GDC Award nominees led by 'Limbo,' 'Red Dead Redemption,' 'Mass Effect 2'

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The shortlist for this year's Game Developers Choice Awards has been announced ahead of the March 2 ceremony in San Francisco, with Limbo, Red Dead Redemption and Mass Effect 2 ahead of the pack.

Both the nominees and the GDCA's eventual winners are chosen by fellow game industry professionals.

Atmospheric Xbox 360 download Limbo accrued seven nominations across ten categories, with PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 cowboy and western hit Read Dead Redemption receiving six, and five going to Mass Effect 2, a space epic for Xbox 360, PC, and soon the PlayStation 3.

Limbo, Red Dead and ME2 are joined by Call of Duty: Black Ops (multi-format) and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (360, PS3) in the Game of the Year category.

Minecraft, PC gaming's surprise sales sensation, gathered three nominations (Innovation, Best Downloadable, and Best Debut) to accompany a further three for the GDCA sister event, the Independent Games Festival. Limbo picked up two awards at the IGF awards show in 2010.

Fellow multiple nominees include Costume Quest (360, PS3), God of War III (PS3), Heavy Rain (PS3), Monday Night Combat (360, PC), and Super Meat Boy (360, PC).

Other industry award ceremonies to look out for include the Interactive Achievement Awards presented at the DICE Summit in Las Vegas on February 10, the British Academy Video Games Awards on March 16, and the Game Critics Awards, which follow the Electronic Entertainment Expo, June 5-7.

For more on the Game Developers Choice Awards nominees and categories, visit the GDCA website at http://www.gamechoiceawards.com.