MCV Industry Excellence Awards 2009

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

Ends

For more information about the MCV Awards please contact Michael French at Intent Media

01992 535646 / michael.french@intentmedia.co.uk

About MCV

MCV is the leading trade website and print publication for the UK and international games industry. Its website www.mcvuk.com boasts over 225,000 unique visitors a month and its request-only weekly publication hits over 10,000 games retailers and industry professionals.

Issued by: Barrington Harvey, Troopers Yard, Bancroft, Hitchin, Herts SG5 1JW