDevelopment TeamElectronic Arts Montreal/Electronic Arts
Use of Audio
Call of Duty 4: Modern WarfareDevelopment TeamInfinity Ward/Activision
Dead SpaceDon VecaElectronic Arts/Electronic Arts
Gears of War 2Development TeamEpic Games/Microsoft Games Studios
Grand Theft Auto IVDevelopment TeamRockstar North/Rockstar Games
Little Big PlanetKenneth Young, Mark Healey, Leo CubbinMedia Molecule & XDev Studio Europe/Sony Computer Entertainment
Super Mario GalaxyDevelopment TeamNintendo/Nintendo
BAFTA Ones to Watch Award in association with Dare to Be Digital
Boro-ToroAdam Westwood, Graham Ranson, Yves Wheeler, Matthew Booton, Owen SchwehrDarkMatter Designs
OrigameeRichard Barlow, Alberto Fustinoni, Jonathon Holmes, Kevin Dunlop, Jade LawBlue Skies
VegeMeGuo Lin, Gao Ting, Zhang Jun, Laing Wei, Alexander SymintonCtrl_D
GAME Award of 2008 (Voted for by the public)
Call of Duty: Modern WarfareInfinity Ward/Activision
Fallout 3Bethesda Game Studio/Bethesda Software Europe
Gears of War 2Epic Games/Microsoft Game Studios
Grand Theft Auto IVRockstar North/Take Two Interactive
Guitar Hero World TourNeversoft/Activision
Left 4 DeadValve/Valve
LittleBigPlanetMedia Molecule & XDEV Studio Europe/SCEE
Professor Layton and the Curious VillageNintendo/Nintendo
Wii FitNintendo/Nintendo
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich KingBlizzard Entertainment/Activision