The game critics have spoken, and the 2010 E3 Game Critics Awards winners have been chosen. Check out a Best of Show that isn't a game, big wins for EA and Rage, and a little vindication for our E3 awards.
Now before you read this, remember that the Game Critics Awards are not chosen by Kotaku. While we do play a part, they are determined by a group of 21 independent media outlets, including USA Today, MTV, and Spike TV.
That having been said, we're still pretty proud to reveal that Dance Central, our pick for Best New Game, Best Motion, and Best Xbox 360 Game, earned Best Original Game in the 2010 Game Critics E3 Awards. See? It wasn't just us.
With two of the big three prepping motion control peripherals for release, motion control was a big focus at this year's E3, but then so was 3D, and as far as the assembled game critics are concerned, no one did that quite as compellingly as Nintendo's 3DS, which walks away with Best Hardware as well as Best of Show.
While a game generally takes home Best of Show, there is precedent for hardware taking the prize: The Nintendo Wii won top honors at E3 2006.
If a game were to have won Best of Show, it might have been id's Rage, scoring three awards, more than any other title. It won Best Console Game, Best Action Game, and a special commendation for graphics.
Unfortunately those three awards still left Bethesda in second place as a publisher, trumped by EA's four awards for Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Rock Band 3, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and NBA Jam.
Check out the full list of winners below.
Best of Show
Nintendo 3DS
(Nintendo)
Best Original Game
Dance Central
(Harmonix/MTV Games/Microsoft for Xbox 360)
Best Console Game
Rage
(id Software/Bethesda for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360)
Best Handheld Game
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
(Ready at Dawn/Sony Santa Monica for PSP)
Best PC Game
Portal 2
(Valve)
Best Hardware
Nintendo 3DS
(Nintendo)
Best Action Game
Rage
(id Software/Bethesda for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360)
Best Action/Adventure Game
Portal 2
(Valve for PC / Mac, PS3 and Xbox 360)
Best Role Playing Game
Star Wars: The Old Republic
(BioWare Austin/LucasArts/EA for PC)
Best Fighting Game
Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
(Capcom for PS3 and Xbox 360)
Best Racing Game
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit
(Criterion Games/Electronic Arts for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360)
Best Sports Game
NBA Jam
(EA Canada/EA Sports for Wii)
Best Strategy Game
Civilization V
(Firaxis/2K Games for PC)
Best Social/Casual Game
Rock Band 3
(Harmonix/MTV Games/Electronic Arts for PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii)
Best Motion Simulation Game
Dance Central
(Harmonix/MTV Games/Microsoft for Xbox 360)
Best Online Multiplayer
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
(Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360)
Special Commendation for Graphics
Rage
(id Software/Bethesda for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360)