8.14pm: Tonight, the Park Lane Hilton sees the great and good from the UK gaming industry - and Shigeru 'God' Miyamoto - celebrate the past year in gaming.
I've been on the red carpet for about two hours where I've managed to briefly chat to a pretty random selection of vaguely video game-related celebrities. I'm now in a media suite eating complimentary peanuts and M&S sandwiches waiting for kick-off. It's basically exactly what I imagine the Oscars to be like. Tune in from 8.45 for live updates.
If you're lucky, I may even tell you what Edith Bowman's favourite game is.
8.25pm: There are thirteen categories tonight spanning all the genres of gaming, including an overall best game field which will doubtless draw the most attention. It's worth checking out Bafta's official website for more info, but here are the nominees for this main category:
Assassin's Creed 2
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Modern Warfare 2
Fifa 10
Left 4 Dead 2
Uncharted 2
I spoke to Ray Maguire, chair of the Academy video games commitee about how they were judging the categories tonight. Use of innovation was something he mentioned a few times as being an important criterion, and he also assured me that the industry expert judging panel had played each game through to the finish. My money's on Uncharted 2.
8.49pm: It's about to start. Pleasantries from David Parfitt, chairman of the academy, and the sponsor, both of whom promise and 'inspiring' and 'very special' night. They must have found the M&S buffet too.
8.54pm: Host tonight is Dara O'Briain. I will misspell his name at least three times tonight. First up is Best Action game, presented by ex-Bionic Woman Michelle Ryan. She told me her favourite game ever was Assassin's Creed 2 on the red carpet but I'm not sure I believed her ...
Winner is ... Uncharted 2
9.00pm: Best Family and Social game is presented by someone who looks like Moby and a woman none of us reporters on the red carpet recognised. I'm sure they're both very nice though.
I reckon Beatles Rock Band will win but it's ... Wii Sports Resort! That one's for you, Shigeru
9.03pm: A guy from the I.T. Crowd (Chris O'Dowd I think) comes out to present the Best use of Online gong. He tells a joke which falls rather flat (leave the comedy to Dara, mate). The winner is ...
Fifa 2010. It was a tough category, up against LittleBigPlanet and, er, Singstar Take That, but you can't quibble with that too much. EA deserve credit for the way they continue to improve and advance the series.
9.07pm: George Lamb presents Best Use of Audio. He has grey hair. Uncharted 2 wins it's second award of the night. I haven't mentioned the acceptance speeches so far as I've been multitasking somewhat, sorry. I'm also here and here if you're a Tweeterer.
9.12pm: Thinking man's totty Suzi Perry steps up to present Best Handheld. I'm not going to make any crude jokes. She told me on the red carpet that her favourite game ever was Little Big Planet - incisive journalism, I think you'll agree.
And the winner is ... Little Big Planet. Have I unearthed a grand conspiracy? No probably not.
9.19pm: Interesting one now, Best Game by public vote (people voted in Game shops apparently, though no-one told me about it). Olly Murs from X Factor and a woman who either works for, or owns Game present it.
Bizarrely Olly Murs is a huge vintage games fan. He spends his X Factor bucks on MegaDrive games on eBay. His favourite ever is Ghouls and Ghosts. And to think, I thought he wasn't worth talking to!
Back to the vote, we get some VTs of non famous people, members of the public and that talking for a bit. And then the winner is announced and it's ...
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
No surprises there. It's sold quite well, after all
9.22pm: Dom Joly's here to present Best Strategy Game. He told me earlier he plays Modern Warfare 2 constantly, and has unlocked the '10 days of gaming time' achievement. Impressive, though I guess he doesn't have much else to do what with Trigger Happy TV being on about 10 years ago.
Empire: Total War wins. I have never played it so ... um ...
9.27pm: What won Best Original Score, Edith Bowman?
It's Uncharted 2 again.
9.29pm: Best Multiplayer is presented by ... an MP? An MP with funky glasses. I've forgotten his name but we looked him up on Wikipedia earlier and he's notable for trying to ban sales of Gary Glitter records a while ago. So ...
(I've just been told he's called Tom Watson. Maybe one of you can Google him and tell me why he's here)
Winner is Left 4 Dead 2. I'm a bit surprised by that actually. Thought Modern Warfare would get it.
9.35pm: Alex Zane makes a joke about his Master System being shit. It goes down ok. He's presenting Best Gameplay, bit of an odd category. How can a game have better gameplay than the game that wins Best Game? If you see what I mean.
Batman: Arkham Asylum gets it. Deserves some kudos simply for being a really good superhero game. But is hitting punch a lot the best gameplay of the year? Well?
9.39pm: Ralf Little from the Royle Family presents Best Sport game. He's a keen gamer apparently, and plays a lot of Halo with his brother (incisive journalism again, I think you'll agree).
Fifa 2010 wins. I was playing with Hereford in Manager Mode only this morning. True story.
9.43pm: No one knows who the guy presenting Best Story is. Let's assume he's in Hollyoaks.
Uncharted 2 wins. I'm losing count now, they're clearing up. It's getting silly.
Big shout-out to Fred Dutton for Official Nintendo Magazine by the way. I've asked him about every 90 seconds what's going on, and he hasn't hit me. Yet.
9.46pm: A man who needs no introduction, David Braben (?), presents the One to Watch award (it's a best newcomer sort of thing)
I ask who he is to the journo huddle. Someone shouts 'Frontier Studios'. Thanks.
It's won by Shrunk. They're all in kilts. Probably Scottish.
9.52pm: Best Artistic Achievement. Now. Missed who presented it as I've FOUND A PLUG POINT! HURRAH!
It's won by Flower.
9.53pm:It's the big one. Charlie Brooker's here to present Best Game (as voted by judges). Didn't get a chance earlier to ask why he never comes to the Guardian Christmas party (probably to avoid speaking to people like me) but I DID find out his favourite game. Which is Burnout.
The winner is ...
(drum roll please)
Batman: Arkham Asylum. Huh. Everyone's a bit shocked. We all though Uncharted 2 had it sewn up - but they've had their fair share tonight I suppose. It wasn't my favourite game of 2009 but what do I know. It was very good.
10.00pm: So, now that's all over we've got Shigeru Miyamoto here to receive a fellowship (lifetime achievement award sort of thing). You don't need me to tell you what a legend he is.
Hopefully I might have some audio to put up tomorrow but I did get a (longer than I thought) chance to speak to him earlier. Seemed very humble, especially in comparison with some of the 'celebrities' on offer. And he gave me more of his time than Michelle Ryan did.
10.13pm: His acceptance speech is long. And I can't hear what he's saying over the din in the press room. I'm going to get another sandwich.
10.17pm: Dara O'Bahrain wraps things up. Well, as usually happens when I do these things it's gone incredibly quickly. Thanks for following it, if you've been following it. If you haven't been following it then you have to ask yourself how you're reading this, really.
Cheerio
