March 9, 2004 NASHUA NH --- The National Academy of Video Game Testers and Reviewers Corp. is pleased to partner with Computer Graphics World in producing the announcement event for the 3^rd annual “NAViGaTR Awards.” 

The event will be held exclusively at the Computer Graphics World booth #1704 on the expo floor at the Game Developers Conference in San Jose, CA, March 25-26.  The games leading in nominations, Prince of Persia® and the Legend of Zelda®, will be available for play at the booth.  The winners in each category will be announced over a two-day period according to the following schedule:

Thursday, March 25
12 pm:
Genre Categories, Original Material; Other
1. Original Action Game
2. Original Adventure Game
3. Original Children's Game
4. Original Fighting Game
5. Original Puzzle Game
6. Original Racing Game
7. Original RPG
8. Original Sports Game
9. Outstanding Simulation Game
10. Outstanding Special Class Game
11. Outstanding Strategy Game

Thursday, March 25
2pm:
Writing and Sound Categories
12. Writing, Dialogue
13. Writing, Story
14. Original or Adapted Song
15. Original Musical Score
16. Song Album
17. Sound Effects
18. Use of Sound
19. Voice Performance

Thursday, March 25
4pm:
Design and Programming Categories
20. Character Design
21. Control Design
22. Control Precision
23. Costume Design
24. Game Design
25. Innovation in Game Play
26. Innovation in Technology

Thursday, March 25
6pm:
Visual Arts Categories
27. Animation in a Game Cinema
28. Animation in a Game Engine
29. Art Direction in a Game Cinema
30. Art Direction in a Game Engine
31. Camera Direction in a Game Engine
32. Direction in a Game Cinema
33. Graphics, Technical
34. Lighting/Texturing

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Friday, March 26
12 pm:
Genre Categories, Sequels; and Game of the Year
35. Action Game Sequel
36. Adventure Game Sequel
37. Children's Game Sequel
38. Fighting Game Sequel
39. Puzzle Game Sequel
40. Racing Game Sequel
41. RPG Sequel
42. Sports Game Sequel
43. GAME OF THE YEAR

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The nominees for Game of the Year are Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge™, The Legend of Zelda®: Wind Waker™, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time™, and Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™.  The four nominees for Game of the Year represent 22% of the total nominees. 

Prince of Persia leads the pack with sixteen (16) nominations, the only game to score double-digit nominations.  Wind Waker received the next highest total with nine (9) nominations, while Crimson Skies and Knights of the Old Republic each have seven (7) nominations, as does Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne.  Rounding out the top nominees are Final Fantasy X-2 with six (6) nominations and three other games with five (5) nominations each:  Call of Duty, Primal, and Silent Hill 3. 

Ubisoft leads all other game companies with 25 nominations, followed by Nintendo (19), Sony (17), Microsoft (17), LucasArts (13), Konami (13), Electronic Arts (12), Activision (12), Rockstar (8), Capcom (7), and Square Enix USA (7).  Last year, Nintendo led the race with a record-breaking 41 nominations. 

For the complete list of nominees, as well as more information on NAVGTR Corp.’s missions and programs, log onto www.navgtr.org. 

Computer Graphics World, serving digital content professionals for more than 25 years, is a part of the PennWell media family. PennWell, established in 1910, is a highly diversified media company serving strategic business markets worldwide. These strategic markets include petroleum, electric power, electronics, communications, information technology, water, fire services, manufacturing, and healthcare.

NAVGTR Corp. is a 501(c)(6) non-profit corporation devoted to promoting and recognizing the developments and achievements of the interactive entertainment industry for public awareness and education.  In addition to the annual awards, the academy’s future goals include acknowledging, documenting, and/or memorializing industry leaders and historical events through educational and informative television specials or videos, as well as efforts to preserve the history of interactive entertainment through the development of archives in public libraries and universities. 

A voting body of more than 950 eligible video game media critics will vote on the winners until March 12, 2004.  The winners will arrive at Computer Graphics World in sealed envelopes.  The winners will be known only when the presenters on the floor open the envelopes.   

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