E3 2011 Awards: The Ultimate Showcase Winners Revealed

The anticipation was real, gamers! The Game Rant team had their wishlists ready, speculating on both the confirmed and rumored titles heading into the legendary E3 2011. After the dust settled on the Los Angeles show floor, the big question remained: did the games live up to the hype? With a crew of 11 staffers hitting every booth, they saw it all—from blockbuster sequels to innovative indie gems. Now, the votes are in, and it's time to spill the tea on the absolute Best of E3 2011 winners, broken down across 12 epic categories. Let's dive in!

Picking just one winner per category was a total nightmare (in the best way possible). The competition was fierce, but these titles truly stole the show. Buckle up for the official rundown!

Game Rant's E3 2011 Award Winners 🏆

• Best Shooter: Battlefield 3

  • The multiplayer chaos and stunning Frostbite engine visuals had everyone's jaws on the floor. It was pure, unadulterated warfare goals. Talk about setting a new standard!

  

• Best Action/Adventure Game: Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

  • Nate Drake's latest globe-trotting adventure, complete with that insane sinking ship sequence, proved that cinematic storytelling in games was next-level. Iconic.

  

• Best Racing Game: Forza Motorsport 4

  • With its insane car list and gorgeous graphics, Forza 4 was the definitive racing sim experience. It was a total vroom vroom slay moment for Xbox.

  

• Best Use of Motion Controls: Dance Central 2

  • Forget awkward waggle! This game made you actually dance, and with new multiplayer modes, it was the ultimate party starter. The vibes were immaculate.

  

• Best Multiplayer Game: Gears of War 3

  • The Locust-hunting finale promised epic co-op and brutal, refined versus multiplayer. It was the perfect send-off for a legendary trilogy. So. Much. Bromance.

  

• Best RPG: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

  • Dovahkiin, Dovahkiin... need we say more? The sheer scale and freedom of Tamriel, complete with dragon shouts, had RPG fans absolutely losing their minds. A true game-changer.

  

• Best MMO: Star Wars: The Old Republic

  • BioWare bringing its signature storytelling to a massive Star Wars universe? Sign. Us. Up. The promise of class stories in an MMO felt like a dream come true for fans.

  

• Best Indie Game: Awesomenauts

  • A 2D side-scrolling MOBA? With a funky cartoon style? This was the dark horse of the show, proving that indie devs were bringing the most creative and fun ideas to the table.

  

• Best Original Game: From Dust

  • Playing as a god-like entity shaping the land was a breathtakingly unique concept. Its earth-bending gameplay was visually stunning and intellectually stimulating—a total mind-blower.

  

• Best Handheld Game: Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

  • The green brother finally got his due! This 3DS sequel to a GameCube cult classic had all the charm and spooky puzzle-solving we loved. Luigi's main character era had officially begun.

  

• Best Hardware: PlayStation Vita

  • Dual analog sticks, a gorgeous OLED screen, and console-quality graphics in your hands? The PS Vita wasn't just a handheld; it felt like a portable power move from Sony. The future was literally in our palms.

  

• Best in Show: BioShock Infinite

  • And the grand prize goes to... Columbia! The mind-bending visuals, the haunting atmosphere, and the mysterious story of Booker and Elizabeth captivated everyone. It was the undisputed showstopper, the game everyone couldn't stop talking about. Pure art.

  

✨ The Legacy of E3 2011 ✨

Looking back from 2025, E3 2011 was a pivotal moment. It wasn't just about flashy trailers; it was a showcase of genre-defining masterpieces that shaped the next decade of gaming. Skyrim redefined open worlds, Vita pushed portable limits, and games like BioShock Infinite showed the medium's artistic potential.

The mix of established franchises hitting their peak and bold new ideas from indie developers created a perfect storm of creativity. It was an era where ambition met execution, and playing these games felt like witnessing history. Major slay.

So, what do you think? Did your favorite from back in the day make the cut? Which of these legendary titles is still in your rotation today? Let us know in the comments! 👇 #E32011 #GamingHistory #ThrowbackGaming #GameAwards #OG