E3 Awards gibt es viele, doch seit Jahren werden die Awards von Game Critics als die Wichtigsten angesehen. Zahlreiche Mitarbeiter renommierter Magazine nominieren und wählen Jahr für Jahr die Spiele, die auf der E3 am meisten überzeugen konnten. Die Nominierungen für die E3 2009 sehen so aus:

Best of Show
- Brütal Legend (Double Fine Productions/EAP for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Mass Effect 2 (BioWare/Electronic Arts for Xbox 360, PC)
- Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward/Activision for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Splinter Cell Conviction (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft for Xbox 360)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog/SCEA for PS3)

Best Original Game
- Alan Wake (Remedy/MGS for Xbox 360)
- Bayonetta (Platinum Games/Sega for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Brütal Legend (Double Fine Productions/EAP for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Heavy Rain (Quantic Dream/SCEE for PS3)
- Scribblenauts (5TH Cell/WBIE for Nintendo DS)

Best Console Game
- Brütal Legend (Double Fine Productions/EAP for PS3, Xbox 360)
- God of War 3 (Sony Santa Monica/SCEA for PS3)
- Mass Effect 2 (BioWare/Electronic Arts for Xbox 360)
- Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward/Activision for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog/SCEA for PS3)

Best Handheld Game
- Gran Turismo (Polyphony Digital/SCEJ for PSP)
- LittleBigPlanet (SCE Studio Cambridge/Media Molecule/SCEE for PSP)
- Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (Alphadream/Nintendo for Nintendo DS)
- Scribblenauts (5TH Cell/WBIE for Nintendo DS)
- The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (Nintendo for Nintendo DS)

Best PC Game
- DC Universe Online (Sony Online Austin/SOE)
- Dragon Age: Origins (BioWare/EA)
- Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve/EAP)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin/LucasArts)
- Supreme Commander 2 (Gas Powered Games/Square Enix)

Best Hardware
- DJ Hero Controller (Freestyle Games/Red Octane/Activision)
- "Project Natal" (Microsoft)
- PSP Go (Sony Computer Entertainment)
- Tony Hawk Ride Skateboard (Robomodo/Activision)
- Wii MotionPlus (Nintendo)

Best Action Game
- BioShock 2 (2K Marin/2K Games for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Halo 3 ODST (Bungie/MGS for Xbox 360)
- Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve/EAP for Xbox 360, PC)
- Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward/Activision for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Singularity (Raven/Activision for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Best Action/Adventure Game
- Bayonetta (Platinum Games/Sega for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Brütal Legend (Double Fine Productions/EAP for PS3, Xbox 360)
- God of War 3 (Sony Santa Monica/SCEA for PS3)
- Splinter Cell Conviction (Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft for Xbox 360)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog/SCEA for PS3)

Best Role Playing Game
- Alpha Protocol (Obsidian/Sega for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Dragon Age: Origins (BioWare/EA for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (Alphadream/Nintendo for Nintendo DS)
- Mass Effect 2 (BioWare/EA for Xbox 360, PC)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin/LucasArts for PC)

Best Racing Game
- Blur (Bizzare Creations/Activision for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Forza Motorsport 3 (Turn 10/MGS for Xbox 360)
- ModNation Racers (United Front/SCEA for PS3)
- Need for Speed Shift (Slightly Mad/EA Games for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Split/Second (Black Rock/Disney Interactive for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Best Fighting Game
- Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (Foundation 9/Capcom for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny (Project Soul/Namco-Bandai Games for PSP)
- Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars (Eighting/Capcom for Wii)
- Tekken 6 (Namco Bandai for PS3, Xbox 360)
- The King of Fighters XII (SNK Playmore for PS3, Xbox 360)

Best Sports Game
- Fight Night Round 4 (EA Canada/EA Sports for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Madden NFL 10 (EA Tiburon/EA Sports for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)
- NHL 10 (EA Canada/EA Sports for PS3, Xbox 360)
- Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 (EA Tiburon/EA Sports for Wii)
- Tony Hawk Ride (Robomodo/Activision for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)

Best Strategy Game
- League of Legends: Clash of Fates (Riot Games for PC)
- Order of War (Wargaming.net/Square Enix for PC)
- R.U.S.E. (Eugen Systems/Ubisoft for PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
- Supreme Commander 2 (Gas Powered Games/Square Enix for Xbox 360, PC)

Best Social/Casual Game
- DJ Hero (Freestyle/Red Octane/Activision for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)
- Guitar Hero 5 (Neversoft/Red Octane/Activision for All Systems)
- Scribblenauts (5TH Cell/WBIE for Nintendo DS)
- The Beatles Rock Band (Harmonix/MTV Games/EAP for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii)
- Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo for Wii)

Best Online Multiplayer Game
- Halo 3 ODST (Bungie/MGS for Xbox 360)
- Left 4 Dead 2 (Valve/EAP for Xbox 360, PC)
- MAG (Zipper Interactive/SCEA for PS3)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic (BioWare Austin/LucasArts for PC)
- Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Naughty Dog/SCEA for PS3)


Aufteilung der Nominierungen pro Spiel:

Vier Nominierungen:
Brütal Legend
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Drei Nominierungen:
Left 4 Dead 2
Mass Effect 2
Modern Warfare 2
Scribblenauts
Star Wars: The Old Republic

Zwei Nominierungen:
Bayonetta
DJ Hero
Dragon Age: Origins
God of War III
Halo 3 ODST
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
Splinter Cell Conviction
Tony Hawk Ride


Aufteilung der Nominierungen pro Publisher:

Electronic Arts
18 Nominierungen (-3 from 2008; +4 from 2007)

Sony Computer Entertainment
13 Nominierungen (+2 from 2008, +6 from 2007)

Activision
10 Nominierungen (+9 from 2008; +2 from 2007)

Nintendo
5 Nominierungen (+2 from 2008; -3 from 2007)

Microsoft
5 Nominierungen (-2 from 2008; -3 from 2007)

LucasArts
3 Nominierungen (+2 from 2008; +1 from 2007)

Sega
3 Nominierungen (+1 from 2008; +1 from 2007)

Square Enix
3 Nominierungen (+1 from 2008; +3 from 2007)

Ubisoft
3 Nominierungen (-1 from 2008; +1 from 2007)

Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment
3 Nominierungen (+2 from 2008; +3 from 2007)

Capcom
2 Nominierungen (-2 from 2008; +1 from 2007)

Namco Bandai Games
2 Nominierungen (+2 from 2008; +1 from 2007)


Aufteilung der Nominierungen pro Plattform:

Xbox 360
42 Nominierungen (Same as 2008; +4 from 2007)

PlayStation 3
39 Nominierungen (+1 from 2008; +10 from 2007)

PC
24 Nominierungen (-3 from 2008; +3 from 2007)

Wii
8 Nominierungen (same as 2008; -5 from 2007)

DS
6 Nominierungen (+1 from 2008; +4 from 2007)

PSP
5 Nominierungen (+3 from 2008; +1 from 2007)


Die Gewinner werden am 23. Juni bekannt gegeben.