British Academy Video Game Awards 2007 - Full Picture Report - Nintendo OWNS It

SPOnG is at the 2007 British Academy Video Game Awards (the BAVGAs? the game's BAFTAs? What DO we call them?) at Battersea's immense Evolution centre, where Nintendo has well and truly owned the night. Read on for Adam's full run-down of the nights events, with loads of great pics from the event beaming directly into your eyes, right below this news.

After an opening few numbers by Athlete, this year’s BAVGAs got off to an great opening start with Vic Reeves doing a top job of getting the audience in the mood. Thank the Lord (well, if s/he existed) they chose somebody who is both funny and has a basic grasp of gaming culture this year.

First up - Best Multiplayer Game, with title's nominated this year being Battlefield 2142, Crackdown, Guitar Hero 2, Wii Sports, World In Conflict and World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade.

Wii Sports picked up this first award, with the ebullient boss of Nintendo UK, David Yarnton the first exec to take the stage, with the award being presented by cheeky monkey, Lil' Chris (from reality TV show, School of Rock for those who can't remember).

Next up, the BAFTA for Original Score – with nominees including God Of War 2, Lair, Okami, Zelda: Twilight Princess and Viva Pinata up for this one. Capcom’s beautiful Okami picked up this one, PR man Ben Le Rougetel thanking the guys back home in Japan for their great work.

Following this, soap starlets Max (Matt Littler) and ‘OB’ (Darren Jeffries) from Hollyoaks take to the stage to present the award for Story and Character’ – after a brief video interlude during which they ponder how ‘games are just becoming more like films’... just like people were pondering at ECTS in Islington in the early 1990s.

So, Story And Character nominees were Final Fantasy VII, Heavenly Sword, Okami, The Darkness, The Simpsons Game and God of War 2. The BAFTA here goes to David Jaffe’s God of War 2, a well-deserved award picked up by Sony.

“Nice to see a game on a last gen platform beat out the so-called next gen platforms,” noted Sony's Daniel Mayher, content producer on the game.

Lanky funnyman Peter Serafinowicz (the baddie from Spaced) leaps up on the stage next to give the next two for Best Use of Audio and Best Gameplay (nominated titles: Zelda, Warhawk, Wii Sports, Crackdown, Gears of War, Sega Rally) – with Nintendo’s David Yarnton making his second trip of the night to pick up the second award for the Gameplay award for Wii Sports.

“We’re trying to put fun back into gaming,” noted Yarnton

“I’d just like to say that I’d like a PS3,” noted Serafinowicz after Yarnton exited the stage. Not the best timing there Peter! But raised a chuckle from the audience nonetheless.

Crackdown, Elite Beat Agents, Gears of War, God of War 2, Guitar Hero 2, EA’s Skate were all up for Best Use of Audio – with Crackdown picking up the prize.

Next up, So Solid Crew’s Ashley Walters (more recently known for his acting roles) presents a video talking about his love of driving games and simulators before taking to the stage with Colin McRae Dirt, Football Manager 2008, Virtua Tennis and Wii Sports (‘the sports game that gives you a workout as you play!’) all up for the running for Best Sports Title.

Yet again, Wii Sports! Marketing supremo, Rob Lowe (no, not that one!) picks up the game’s third award of the night, noting a particular thanks to Mr Iwata and his team in Japan.

“You're very confident at that table down there aren’t you?” quips Vic, glancing down at a very happy bunch of Nintendo execs.

McFly next, doing a quick VT interlude ("the McFlitteri-dees, all on their bed!” says Reeves) – the favourite of tween girls and metrosexuals across the land, so we’re reliably informed – to tell us all about how awesome Wii Sports and Guitar Hero are. Err, thanks for that lads!

Moving on, pop has-been time – it’s non other than Gareth Gates - to present the PC World Gamers’ Award – nominees including Brain Training, FIFA 07, Football Manager 2007, Gears of War, Vice City Stories, Resistance: Fall of Man (much to the upset of the Church of England!) and Wii Play.

Football Manager 2007 scoops it, with Sports Interactive's bossman Miles Jacobson bouncing up onto the stage to give his thanks to his awesome team of football geniuses (geni-i?) over at SEGA's SI studio in London. Perhaps one of the more important awards this particular one, as it is the only award chosen by the public.

And football won it on the day... no baseball.

Charlie Simpson (ex of boy band, Busted) is up next to present the award for Artistic Achievement - with titles up for the award here being BioShock, Heavenly Sword, Okami, Ratchet And Clank: Tools of Destruction, Skate and Rare’s cutesy cartoon farm Viva Pinata. Capcom picks up the second award of the night for Okami.

Nice one lads! We look forward to seeing the Wii version next year.

The award for Strategy and Simulation Games is up next, presented by popster, Remi Nicole – up for this one are Command and Conquer, Forza Motorsport 2, Medieval II: Total War, Rainbow Six: Vegas, Wii Sports and Vivendi’s alternate cold war RTS, World In Conflict.

OMG! Wii Sports picks up its fourth award of the night. Product marketing manager Rob Lowe makes his second trip up to the rostrum to thank the whole of Japan yet again.

“Wii Sports again! When will we ever stop them? I don’t think we can!” quips Reeves.

Racing driver and TV presenter, Vicki Butler Henderson is up next to present the BAFTA for Technical Achievement – titles nominated include Crackdown, Gears of War, God of War 2, Motorstorm and Uncharted: Drakes Fortune – with God of War 2 picking up its second award of the night.

Actress Rebecca Ryan (‘Debbie of Shameless’ fame) is up to present the BAFTA Ones To Watch award, sponsored by Dare To Be Digital. Bear Go Home, ClimbActic, Ragnarawk were all up for this, with Ragnarawk picking this one up.

The Right Honourable Margaret Hodge (Minister of State (Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism), Department for Culture, Media & Sport... phew) greets Vic next. Hodge is delighted to present the BAFTA for Innovation for our “£280 Million a year” industry. Nominated for this were flOw, Okami, The Eye Of Judgement, Trauma Center: Second Opinion and, yep, Wii Sports (again!).

Wii Sports picks up its fifth of the night. This time the guys send up a beaming Rob Saunders, UK PR manager. Hope they have room on the table. If they get another one they’ll be running out of new marketing execs to pick it up!

Yay! Comedian Dom Joly is the next ‘sleb up with his a little VT outtake and then up on to the stage to present the BAFTA for Action and Adventure.

“Can I just join Peter Sera… err, Peter, in asking for a PS3 and a Wii please? Unfortunately the Xboxes outside aren’t working. Who’s doing the PR for Xbox? Do I hear the sound of a revolver?” he quips.
Crackdown, Gears of War, God of War 2, Orange Box, Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction and Twilight Princess fight it out for this one.

“Wii Sports – you need to work on the sound don’t you? Your not even NOMINATED!” laughs Joly. “You’ve won everything else!”

Crackdown (“Or bumfluff, as it’s known in England” notes Reeves) picks up another in this category, with a Scotsman in a kilt thanking Microsoft. Shame about those broken Xboxes outside mind…

Chinese actor, Benedict Wong up next to present the BAFTA for Casual game – from Big Brain Academy, Cake Mania, Guitar Hero 2, More Brain Training, SingStar and Wii Sports (“it might look energetic but experts know it’s all in the wrist”) and – yep, you guessed it – Wii Sports picks up its sixth BAFTA of the night.

“Wii Sports – becoming The Little Britain of the gaming awards,” says Reeves.

Back on stage now are the (well-oiled) boys from Athlete to present the award for Best Game – “lets hear it for the losers” shout the boys, to a muted cheers (from, we can only presume, some losers) – BioShock, Crysis, God of War 2, Wii Sports and more were nominated. Wii Sports DOESN’T WIN. Shock horror! BioShock rightfully picks up the award. Nice one 2K Games. Well deserved.

Finally, the biggest award of the night is awarded by Gollum - otherwise known as Andy Serkis. Accompanied on stage by BAFTA’s very own Hilary Bevan Jones.

Chaplin, Spielberg and Hitchcock have all picked up BAFTA Fellowships in the past, but this is the first time that the award has gone to anybody involved in game design and development.

From Will Wright’s Raid On Bungling Bay (C64 anyone?) through Sim City, The Sims and (coming later next year) the immense Spore – nobody in gaming deserves this massive cultural slap-on-the-back more.

(Although you might possibly, just maybe, figure that the first one of these given at the BAFTAs could possibly, maybe have gone to a Brit? Just as it's the first time for a video games BAFTA fellowhip? Braben? Molyneux? Or are we being churlish and small-minded? Opinion in the Forum please.)

Wright makes a brief but impassioned speech in defence of his beloved and ‘culturally significant medium’ and modestly asks the room for a round of applause for BAFTA.

We look forward to Will’s BAFTA lecture tomorrow afternoon. We’ll bring you the full account of that around 8pm tomorrow. In the meantime, those were the BAVGAs in association with PC World (‘Boooo!’ says the audience).

Thanks Vic. Wii Sports OWNED the BAVGAs this year. Let us know what you think of the winners (and the losers) in the Forum.