The Game Awards 2015 Nominees: Geoff Keighley Reveals What's In Store For Year Two

The second annual Game Awards returns December 3 to celebrate the community that has made video games mainstream. Games are no longer about who plays, but how they play, Geoff Keighley, the show's producer, said in an interview with International Business Times. Along with the full list of Game Awards 2015 nominees, Keighley provided a few insights on what to expect from this year's show.

Instead of television, the show will be broadcast on the formats most familiar with gamers. Twitch, YouTube Games, Xbox and PlayStation will all feature the broadcast. The Game Awards 2015 also got a big sponsor in Verizon's web TV service Go90 along with the support of all the industry titans. Activision, Electronic Arts, Sony Computer Entertainment America, Nintendo of America, Microsoft Xbox, Hideo Kojima, Rockstar Games and Valve are just a few of the companies serving on the advisory board. As part of the broadcast, there will be interactive deals and discounts where gamers can buy select titles during the show.

The biggest category, Game of the Year, features five games that push the boundaries of creativity. "Bloodborne," "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt," "Fallout 4," "Super Mario Maker" and "Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain." The Game Awards 2015 take place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles Dec. 3.

For Keighley, the nominees for Game of the Year are among the most ambitious games out there, Keighley said. "Super Mario Maker," despite its simplicity, gives players the incredible power of creation. "What I like about each of the games is they have an incredible sense of authorship," Keighley said. "Whether you're creating a level in "Super Mario Maker," selecting your gender and character in "Fallout" or figuring out how to attack a base in "Metal Gear." Games now allow you to choose your path."

Indie games have become just as creative and expansive as the biggest AAA titles. A game like "Rocket League," developed by Psyonix, has become a phenomenon played by gamers around the world. It's up for Indie Game of the Year along with "Axiom Verge," "Her Story," "Ori and the Blind Forest" and "Undertale."

"Each of the nominated games this year allow you to express yourself however you want. Whether it's as a creator, player or, even as an author of your own story," Keighley said.

There are also a few new awards in the second-ever Video Games Awards. In an attempt to highlight more of the people behind the best games of the year, Best Art Direction helps highlight more the vast environments that make the gaming experience so immersive. "Batman: Arkham Knight," "Bloodborne," "Metal Gear V: The Phantom Pain," "Ori and the Blind Forest" and "The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt" are nominated for Best Art Direction.

With eSports already featured in two categories -- eSports Team of the Year and eSports Player of the Year -- the Video Game Awards has added a new category for the game itself. "League of Legends," "Dota 2," "Hearthstone, "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" and "Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare" are nominated for Best eSports Game of the Year.

While Keighley does not play favorites with the Video Game Awards categories, he does point to Games for Change as one that helps highlight the message of the show. These games either had a strong social message or incredible artistry. "This category looks at small creators with big ideas," Keighley said.

The Game Awards 2015 will follow a similar format as last year's show, but there will be more surprises, world premieres and awards given out during the broadcast. Keighley said he wants to improve the show, but not to the detriment of the gaming community or the actual games. Finding the right balance between world exclusives and awards, based on the feedback from last year, will be important. The show will include celebrities and musical performances on a stage designed by LeRoy Bennet who's worked on production and lighting for Beyonce, Paul McCartney, Nine Inch Nails and the MTV Movie Awards.

"You can put a small, independent developer on the same stage as the biggest game in the world and I think there's something special about that. I feel it's also an obligation to help gamers discover some amazing games that are out there," Keighley said.

'Game of the Year

"Bloodborne" (FromSoftware / Sony Computer Entertainment)

"Fallout 4" (Bethesda Game Studios / Bethesda Softworks)

"Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain" (Kojima Productions / Konami)

"Super Mario Maker" (Nintendo)

"The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" (CD Projekt Red / Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment)

Developer of the Year

Bethesda Game Studios

CD Projekt Red

FromSoftware

Kojima Productions

Nintendo

Best Independent Game

"Axiom Verge" (Tom Happ)

"Her Story" (Sam Barlow)

"Ori and the Blind Forest" (Moon Studios)

"Rocket League" (Psyonix)

"Undertale" (tobyfox)

Best Mobile/Handheld Game

"Downwell" (Moppin / Devolver Digital)

"Fallout Shelter" (Bethesda Game Studios | Behaviour Interactive / Bethesda Softworks)

"Lara Croft GO" (Square Enix Montreal / Square Enix)

"Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate" (Capcom)

"Pac-Man 256" (Hipster Whale / Bandai Namco Entertainment)

Best Narrative

"Her Story" (Sam Barlow)

"Life Is Strange" (DONTNOD Entertainment / Square Enix)

"Tales From The Borderlands" (TellTale Games)

"The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" (CD Projekt Red / Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment)

"Until Dawn" (Supermassive Games / Sony Computer Entertainment)

Best Art Direction

"Batman: Arkham Knight" (Rocksteady Studios / Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment)

"Bloodborne" (FromSoftware / Sony Computer Entertainment)

"Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain" (Kojima Productions / Konami)

"Ori and the Blind Forest" (Moon Studios / Microsoft Studios)

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" (CD Projekt Red / Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment)

Best Score/Soundtrack

"Fallout 4" (Bethesda Game Studios / Bethesda Softworks)

"Halo 5: Guardians" (343 Industries / Microsoft Studios)

"Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain" (Kojima Productions / Konami)

"Ori and the Blind Forest" (Moon Studios / Microsoft Studios)

"The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" (CD Projekt Red/ Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment)

Best Performance

Ashly Burch as Chloe Price ("Life is Strange")

Camilla Luddington as Lara Croft ("Rise of the Tomb Raider")

Doug Cockle as Geralt ("The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt")

Mark Hamill as The Joker ("Batman: Arkham Knight")

Viva Seifert ("Her Story")

Games for Change Award

"Cibele" (Nina Freeman)

"Her Story" (Sam Barlow)

"Life Is Strange" (DONTNOD Entertainment / Square Enix)

"Sunset" (Tale of Tales)

"Undertale" (tobyfox)

Best Shooter

"Call of Duty: Black Ops 3" (Treyarch / Activision)

"Destiny: The Taken King" (Bungie / Activision)

"Halo 5: Guardians" (343 Industries / Microsoft Studios)

"Splatoon" (Nintendo)

"Star Wars Battlefront" (DICE / Electronic Arts)

Best Action/Adventure Game

"Assassin’s Creed Syndicate" (Ubisoft Quebec / Ubisoft)

"Batman: Arkham Knight" (Rocksteady Studios / Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment)

"Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain" (Kojima Productions / Konami)

"Ori and the Blind Forest" (Moon Studios / Microsoft Studios)

"Rise of the Tomb Raider" (Crystal Dynamics / Microsoft Studios)

Best Role Playing Game

"Bloodborne" (FromSoftware / Sony Computer Entertainment)

"Fallout 4" (Bethesda Game Studios / Bethesda Softworks)

"Pillars of Eternity" (Obsidian Entertainment / Paradox Interactive)

"The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" (CD Projekt Red/ Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment)

"Undertale" (tobyfox)

Best Fighting Game

"Guilty Gear Xrd –SIGN–" (Arc System Works / Aksys Games)

"Mortal Kombat X" (NetherRealm Studios / Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment)

"Rise of Incarnates" (Bandai Namco Entertainment)

"Rising Thunder" (Radiant Entertainment)

Best Family Game

"Disney Infinity 3.0" (Avalanche Studios / Disney Interactive Studios)

"LEGO Dimensions" (Traveller's Tales / Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment)

"Skylanders: SuperChargers" (Vicarious Visions | Beenox Studios / Activision)

"Splatoon" (Nintendo)

"Super Mario Maker" (Nintendo)

Best Sports/Racing Game

"FIFA 16" (EA Canada / Electronic Arts)

"Forza Motorsport 6" (Turn 10 Studios / Microsoft Studios)

"NBA 2K16" (Visual Concepts / 2K Sports)

"Pro Evolution Soccer 2016" (PES Productions / Konami)

"Rocket League" (Psyonix)

Best Multiplayer

"Call of Duty: Black Ops 3" (Treyarch / Activision)

"Destiny: The Taken King" (Bungie / Activision)

"Halo 5: Guardians" (343 Industries / Microsoft Studios)

"Rocket League" (Psyonix)

"Splatoon" (Nintendo)

Most Anticipated Game

"Horizon Zero Dawn" (Guerrilla Games / Sony Computer Entertainment)

"No Man’s Sky" (Hello Games)

"Quantum Break" (Remedy Entertainment / Microsoft Studios)

"The Last Guardian" (GenDesign/ Sony Computer Entertainment)

"Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End" (Naughty Dog / Sony Computer Entertainment)

eSports Player of the Year

Kenny “KennyS” Schrub (Counter-Strike Global Offensive / Team EnVyUs)

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok (League of Legends / SK Telecom T1)

Olof “olofmeister” Kajbjer (Counter-Strike Global Offensive / Fnatic)

Peter “ppd” Dager (Dota 2 / Evil Geniuses)

Syed Sumail “Suma1L” Hassan (Dota 2 / Evil Geniuses)

eSports Team of the Year

Evil Geniuses

Fnatic

Optic Gaming

SK Telecom T1

Team SoloMid

eSports Game of the Year

"Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare" (Sledgehammer Games / Activision)

"Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" (Valve)

"Dota 2" (Valve)

"Hearthstone" (Blizzard Entertainment)

"League of Legends" (Riot Games)

Trending Gamer

Total Biscuit

Christopher “MonteCristo” Mykles

Greg Miller

Markiplier

PewDiePie

Best Fan Creation

GTA V – Targets (Hoodoo Operator)

Real GTA (Corridor Digital)

Portal Stories: Mel (Prism Studios)

"Super Mario Maker" e-Reader Levels (Baddboy78 / theycallmeshaky)

Twitch Plays "Dark Souls" (Twitch Community)