The E3 award nominees have been announced by the show organisers, following possibly the best E3 ever, in terms of software. Although there seem to be some notable omissions, most of the big games have sneaked in somewhere, though Mario Sunshine received only 2 nominations.

The full list of nominees is:

Best of Show

- DOOM III (id Software/Activision for PC)
- Metroid Prime (Retro Studios/Nintendo for Gamecube)
- Neverwinter Nights (Bioware/Infogrames for PC)
- The Legend of Zelda (Nintendo for Gamecube)
- The Sims Online (Maxis/Electronic Arts for PC)

Best Original Game

- Animal Crossing (Nintendo for GameCube/Game Boy Advance)
- Blinx: The Time Sweeper (Artoon/Microsoft for Xbox)
- Psychonauts (Double Fine Productions/Microsoft for Xbox)
- The Getaway (Team Soho/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 2)
- The Sims Online (Maxis/Electronic Arts for PC)

Best PC Game

- Age of Mythology (Ensemble Studios/Microsoft for PC)
- Command & Conquer Generals (EA Pacific/Electronic Arts for PC)
- DOOM III (id Software/Activision for PC)
- Neverwinter Nights (Bioware/Infogrames for PC)
- Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided (Sony Online/LucasArts for PC)

Best Console Game

- Blinx: The Time Sweeper (Artoon/Microsoft for Xbox)
- Metroid Prime (Retro Studios/Nintendo for Gamecube)
- Super Mario Sunshine (Nintendo for Gamecube)
- The Getaway (Team Soho/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 2)
- The Legend of Zelda (Nintendo for Gamecube)

Best Console Hardware

- AirFlo Controllers (Nyko for Multiple Platforms)
- e-Reader (Nintendo for Game Boy Advance)
- Steel Battalion Controller (Capcom for Xbox)
- WaveBird Wireless Controller (Nintendo for Gamecube)
- Xbox Communicator Headset - Xbox Live Service (Microsoft for Xbox)

Best Action Game

- Dead to Rights (Namco for Xbox)
- DOOM III (id Software/Activision for PC)
- Metroid Prime (Retro Studios/Nintendo for GameCube)
- Panzer Dragoon: Orta (Sega for Xbox) - Shinobi (Overworks/Sega for PlayStation 2)

Best Action/Adventure Game

- Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Stormfront Studios/EA for PlayStation 2)
- Splinter Cell (UbiSoft for Multiple Platforms)
- Super Mario Sunshine (Nintendo for Gamecube)
- The Getaway (Team Soho/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 2)
- The Legend of Zelda (Nintendo for Gamecube)

Best Fighting Game

- Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee (Infogrames for Gamecube)
- Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (Midway for Multiple Platforms)
- Tao Feng (Studio Gigante for Xbox)
- Tekken 4 (Namco for PlayStation 2)
- War of the Monsters (Incog/Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 2)

Best Role Playing Game

- Deus Ex 2: Invisible War (Ion Storm/Eidos for Multiple Platforms)
- Kingdom Hearts (SquareSoft/Disney Interactive for PS2)
- Neverwinter Nights (BioWare/Infogrames for PC)
- Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided (Sony Online/LucasArts for PC)
- Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic (BioWare/LucasArts for Multiple Platforms)

Best Racing Game

- Auto Modellista (Capcom for PlayStation 2)
- Colin McRae Rally 3 (Codemasters for Multiple Platforms)
- Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (Electronic Arts for Multiple Platforms)
- Pro Race Driver (Juice Studio/Codemasters for Multiple Platforms)
- Sega GT 2002 (Wow Entertainment/Sega for Xbox)

Best Simulation Game

- Combat Flight Simulator 3 (Microsoft for PC)
- Lock On: Modern Air Combat (SSI/Ubisoft for PC)
- SimCity 4 (Maxis/Electronic Arts for PC)
- Steel Battalion (Capcom for Xbox)
- The Sims Online (Maxis/Electronic Arts for PC)

Best Sports Game

– Madden NFL 2003 (Electronic Arts for Multiple Platforms)
- NBA 2K3 (Visual Concepts/Sega for Multiple Platforms)
- NFL 2K3 (Visual Concepts/Sega for Multiple Platforms)
- NFL Fever 2003 (Microsoft for Xbox)
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (Neversoft Entertainment/Activision for Multiple Platforms)

Best Strategy Game

- Age of Mythology (Ensemble Studios/Microsoft for PC)
- Command and Conquer Generals (EA Pacific/Electronic Arts for PC)
- Republic: The Revolution (Elixir Studios/Eidos Interactive for PC)
- Rise of Nations (Big Huge Games/Microsoft for PC)
- Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (Blizzard Entertainment for PC)

Best Puzzle/Trivia/Parlor Game

- Super Monkey Ball 2 (Amusement Vision/Sega for Gamecube)
- Mario Party 4 (Nintendo for Gamecube)

Best Online Multiplayer Game

- City of Heroes (Cryptic Studios/NCSoft for PC)
- Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided (Sony Online/LucasArts for PC)
- The Sims Online (Maxis/Electronic Arts for PC)
- Unreal Tournament 2003 (Digital Extremes/Infogrames for PC)
- World of Warcraft (Blizzard for PC)

Head back here June 18th for the winners!