Geek-chic bible Wired has announced the nominations for its Rave Awards 2005, and Jack ‘Statesman’ Emmert, Cryptic Studios Creative Director and Lead Designer of both City of Heroes and the forthcoming City of Villains, is in the running for the Game Designer category.

Intended to recognise “The People Changing Your Mind”, the Wired Rave Awards are now in their sixth year. There are 14 categories, and the Wired editors pick a top five in each for nominations. Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine, explains:

These nominees are an eclectic mix of people who are changing the world by doing something truly new. They’re the innovators who have thrilled and inspired us and shown us what is possible.

States is certainly in good company, with the other nominess for the year’s best game designer including Gabe Newell (Half-Life 2 - Valve Software), Pete Parsons (Halo 2 - Bungie Studios), Keita Takahashi (Katamari Damacy - Namco) and Alex Ward (Burnout 3 - Criterion Games). The winners will will be announced at the Award Ceremony on 22 February at the Fillmore theater in San Francisco, and will be featured in the March 2005 issue of Wired Magazine.

In the meantime, you can read all about the awards and see the nominations in every category at the Rave Awards 2005 site.