This is the full text of BAFTA's 20/2/2017 press release.

Clash Royale, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, DOTA 2, League of Legends, Overwatch and Street Fighter V all shortlisted for the public vote at this year’s British Academy Games Awards

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has announced today the shortlist of nominated esports games of 2016 for this year’s AMD Esports Audience Award. This is the only award voted for by the public presented at the British Academy Games Awards, taking place on Thursday 6 April at London’s Tobacco Dock.

The nominations for the AMD Esports Audience Award are:
 

• Clash Royale

• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

• Dota 2

• League of Legends

• Overwatch

• Street Fighter V

 
Members of the public will be able to cast their votes from Monday 20 February until Thursday 30 March via www.amdesportsaward.com and will be able to engage in conversation with fellow voters by using the hashtags #AMDVote and #BAFTAGames.

The AMD Esports Audience Award aims to recognise and acknowledge the games that captured the hearts and imaginations of players and audiences over the past year in the esports space. Esports, also known as professional gaming, is a form of competitive gameplay consisting of individual players and/or teams, with tournaments often streamed live and available for fans to attend.

A panel of leading media, gaming and esports industry experts assembled the nominations and based their decisions on games that were accessible to professional gamers and viewers alike, engaging to watch, constantly evolving and aesthetically desirable.

Christian Dotzauer, Sr. Manager, Channel Marketing of EMEA & APJ said: “AMD is thrilled to continue our commitment to esports with this award and through our sponsorship of professional gaming teams such as Evil Geniuses and Splyce. AMD technology delivers superior performance for esports and offers the performance and stability to help esports athletes to stay on top of the competition and to help gamers who want to compete like them. This sponsorship is incredibly important to AMD and truly highlights our long term commitment to bringing the best technology to esports enthusiasts and gamers the world over.”

Nick Button-Brown, Chair of BAFTA’s Games Committee said:  “The British Academy Games Awards is about celebrating creativity and excellence of the very best of Games. Esports is such an exciting area of our industry, we are delighted to be able to celebrate, in our ceremony, the games that make esports great.  Esports players and viewers are such a huge community, it makes so much sense for the community to pick its own winner, and I look forward to seeing who the community votes for.”

The winner of the AMD Esports Audience Award will be announced at the British Academy Games Awards on Thursday 6 April, which will be live streamed on Twitch (www.twitch.tv/bafta ). Follow BAFTA on Twitter (@BAFTAGames) for all the latest news.