UK: MCV Awards

From/De: BHPR

STARS OF UK GAMES INDUSTRY SHINE AT BIGGEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR

Nintendo scoops four MCV Awards, Little Big Planet honoured, Fallout 3 bags Sales Triumph, Activision Blizzard awarded Best Publisher

Friday 24th April/…The UK video games industry turned out in force last night, as MCV hosted its seventh annual Industry Excellence Awards at The Brewery, London.

Nintendo won four times in front of over 600 top executives, namely: PR Team, Games Campaign (for Wii Fit), Marketing Team and the MCV Retail Advisory Board Special Recognition.

A revitalised Xbox Live Experience bagged the award for Marketing Innovation, whilst Bethesda’s Fallout 3 was recognised for Sales Triumph.

In a hotly contested category, Little Big Planet scooped New Games Brand – beating GRID and Professor Layton. Rockstar North was honoured as Development Team.

In other categories, GAME won Specialist Retailer, with Play.com taking the honours as top Online Retailer. The UK’s Star Store was revealed as Gamestation’s Birmingham New Street branch, whilst the best managers were Mike Barnes and Pearl Robinson from GAME’s Oxford Street store.

This year’s Grand Prix went to EA Sports, not just for another incredible 12 months, but for decades of success, which have seen the firm consistently demonstrate how development, marketing, sales and distribution should come together.

“These were, by far, the most hotly contested Industry Excellence Awards in the event’s seven year history,” says Stuart Dinsey, managing director of Intent Media, publisher of MCV.
“It’s only right that the industry acknowledges and celebrates successes from the previous 12 months. And whilst the next year looks far from easy, this year’s MCV Industry Excellence Awards winners can offer some guidance as to how things should be done. Congratulations to all our finalists and well done to the industry as a whole for another hugely successful 12 months.”

The MCV Industry Excellence Awards 2009 were sponsored by Nintendo, Atari, Deep Silver Ride to Hell, Partnertrans, Codemasters and Gem.

The 2009 MCV Industry Excellence Award Winners in full:

RETAIL
Star Store: Gamestation – Birmingham New Street
Retail Innovation: HMV Gamerbase
Store Manager: Mike Barnes & Pearl Robinson (GAME Oxford Street)
Online Retailer: Play.com
High Street Retailer: GAME

PR & MARKETING
PR Team: Nintendo
Games Campaign: Wii Fit
New Games Brand: Little Big Planet
Marketing Team: Nintendo
Marketing Innovation: New Xbox Live Experience

PEOPLE & INDUSTRY
UK Development Team: Rockstar North
Distribution Team: Centresoft
Sales Triumph: Fallout 3 – Bethesda
Sales Team: Sega
Games Publisher: Activision Blizzard

SPECIAL AWARDS
MCV Retail Advisory Board – Special Recognition: Andy Yates (Nintendo)
Grand Prix: EA Sports