Left 4 Dead, Fallout 3 lead ELAN nominations

There's little doubt as to the four key titles that look set to dominate proceedings at this year's ELAN Awards, with Left 4 Dead, Fallout 3, Gears of War 2 and Fable II all nominated in the majority of the nine categories.

In with a chance of winning seven awards apiece are Valve's zombie shooter Left 4 Dead and Bethesda's dark future RPG Fallout 3, while Epic's FPS sequel Gears of War 2 and Lionhead's fantasy adventure Fable II are both up for six awards.

In fact, of the nine categories - which each contain four nominations - those exact four will battle it out in four, while other prominent titles to be nominated just once include Crysis: Warhead, Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria, Call of Duty: World at War and Too Human.

The awards, which also present prizes for the animation and visual effects industries, will take place in April and be hosted by the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, Tom Kenny.

The full list of categories and nominations is as follows:

Videogame of the Year

• Gears of War 2
• Fallout 3
• Fable II
• Left 4 Dead

Best Console Game

• Gears of War 2
• Fallout 3
• Fable II
• Left 4 Dead

Best PC Game

• Fallout 3
• Crysis: Warhead
• Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria
• Left 4 Dead

Best Casual/Arcade Game

• Mystery Case Files: Return to Ravenhearst
• Defend Your Castle
• 4 Elements

Best Mobile/Handheld Game

• Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force Handheld
• Planet Rescue: Ocean Patrol Handheld
• Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep Mobile
• Party Island Bowling Mobile

Best Sound in a Videogame Production

• Gears of War 2
• Call of Duty: World At War
• Fallout 3
• Fable II

Best Art Direction

• Gears of War 2
• Fallout 3
• Too Human
• Fable II

Best Game Design

• Gears of War 2
• Fallout 3
• Fable II
• Left 4 Dead

Outstanding Technical Innovation

• Gears of War 2
• Fallout 3
• Fable II
• Left 4 Dead