2013Awards The market for computer & video games

The Finalists Thursday April 18th 2013, Lancaster London Hotel

2013Awards The market for computer & video games INTRODUCTION

Courage under fire

Platinum Partner Many have been quick to brand last year a challenge for the games business. But the variety and versatility of this year’s MCV Bar & Disco Partner Award Partner Awards finalists show that the trade doesn’t buckle under pressure. Indeed – flick through the next Award Partner Feature Partner 30 pages of finalists profiles and you will find a business full of The variety and great products, innovative versatility of this campaigns, and smart strategies. Award Partner year’s finalists Our set of tweaked and improved categories boast a show that the trade diverse array of finalists. doesn’t buckle How are the winners chosen? Photobooth Partner Awards Partner & under pressure. We run a clear and transparent Table Gift Partner finalist selection and voting system. We take lobbying from across the industry to choose a shortlist, and then hand the vote Award Partner Award Partner over to our jury. We also run special votes for the PR Team prize, selected by journalists, and the Retail Advisory Board helps decide the winner of Award Partner Event Partner our Special Recognition prize. The judges for all are named once the event has taken place. Event Partner We will name the winners at the ceremony on the night of Thursday, April 18th. Best of luck to everyone.

Event Partner Table Gift Partner Michael French, Editor-in-Chief, MCV

03 2013Awards The market for computer & video games

04 2013Awards The market for computer & video games CONTENTS

AWARD CATEGORIES PAGE Independent Retailer - High Street...... 07

Independent Retailer - Online ...... 08

Retail Concept ...... 10

Mainstream Retailer...... 11

Specialist Retailer ...... 12

Digital Retailer...... 13

Digital Distribution Team ...... 14

High Street Distribution Team ...... 15

Sales Triumph ...... 16

UK Sales Team...... 17

Export Sales Team...... 20

Marketing Team...... 21

PR Team...... 22

UK Games Studio...... 24

Third-Party Games Hardware...... 25

New Game Brand...... 26

Digital Campaign...... 27

Audience Engagement...... 28

Media Sales Team...... 29

Trade Marketing Team...... 30

Game Campaign ...... 31

Specialist Games Publisher...... 32

Games Publisher of the Year...... 33

MCV Special Recognition...... 34

Grand Prix...... 34

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2013Awards Independent Retailer – Online Award Partner The market for computer & video games INDEPENDENT RETAILER – HIGH STREET JUDGING CRITERIA: Customer service, Product knowledge, Merchandising, Commitment to street dates, Marketing

BARKMAN COMPUTERS CONSOLE CONNECTIONS GAMES CENTRE INSANE GAMES Having celebrated its 25th This Cornwall-based indie The winner of the 2012 MCV The last year has seen Insane birthday late last year, stocks new releases, consoles Award for Independent Games scale up two of its Barkman Computers has seen and accessories but also Retailer has continued to stores and continues to draw its recent growth boosted by focuses on deals to drive sales expand year-on-year. The in consumers with midnight increased website sales. The such as three for the price of Scottish chain opened their openings. It stocks trading store has given customers two. The store prides itself on seventh store last year and cards, games and toys effective pre-order campaigns employing gamers and alongside a growing online including figures for Moshi centred on hard-to-find titles alongside selling games, the store, Games Centre has Monsters, Halo and LEGO. The and stocks both new and back store offers a while-you-wait expanded its range of four-store chain also operates catalogue games. disc repair service. products to sell accessories, a busy Warhammer club on a Blu-rays and DVDs. Saturday.

XPRESS GAMES In 2012 Xpress opened its third store with a strong customer base forming. It has also re-launched its website, allowing customers to trade in their games online towards any item in-store or towards pre-orders. A pay and collect facility allows customers to collect titles in their selected store/branch. A fourth store is opening this year, with more on the way.

07 2013Awards Independent Retailer – High Street The market for computer & video games Award Partner INDEPENDENT RETAILER – ONLINE JUDGING CRITERIA: Customer service, Product knowledge, Merchandising, Commitment to street dates, Marketing

GAMESEEK HITARI SCAN COMPUTERS SIMPLY GAMES With a huge range of games – The online retailer has had a The PC-centric firm has been SimplyGames.com has over 5,000 different lines – great start to the year with a around since 1987 and has enjoyed 69 per cent growth in GameSeek has continued to wider selection of products in three stores, two in Malta and Q4 2012. And so far 2013 is succeed and grow at a stock and greater support one in Bolton. The majority of continuing the trend. Sales sustainable pace without any from publishers, suppliers and its sales come from its online have already risen 90 precent outside investment. 2013 saw distributors. The store has site and the outlets sell year-on-year driven by a pre- the site totally redeveloped, gone from a part-time hobby everything from graphic cards order push and promotional and the firm published its first in 2010 to an operation to custom-built computers. activity. ever GameSeek Magazine, sent including a 1,700 sq ft office Growth in recent times has out to 500,000 gamers. It also and warehouse facility. Along seen Scan expand with claims a social media reach with games, the store stocks another warehouse. second only to GAME. consoles, accessories and bundles.

XBITE The online retailer has expanded into toys and gadgets in a bid to continue its growth. Xbite has registered consistent year-on- year sales and since its birth in 2004, the company now operates from a 20,000 sq ft facilty in Sheffield with a staff of more than 40.

08 CONGRATULATIONS TO WINNERS AND NOMINEES FROM EVERYONE AT 2013Awards Retail Concept The market for computer & video games Award Partner RETAIL CONCEPT JUDGING CRITERIA: Innovation, Product presentation, Sales, Customer service, Merchandising, Marketing activity

DRINK, RELAX, PLAY – GAME HUNTER GAMEFLY GAMESGRABR LOADING CAFÉ GAME Hunter combines the US physical games rental and GamesGRABR is a new range of an online store with retail giant Gamefly entered pinboard-style social gaming Loading runs a coffee shop/bar the convenience of an actual the UK last year with its digital site and app that allows users to for gamers, plus a lucrative shop. Gamers can pop into a download store. It launched a discover games and build a list contract business with store, and whatever video unique iTunes-style download of their own games collections. publishers. Loading has game product they are client specifically for the UK, Users can browse other gamers’ partnered with some of the looking for, GAME will ‘hunt it which combines a news collections, follow friends, biggest gaming brands in the down’. Even if the product isn’t service with a Facebook-style ‘reGRAB’ games into your own industry to offer up a unique on shelf, staff will be able to social network. It followed the collections, plus share, rate and promotional space for , find it and get it delivered company’s acquisition of comment. It also offers supporting the likes of Capcom, either to the store or to the Direct2Drive from IGN in 2011. download links. The firm says it Turtle Beach, Microsoft, customer’s home. is aiding the discovery of games MadCatz and Ubisoft. old and new.

HMV OXFORD STREET INCOMM INSERT COIN THATGAMESHOP GAMES SHOWCASE Major gains in the last year Insert Coin’s unique range of To raise awareness of new In a challenging market, HMV saw Incomm get prepaid card clothing has scored it work releases, Thatgameshop and its Gamerbase team products into two major with a variety of industry organised three reshaped the games space in chains: HMV and Grainger. It heavyweights – from Ubisoft Hollywood actor signings for its flagship store to better host was also the first territory to Sega, Namco Bandai to three triple-A games from new launches. Big examples outside the US to launch Capcom, Konami to EA. It has a October 31st to November include work on FIFA, Halo and iTunes on a purely digital growing community of users 13th. The move had a positive Skylanders. FIFA saw the format delivery to consumers, around the world. effect on the store’s business, addition of an astro-turf pitch this time via Asda.com pushing internet sales and to the store. Work with interest up 800 per cent. Activision saw the world’s first Skylanders concession.

10 2013Awards Mainstream Retailer Award Partner The market for computer & video games MAINSTREAM RETAILER JUDGING CRITERIA: Customer service, Merchandising, Commitment to street dates, Games-specific marketing

AMAZON ASDA MORRISONS SAINSBURY’S Amazon has long established The supermarket giant The supermarket has catered The supermarket chain has itself as a powerhouse in continues to support the to its value-orientated tried to capitalise on the games retail. The firm industry significantly. It customers with a string of turmoil on the High Street. It comfortably boasts the largest bought games onto its in- promotions. The firm ran a ran aggressive discounts on selection of games, and its house website in 2011 and by string of deals last year, hardware and software by as prices are rarely higher than 2012 it has grown including cutting the price of much as 40 per cent in the its rivals. The company took a significantly. According to Wii, PS4 and Xbox 360 wake of GAME’s major step-up in its role as a Hitwise it is one of the fastest hardware bundles. The firm administration. It also ran a games retailer last year with growing sites in the UK. The has started 2013 with a focus special promotion around pre- the launch of its appstore in firm also held 250 midnight on its ‘M’ local stores, having orders for the big games of E3. the UK, which is now store openings for Black Ops II. acquired six HMV branches accepting microtransactions. and 49 former Blockbuster shops.

SHOP DIRECT TESCO Shop Direct, through its many Tesco maybe the top grocery brands including Very.co.uk, retailer, but it says it had a Littlewoods.com and great year working with ISME.com, to name a few, supplier partners to produce served hundreds of thousands great offers across of games orders last year, software/hardware and using CentreSoft’s FRED peripherals. Highlights include system supporting online continuing its tradition of retailers. This strategy plus event-status launches on big promotions and price offers releases, plus added value mean the firm grew market offers on hardware, and an share significantly in 2012. increasingly popular range of exclusive pre-orders offers.

11 2013Awards The market for computer & video games SPECIALIST RETAILER JUDGING CRITERIA: Customer service, Product knowledge, Range, Commitment to street dates, Marketing

GAME GAMESTOP GRAINGER GAMES HMV 2012 was, a milestone year for The world’s leading games Grainger Games launched a Despite tough market Game Retail, with a unified retailer does not have a High new Reward Card scheme in changes and highly publicised brand and new management. Street presence in the UK, but 2012, plus a ‘click and collect’ shrinkage, HMV for much of Years of experience have not makes headway with its offer and online trade-ins for 2012 boasted a revamped been lost, with the chain website. The company has games and gadgets. The games team. They sought to focused on serving the game managed to offset the decline commercial team has forge better relations with community in-store, online of physical product sales by delivered an extended product trade and customers. Key and via social media. It hosted expanding to digital items – as range including headphones, steps included in-store digital a range of events, beefed up well as its range of tablets and posters, cards, figures and even sales, plus partnerships for its digital offer, and even grew smartphones. Its European sites drinks. It sells digital download ideas such as the Skylanders its loyalty card base – and also offer PC downloads, and cards too. Grainger added four in-store concessions in that’s all while remaining a plans are no doubt in the works stores and expanded its London, Glasgow and committed specialist. to bring this to the UK. warehouse facility last year. Manchester stores.

SHOPTO TOYS R US ZAVVI.COM The online specialist launched With its sales not counted by Run by online retail empire a new site early last year and Chart-Track, it’s easy to forget The Hut Group, Zavvi.com is expanded into video-on- the huge gains made by the dedicated to not only demand shortly after to toys giant – specifically its retaining its customer base increase its entertainment work on brands and games but also growing it. The site offering. The firm also grew that suit its target audience of introduced a new loyalty market share by almost 50 per children and parents. It scheme last year in the form of cent while the channel shrank. dedicates shelf space to iconic Rewardz, which nets users one Hardware sales were very brands, with merchandise as point for every pound they strong on things like Wii U, well as software. Highlights spend on the site. Regular while triple-A products could include work on Skylanders, price promotions and other often score ten per cent plus Nintendo franchises deals keeps Zavvi.com market share at launch. Mario and Pokemon. competitive.

12 2013Awards The market for computer & video games DIGITAL RETAILER JUDGING CRITERIA: Customer service, Range and marketing, Use of technology, Ease of use, Industry relations

EA ORIGIN GOG.COM GREEN MAN GAMING NINTENDO ESHOP Origin increased its range to No longer limiting itself to 2012 was a busy year for Nintendo strengthened its over 1,000 products including previous remit ‘Good Old Green Man Gaming, with the digital offering in the past year a huge amount of third party Games’, popular European business transforming to on both 3DS and Wii U, offering titles in 2012. Its brand power downloads portal GOG.com become more competitive. It a range of full download has grown and so too have relaunched itself in March and introduced boxed products to games and DLC as well as its revenues, with the store one of now offers newer releases. The its digital offering, now selling download-only catalogue. The the main PC digital store is also expanding its PS3 and Xbox 360 games. The marketplace is tailored to its distribution companies in the range of indie games. Discounts retailer has also merged with broader audience, grouping market. It has ben improving it raise the profile of its vast back gaming community Playfire to titles by brand or genre to service to the consumer with a catalogue, with at least some better interact with its make them easy to find. The wide range of feature of GOG’s focus still on giving customers and hired eShop keeps consumers up-to- developments added to the gamers a chance to try out experienced execs from date about forthcoming service in the last year. classic games from years past. PlayStation, HMV and GAME. releases.

PLAYSTATION STORE STEAM XBOX MARKETPLACE Sony has redesigned its The biggest developments of Microsoft’s console PlayStation Store, most the past year from Valve’s marketplace reflects its recently to match the online dominant download portal ambitions to grow Xbox 360’s Sony Entertainment Network have been the launch of a remit beyond games. Several store, which bundles games, Linux version of Steam, and entertainment apps have been music and video catalogues the creation of Steam launched and Microsoft even together. Premium subs Greenlight, a crowd-sourced secured the premiere rights to service PlayStation Plus offers system that allows users to a British indie film. Major retail players exclusive free items and vote on which new indie games are now added to the discounts on all purchases, as games they want added to the Games On Demand much well as a catalogue of free store’s catalogue. Its userbase faster, and the marketplace triple-A titles in the Instant is growing up to 300 per cent even offers its first free-to-play Game Collection. faster than it was in 2012. game – Happy Wars.

13 2013Awards The market for computer & video games DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION TEAM JUDGING CRITERIA: Trade relations, Support for developers, Customer service, Price promotions, Marketing strategy

BETHESDA EA ORIGIN MICROSOFT SEGA Bethesda continued to Origin has worked hard as a Through titles such as Sega GAME delivered a execute its digital strategy key partner for Kickstarter Minecraft and Trials Evolution European digital-to-retail first in throughout 2012 with the projects and retailers with and a string of special weekly December 2012, with Sega successful launch of codes now printed on receipts game launches, Microsoft has providing knowledge and Dishonored and Doom 3 BFG in-stores. The team has added taken Xbox Live Arcade to promotion to support for its Edition and the continued a range of third party products new heights. The firm entered Steam catalogue in-store. For sales of Skyrim. On top of this and exclusive content to make the free-to-play market with other retailers and publishing it launched successful DLC for Origin ‘a platform for Happy Wars and has launched partners, Sega has worked hard Skyrim, Dishonored and Rage everyone’. the first ever XBLA chart (as to maintain good trading and laid the ground work for printed in MCV). The team has relations. Innovations in the last its upcoming MMO, The Elder been aggressive in attracting year include bespoke Scrolls Online. developers to Windows 8 and promotions for digital stores Windows Phone platforms. and increased developer support.

SONY DADC UBISOFT WBIE UK Far from being a disc-based On console, partnerships with With a diverse array of games company, Sony DADC is a Microsoft and Sony saw key on digital channels, ongoing major player in the digital promotions for Trial Evolutions work with PSN and XBL was space, offering digital licence and an Assassins Creed III pre- supported by the wider home management, copy protection order campaign. Trials had the entertainment film portfolio – and more. The firm works with highest grossing day one sales Warner also encourages fans many of the UK’s biggest in Xbox Live history. It also has to trial films on console publishers on a variety of a number of development services. There’s also ongoing business models, from buy-to- teams dedicated to digital commitment to iOS through own to rental, subscription only products, and relaunched the App Store and the PC and more. One of the unsung customer reward program format through Steam, Origin, heroes of digital distribution. Uplay as a digital distribution Green Man Gaming and Get channel last year. Games Go.

14 2013Awards The market for computer & video games HIGH STREET DISTRIBUTION TEAM JUDGING CRITERIA: Speed of service, Order fulfilment, Service, Product condition, Commitment to an orderly market

ADVANTAGE CENTRESOFT CLICK ENTERTAINMENT GEM Partners praise Advantage’s Having celebrated its 30th 2012 was a year of growth for Gem is one of the largest customer service and work anniversary last year, Click. Thanks to doubling its leisure and IT retail service with indies. Highlights include CentreSoft continues to be a headcount and expanding its providers in the UK boasting a its monthly magazine The leading force in supplying the warehouse capacity, the firm successful ten year Retail Buyers Guide, pro-active UK games channel. The firm is now classes itself as a partnership with Xbox whilst support for small stores plus the official distributor for medium-sized business. Its working on key brands such as efficient service and major players such as turnover increased five-fold Take-Two, Codemasters, THQ, promotions. PlayStation, EA and Activision, over the course of the year, Microsoft, Square Enix, Mad and was responsible for and the team is confident it Catz, Ubisoft, Steel Series and bringing some of 2012’s can maintain that momentum over 70 more. Gem strives to biggest products to retail, in 2013. offer and evolve it’s offering from Black Ops II to PlayStation from logistics through to Vita. creative solutions.

KOCH MEDIA LINK DISTIRBUTION VOGUE DISTRIBUTION Koch has been supporting This UK business was boosted Until last year, Vogue more boxed games firms than by a major account signing in Distribution kept itself largely ever. To support publishers 2012 when Link become one under the radar, but is now that have had to reduce of the official distributors for reaching out to new publisher headcounts the firm has Konami. The firm contributed and retail partners as it offered a growing outsource significantly to the success of becomes more competitive. solution. This now sees it PES 2013, as well as several Strong pre-sales, positive acting as proactive lead on other Q4 releases. Link also feeback and repeat orders are pre-order campaign, trade invested in growing its storage a testament to how well promotion, social media and capacity and can now handle Vogue Distribution works with deep analytics on sell in and more titles than ever. current clients. sell through for financial lifecycle analysis.

15 2013Awards The market for computer & video games SALES TRIUMPH JUDGING CRITERIA: Sales performance, Product expectations, Over-achievement

ANGRY BIRDS STAR WARS BORDERLANDS 2 GUILD WARS 2 HITMAN: ABSOLUTION PC (FOCUS MULTIMEDIA) (2K GAMES) (NCSOFT) (SQUARE ENIX)

Rovio’s phenomenon has long The sequel used a range of Guild Wars 2 reached number A strong sales trajectory and been established as a hit on pre-order activity to push past one in the GFK All Formats intensive price activity meant smartphones and tablets, but projections. By the close of Charts in ten top EU territories, the new Hitman went above the PC versions from Focus 2012 Borderlands 2 was one of including the UK where it was and beyond. After seven Multimedia have also proven the Top 10 games of the year, the first PC-only game to do weeks on sale it outsold to be popular. The latest with a bigger opening so since 2010. It hit a 2m sales Hitman: Blood Money’s release, Angry Birds Star Wars, weekend than comparable milestone within a fortnight of comparable sales four times was the Christmas No.1 in the launches from much bigger launch. over. The game consistently UK’s PC budget charts, a titles such as Far Cry 3, Mass held a top four spot on the position it held throughout Effect 3 and Hitman Absolution. charts and it ended 2012 as December. the year’s fifth biggest game.

MINECRAFT: XBOX 360 SKYLANDERS GIANTS SLEEPING DOGS EDITION (ACTIVISION) (SQUARE ENIX) (MOJANG/MICROSOFT) Skylanders had an exceptional Sleeping Dogs sold more than The powerhouse indie game start but sequel Giants took it any other new IP in 2012, brand became the bestselling higher, bringing in new making the top 20 for the year. XBLA game when its British- players and pleasing existing Not bad for a game that was made Xbox port launched in ones. The game had a 42 per rescued from another publisher summer 2012, and has sat at cent year-on-year uplift for the – the game didn’t just exceed the top of the console’s entry point into the franchise. Square’s expectations, but download charts ever since. Giants has led the kids market those of the media, and those and held an overall top 20 who were arguably wrong to chart position in the UK from take it out of commission in the launch. first place.

16 2013Awards UK Sales Team The market for computer & video games Award Partner UK SALES TEAM JUDGING CRITERIA: Product knowledge, Depth of information, Telesales, Trade relations, Field sales reliability, Sales

2K GAMES ACTIVISION BETHESDA ELECTRONIC ARTS The last twelve months were 2012 was a big year for the The Bethesda UK Sales team is EA UK’s sales team says it grew the busiest in 2K’s history, with Activision sales team with a one-man team: Gethyn market share value last year the sales team selling titles big blockbusters launches for Deakins. Last year, he through strong trade relations and small into the market: Diablo III, Call of Duty: Black successfully launched with both retail head office from The Darkness II, Spec Ops Ops II, Skylanders Giants and Dishonored and Doom 3 BFG and store staff, better planning The Line, Borderlands 2 and more. The team says success Edition across PC, Xbox 360 and depth of advance XCom Enemy Unknown and to was driven through building and PS3 platforms, as well as information. Its field team has Civilization 5 Gods & Kings, strong, collaborative continuing to support Skyrim. been closer than ever with Dora and Friends Fantastic relationships with retail All titles performed well and retail, offering and giving Flight and other family games. partners to deliver stand out offered gamers great value feedback. Its telesales team execution which challenged entertainment. offers separate dedicated the status quo. service to indies.

KOCH MEDIA MICROSOFT UBISOFT WARNER BROS Koch has a relatively small but Xbox delivered a host of Ubisoft’s sales team planned, WBIE UK’s sales team is dedicated and passionate games for all audiences into presented and discussed its integrated into the wider sales team in the UK, handling the market during 2012. range earlier than ever before in Home Entertainment team, titles not just for own label Kinect titles included Star 2012, with key wins including which has allowed them to Deep Silver but also for other Wars, Fable: The Journey, Dance the highest ever pre-order jointly capitalise on cross partners including NCsoft, Central 3, Sesame Street TV and campaign for Assassin’s Creed. divisional relationships and Tubby Games, Focus Home Kinect Nike+. Big blockbusters Supporting the sales team at move WBIE in the UK Interactive, P2 Games, and were Forza Horizon and Halo 4. Ubisoft is a key team of people; publisher rankings from 11th Asylum. It’s also sells a strong not just account managers, but place on units and 10th place line of successful casual and also two analysts and a telesales on value in 2011 to 7th place family products into retail, team at Gem, plus the on units and 8th place on including Farming Simulator dedicated six-strong Ubisoft value in 2012. 2013, Cats & Dogs and Puzzler. field team.

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2013Awards The market for computer & video games EXPORT SALES TEAM JUDGING CRITERIA: Product knowledge, Depth of information, Telesales, Trade relations, Field sales reliability, Sales

BETHESDA CAPCOM KOCH MEDIA NCSOFT Bethesda has offices in the UK, Capcom’s export team has Koch manages its export A long-running and proactive France, Germany and Holland, worked hard to get the firm’s division as if it was its own giant sales campaign saw Guild Wars and all other PAL business is key franchises into even the territory, with strategic planning 2 hit big across ten EU driven by the export sales team harder to reach or more and PR/marketing deployment territories, topping the charts (Greg Baverstock) in the London financially challenged markets supporting its own label and in all of them. Distributors office. He was responsible for across Europe. Despite shifting partner releases. Key territories from across the continent the launch of Dishonored and market conditions, the include Australia, Japan and have praised the team’s quick Doom 3 BFG Edition across Italy, publisher has seen impressive Russia, which all benefitted responses, strong pricing Spain, Russia, Poland, Czech chart reaction to key releases from localised releases. It also management, commitment to Republic, Hungary, Nordic, from 2012. works on smaller opportunities partners’ business and Australia, Turkey, Greece, many such as Poland, Hungary, maintaining the balance other European countries, parts Greece, UAE, Singapore and among digital sales and retail of Asia and the Middle East. Hong Kong. sales.

SEGA UBISOFT WARNER BROS Everybody is aware of the huge The export sales team of three WB Games Export has had success that Football Manager is look after over 30 accounts major successes with the in the UK but this is matched across 54 territories. Export sales Batman and Mortal Kombat across Europe. Highlights from have grown every year for the brands, particularly in Eastern 2012 include scoring No. 1 PC last seven years on the back of Europe and South East Asia. title status in Portugal and great planning, partnerships Mortal Kombat is now one of Greece, triple digit growth in and delivering the right assets. the biggest brands in Russia. For Turkey, plus double digit growth Ubisoft has a dedicated export 2012, LEGO Lord of the Rings in Poland, Greece, Portugal and analyst on hand as well as key became the biggest LEGO South East Asia. TV campaigns personnel stationed in both video game launch for the in Greece, Norway, France, Russia and South Africa to make export team to-date. Specialist Portugal and Italy also sure it makes the most of all marketing and PR for each supported sales activity. local market opportunities. market has supported sales.

20 2013Awards UK Sales Team The market for computer & video games Award Partner MARKETING TEAM JUDGING CRITERIA: Effective communication, Creativity, Influence on sales, Impact vs budget and resource

2K GAMES ACTIVISION BETHESDA With just a team of three, 2012 was the 2012 was a big year for the Activision The UK marketing team successfully busiest year in 2K’s history with big team with blockbusters launches for Call launched Dishonored, a brand new IP, releases including The Darkness II, Spec of Duty: Black Ops II, Skylanders Giants, during a competitive window in 2012. Ops The Line, Borderlands 2, XCom Enemy Prototype 2, Moshi Monsters: Theme Park Activity began early in the year with UK Unknown, NBA 2K13 and and The Amazing Spider-Man. A seven- retail previews. Bethesda also used smaller titles such as Civilization 5 Gods & month effort on Black Ops II plus Google Admob network for a bespoke Kings, Team Umizoomi, Dora and Friends year-round support on Skylanders mobile video player that had never been Fantastic Flight, Carnival Games Wild West maintained the brands’ visibility and used before in the EMEA region. IGN and 3D and Nickelodeon Dance 2. 2K had its cemented them as not just UK Xbox Live partnerships also drove the most successful year on record, powerhouses, but part of an impressive game forward. accounting for 75 per cent of parent global success story for the publisher. company Take Two’s business.

ELECTRONIC ARTS NINTENDO UK SCE UK EA’s team was proactive on five fronts. 2012 was a period of big changes for 2012 was a transitional year for SCE UK Social media work supported Battlefield, Nintendo UK. But new MD Simon Kemp marketing with some old faces leaving and NFS and FIFA where the latter attained Top and marketing director Shelly Pearce lead new strengthening the team. Major above 10 social campaign. In experiential, it ran the the team into a new era. The team created the line campaigns ran for PS3, PS Vita, Book award winning FIFA dugout tour. Team campaigns for four triple-A Mario titles, of Spells, LBP Vita, LittleBig PlanetKarting, integration and partnerships were proven juggled five formats (three old, two new) PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, Sorcery, with Mass Effect 3 and FIFA Street launches, – DS, 3DS, 3DS XL, Wii and Wii U – Resistance Burning Skies and God Of War which saw both titles exceeding sales bolstered its relationship with third party Ascension. Digital activity has supported PS expectations despite a tumultuous March partners, and influenced, embraced and Plus, driving huge spikes in subscriptions. It for retail. Local content included the PWNED steered the company into its new digital has also continued its association with video show. And that was all drawn and social era. Champions League, run sampling tours for together with full year-round engagement Book of Spells in shopping centres, and promoting both boxed product and PDLC. exceeded 5 million units of PS3.

SEGA UBISOFT WARNER BROS Sega’s UK teams managed campaigns for Ubisoft’s UK marketing team broke several WBIE UK’s lean but motivated marketing three big releases in 2012. London 2012 records both internally and externally in team ran multi-faceted campaign capitalised on all the hype and 2012. Relevantly targeted advertising was supporting LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes excitement of the Olympics with strong key, engaging with consumers via social and LEGO Lord of the Rings. Both games messaging to cut through the noise media and owned strategies. Key highlights worked hard to achieve strong ROI through around many other brands trying to gain are: the biggest and most comprehensive driving pester power and maximising lower association with the event. Football marketing campaign on Assassin’s Creed III, costs on kids TV, co-promotional activity Manager 2013 had a global pre-order one of the blockbuster releases of the year; with LEGO toys and the likes of LEGOland. incentive launched, plus a partnership turning Far Cry 3 into one of the year’s Sampling activity was also important, while with Sky Sports, with the promotional major blockbusters with close work with retail exclusives such as the pack-in toys for schedule across October and November retail; and keeping Just Dance 4 relevant, Batman 2m and premium DLC packs. Cross- delivering more than double the amount even bucking market predictions. promotional integration into the launch of ‘big audience’ games than last year. campaign with cinemas also helped.

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2013Awards The market for computer & video games PR Team Award Partner PR TEAM JUDGING CRITERIA: Originality and imagination, Effective use of assets and creation of new materials, Responsiveness

2K GAMES ACTIVISION BETHESDA CAPCOM UK 2K’s in-house UK PR duo and There was a considerable shift Dishonored benefitted from a Capcom had both core their colleagues left no stone in Activision UK’s approach to year-long campaign to promote franchise (Street Fighter X unturned when it came to PR for 2012. The team aimed the title, including strong E3 Tekken) and new IP (Dragon’s finding innovative ways to for a more diverse range of PR and Gamescom activity, media Dogma) out last year, all while promote new releases and results to reach a wider tours, community events, and working on building also excite the press. Standout audience and engage on a generally close work with awareness for 2013 release activity around Borderlands 2 deeper level. Notable media – and crucially getting DmC: Devil May Cry. But the last year included a chartered achievements included Black them to play it. Bethesda also biggest work were efforts bus that offered journalists Ops II and the Black Ops II Live invested in a wide array of video dedicated to a year-long free travel to Gamescom in event, plus work with London assets many of which also campaign to promote the new Germany, collaboration with Zoo on Skylanders Giants. responded to community Resident Evil. In a PR sense, the the 2K sales team in questions, the most successful highlight was the widely promoting Top Trumps cards being an interactive that covered and innovative (and sold via indie retailers and reflected the game’s emphasis gruesome) East London designed to entice gamers, on player choice. The game ‘zombie butchers’, selling and a London bungie jump went on to collect 170 end of ‘human’ meat goods as part of stunt. year awards, including from the the Resi 6 campaign. (It beats likes of Nuts, Official PlayStation eating a horse burger.) Magazine, and the Eurogamer Readers Game of The Year.

CODEMASTERS/ EA MICROSOFT LUNCH PR EA’s portfolio featured in a Its committed resource of in- 2012 was a new high for diverse range of specialist and house and agency staff Codemasters media results. F1 mainstream coverage last year, pushed Xbox forward in 2012 2012 generated over 500 pieces scoring over 30 magazine as it chased a wider base of of UK coverage. Major launch covers. Fully integrated gamers and had a more coverage was achieved via a campaigns used traditional, diverse platform proposition stunt involving McLaren, broadcast and social media to than ever. A host of Kinect Williams, Caterham and the BBC increase awareness and drive games were released in the that saw star drivers Lewis pre-orders. Things like the FIFA year, from movie licences and Hamilton, Bruno Senna and packshot reveal on Facebook new ideas, as the platform Heikki Kovalainen compete and videos for Medal of Honor added a broad entertainment against each other on F1 2012 were featured both on official remit. But in games-specific PR racing the all new track at sites and many other media some heavyweight stunts Austin, Texas before they’d seen outlets. Talent initiatives saw EA helped celebrate big launches it in real life. Activity was filmed dominate tabloid sports pages Forza (with the pan-Europe by BBC and transmitted on the for all EA Sports and core titles, a Escape the Grid) and Halo 4 day of the grand prix, an move now being copied by (the innovative takeover of a unprecedented level of other publishers. whole country, Lichtenstein). cooperation in any kind of F1- related publicity.

22 2013Awards PR Team The market for computer & video games Award Partner

NAMCO BANDAI/ NCSOFT/BASTION NINTENDO SCE UK PREMIER PR The PR campaign for Guild 2012 was a time of change PlayStation PR worked Wars 2 ramped up steadily and reinvention for the strategically in 2012 to push The pair continued to deliver over a number of years, Nintendo UK PR Team. Against further than ever before. cost effective PR efforts and managed by the in-house a backdrop of team changes Wonderbook: Book of Spells, a stand out activity including a team of three and agency and a new PR agency, the brand new IP with large The Witcher 2 event at Hever support. Good media relations team launched one new approval processes and no Castle, a jet fighter stunt with and smart use of assets handheld console (3DS XL), a access J.K. Rowling, still Ace Combat, innovative fitness resulted in huge mainstream new home console (Wii U) as managed to reach brand new routines for Soul Calibur V, and specialist coverage across well as more than 30 boxed areas of media where Sony Tekken Tag Tournament 2 the whole continent software launches (across Wii, had to forge new community support and tours, throughout the Guild Wars 2 Wii U, 3DS, DS), weekly eShop relationships. Other highlights and a big campaign for cult hit PR campaign – BBC (UK), titles and saw the introduction included a concerted Dark Souls. Empire (UK), Metro (pan-EU), of Nintendo Direct. Christmas 2012 push behind FHM (pan-EU), Fun Radio (FR), Vita around key exclusives, The Guardian (UK), The active work around the GT Independent (UK), 20 Minutos Academy and its winner (ES), Le Soir (FR), Telegraaf (NL), scoring coverage worth £1m, The Telegraph (UK), The Sun plus innovative work on the (UK), Metal Hammer (UK), MSN likes of PlayStation All-Stars (DE) and CBS (DE). Battle Royale.

SEGA/77PR & LUNCH PR UBISOFT WBIE UK/PREMIER PR Sega’s in-house team of four The UK PR team at Ubisoft has 2012 was another strong year plus agencies Lunch and 77PR a 12-step program to success. for the WBIE UK/Premier PR worked hard on a mix of We won’t spoil all their trade team, most notably for the campaigns last year. London secrets, but stand out rules LEGO Batman 2 and LEGO The 2012 game PR was designed include answering queries Lord of the Rings campaigns, to cut through a busy and promptly, efficiently and where the team has driven popular Olympics saturated politely, offer original story campaigns which reflect the with other big brands while ideas and angles to make its creativity and fun of the work on Football Manager partnerships with media more games themselves. Highlights culminated in a great review interesting, make sure events included special celebrity campaign. Activity also offer good value to attendees, endorsements for both games, supported Sonic and All-Stars innovating with things like a a viral video of Superman Racing Transformed, plus the PR campaign for digital flying over London, and a continued build up to 2013 products, and together with photoshoot of LEGO DC Super release Aliens: Colonial long term PR agency partner Heroes queuing outside Marines. Emanate, to stand as a well- GAME’s Oxford Street store at integrated and united PR midnight on launch day. Both team. games also benefitted from strong review coverage and strong average review scores.

23 2013Awards The market for computer & video games UK Games Studio Award Partner UK GAMES STUDIO JUDGING CRITERIA: Consistency of product quality, Innovation, Sales performance and business model, Critical acclaim

4J STUDIOS BOSS ALIEN CODEMASTERS STUDIOS CRITERION GAMES Although the studio has The Brighton-based team was Codemasters Birmingham’s Now the sole developer of primarily worked to port propelled to stardom last year two titles, F1 2012 and F1 Race Need for Speed, Criterion re- games to other platforms, with CSR Racing, a freemium Stars, performed very well in confirmed its position as the 2012 was a breakout year for iOS game published by the market through Q4 2012. best in-class racing studio in the Dundee studio with its NaturalMotion. It’s one of the Sales success saw the studio the UK with the critically Minecraft 360 release. The standout hits for the F2P become the No.3 UK acclaimed Most Wanted. The team readapted the PC indie model from a UK team – at developer in terms of revenue game won the most E3 awards game hit for console under one point in 2012 the game during Q4, with market share ever for a Need for Speed title the watch of Microsoft and was making millions of of almost 10 per cent. and included in-game original creator Mojang. The pounds each month from innovations such as allowing result was one of the best incremental in-game revenue. gamers to compare stats selling console download regardless of platform. games of all time.

PLAYGROUND GAMES SCE LONDON STUDIO SPORTS INTERACTIVE TRAVELLER’S TALES Playground’s debut game London Studio’s Wonderbook Consistency of product quality UK-based TT Games has been Forza Horizon took the was one of 2012’s most has been key for Sports creating great video games for flagship Xbox driving game innovative products. The first Interactive since its founding over 15 years. With over 80 series in new directions, with a Wonderbook game was created almost two decades ago. FM13 million LEGO video games lifestyle angle themed around in collaboration with the world’s specifically contains over 900 sold worldwide to-date, TT a music festival and a more most successful author J.K. improvements on FM12 based Games has continued to be accessible arcade-style racing Rowling and combined on community feedback and one of the UK’s game element. augmented reality with new internal evaluation, plus a development success stories, content from Harry Potter. The better Steam server experience with the clear ability to create studio also completed a new and a hugely detailed game fantastic family games based DanceStar Party game, and database – SI now owns the on global entertainment revamped SingStar as a free-to- largest, most detailed football franchises. all digital platform. database in the world.

24 2013Awards The market for computer & video games THIRD-PARTY GAMES HARDWARE JUDGING CRITERIA: Innovation, Quality of products, Marketing, Retail strategy, Sales success

GIOTECKMADCATZ ORB POWER A Accessories specialist Gioteck MadCatz cemented its name Despite parent firm i-Globe Major sales drivers for Power A continues to hold its own in in the competitive headset entering liquidation last have included its official Wii U the crowded UK marketplace, market last year with its summer, the Orb brand series, other Nintendo- and has even begun Tritton range, with official continues to fare well on the licensed products and its wide establishing a foothold headsets for Xbox 360, Wii U High Street, now under the range of Skylanders products. overseas. The firm now and PS3. Last year the guidance of iG Accessories. A As Activision’s toys and games supplies its products to the company expanded globally regular favourite in MCV’s crossover has gone from US, where its sales increased with new offices in Japan and Annual Retail Survey, Orb was strength-to-strength, so too by more than 600 per cent last Korea. originally exclusive to has Power A’s line of storage year. Gioteck focuses on Xbox Blockbuster but now delivers packs and playsets, with fresh 360 and PS3 with Wii U strong sales for multiple products complementing the products now on the way. retailers. launch of Skylanders Giants.

SKYLANDERS GIANTS STEELSERIES TURTLE BEACH VENOM The Skylanders franchise SteelSeries worked hard The leading name in premium Long-running accessories continued to grow in 2012, throughout 2012 on a mixture headsets dominated the sector vendor Venom expanded its with a move into mobile and of premium PC products and last year with its own-brand Ear range of products on all the release of new game licensed peripherals. The Force range, officially licensed formats, as well as introducing a Giants. The Skylanders Mobile product team works closely Call of Duty: Black Ops II series new Wii U line and multi-format Starter Pack allows consumers with its sales and marketing and Nintendo-licensed Wii products like its Universal TV to bring the Skylanders toys department as well as its headsets. The firm has Mount, Thumb Grips and into the game via a Bluetooth vendors to ensure each strengthened it’s presence at Fitness Gloves. The firm even version of the signature Portal product makes an impact at retail with the creation of Turtle secured more shelf space at of Power. And the brand has launch. Beach sampling kiosks in mainstream retailers been widely licensed across a games stores, and reached out such as Asda and Currys/PC variety of games, books and to games at major consumer World, and continues to retain a FMCG goods. shows. significant share of the market.

25 2013Awards The market for computer & video games NEW GAME BRAND JUDGING CRITERIA: Commercial success, Long-term potential, Innovation, Marketing support and impact

CSR RACING DISHONOURED ROCKSMITH (UBISOFT) SLEEPING DOGS (NATURALMOTION GAMES) (BETHESDA) Rocksmith introduced a (SQUARE ENIX) completely new game concept iOS drag racing game CSR Dishonored garnered a – evolving the arcade guitar Square Enix had a two- Racing invites players into the number of best-in-show prizes game into something that pronged challenge with world of street racing. It’s one in the run-up to release and its offered a more authentic and Sleeping Dogs. Firstly, it was of the standout hits for the arrival in the market delivered educational experience. The taking a game dumped by F2P model from a UK team – upon Bethesda’s expectations. game uses a real guitar and a another publisher and at one point in 2012 the game With a strong performance at innovative system that rebranding it. Second was was making millions of retail it showed that new IP automatically adjusts gameplay building that new brand in a pounds each month from could be successfully to personal ability, so it can be shorter-than-usual timeframe. incremental in-game revenue. launched late in a console played by musicians as well as Sleeping Dogs more than life cycle. those who had never picked up delivered, exciting both retail a guitar before in their life. and consumers.

WONDERBOOK (SCE UK) ZOMBIU (UBISOFT) Wonderbook features an ZombiU was built exclusively innovative play pattern for an for the Wii U from the ground audience that isn’t typically up, with new gameplay engaged with video games. opportunities offered by the There were three distinct target console that looked for ways audiences: the Harry Potter fan, to make the game distinctive kids aged seven to ten, and in the zombie/horror-survival parents. First release Book of genre. The game has become Spells capitalised on the No.1 third-party brand on involvement from J.K. Rowling’s, Wii U. influence from the world of Harry Potter, plus London Studio’s augmented reality R&D.

26 2013Awards The market for computer & video games DIGITAL CAMPAIGN JUDGING CRITERIA: Creativity and execution, Influence on sales, Impact vs budget, Media strategy

ASSASSIN’S CREED III DEAD OR ALIVE 5 DISHONORED FIFA 13 (UBISOFT) (TECMO KOEI) (BETHESDA) (ELECTRONIC ARTS)

Assassin’s Creed III’s digital Tecmo Koei’s ‘I’m a Fighter’ The team at Bethesda A well-planned Twitter campaign thrived straight out digital campaign for Dead or promoting Dishonored in the campaign for EA’s football giant the gate, spawning 5,000 Alive 5 proved that a tiny digital realm using a saw FIFA 13 make the Top 10 list Twitter threads about the game, budget can deliver big results, combination of trailers, a pair of of the social platform’s best and trending globally on the through community tailored microsites, a dedicated promoted product campaigns microblogging website. The engagement and working with iOS game, a series of animated by brands, based on data digital push for the stealth title, high profile online brands. prequel videos, community including total engagements, says Ubisoft, was core to the Tecmo Koei in Europe fostered a events and numerous social reach and impressions. FIFA 13 biggest pre-order volume the larger DOA community than platforms. also reached over 2.3 million publisher has ever seen. those seen in the US or Japan. consumers via Facebook.

FOOTBALL MANAGER GUILD WARS 2 LEGO BATMAN 2 RESIDENT EVIL 6 2013 (SEGA) (NCSOFT) (WBIE UK) (CAPCOM)

Offering early Beta access The NCsoft team attribute a WBIE UK’s social media Capcom used social media proved hugely appealing to the million pre-orders and a week- campaign for LEGO Batman 2 early on to help drive pre- gaming public, but was just one one Metacritic score of 94 to was the first UK-only strategy reveal excitement and hype part of the strategy. Ads on intensive digital promotion. The aimed at a LEGO gaming for Resident Evil 6. By launch official football club sites, video game’s Facebook account saw a audience, allowing the team to time Resident Evil was releases, ESPN takeovers, follower leap of 783 per cent deliver tailored information, mentioned on Twitter over targeted Facebook promotion, during the campaign, while images, videos, media coverage 630,000 times. This part of the and pre-roll on Yahoo’s Premier Twitter devotees to the game and retail offers direct to drive wider RE6 campaign was even League Highlights also helped climbed 425 per cent in the pre-orders, with what the used by Facebook in a make this FM’s most successful same period. publisher has described as whitepaper on how brands pre-order campaign to date. ‘impressive results’. can better use social networks.

27 2013Awards The market for computer & video games Audience Engagement Award Partner AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT JUDGING CRITERIA: Creativity, Influence on sales, Influence on audience, Impact vs budget

BLACK OPS II LIVE EUROGAMER EXPO FORZA: ESCAPE THE GRID In the days preceding Black Ops II’s launch, Eurogamer Expo is designed as the place Escape The Grid was a pan-European road three distinct events were held under the for gamers to get hands-on with the race from Paris to Birmingham in ten banner Black Ops II Live. The first event was a biggest unreleased new games and Forza Horizon supercars including daily dedicated community night. The second hardware, hang out with their friends, challenges, competitions and video night was held in partnership with urban take part in numerous activities and have content, making it deeply socially youth network SBTV. For the final launch fun. It’s working – over 50,000 attended enabled. 17 journalists and camera crews party the larger community were engaged the show last year, seeing games from took part in the challenge over the four via celebrity tournament, live COD-casting. pretty much every major publisher. days. It scored 14,000+ Facebook likes, Some of the most influential media and 10,000 more are expected to attend in 14,000+ Twitter mentions generating a celebrity stars became social ambassadors 2013. reach of 13.2 million, and 290,000+ visits for the night. At these three events, the to Forza Horizon on Xbox.com. There were #BlackOps2Live hashtag generated over over 188,000 views on Escape the Grid 9,000 tweets, with a total reach of 29m. YouTube content.

GADGET SHOW LIVE GAME SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY HITMAN SNIPER CHALLENGE Now running twice a year, the Gadget After its restructuring, GAME empowered Square Enix set its targets high with Show Live presents all the latest its remaining 300+ stores into individual Hitman: Absolution, saying it would be electronics but has widened that to social media hubs, encouraging them to one of the top five games of 2012. To get include games and consoles. Key games engage with customers locally and there, it set the bar on pre-order additions in 2012 included the Make nationally via Twitter and other forms of incentives with Hitman Sniper Challenge. Something Unreal contest plus support social media. All stores now have their The DLC game was free to those who pre- from the likes of Nintendo, Xbox, own social media presence, answering purchased the game, but was a release in PlayStation, EA, Capcom, Warner Bros customer queries direct. its own right, more than a demo, with Interactive Entertainment, GAME, dedicated online support and leagues. Overclockers and Turtle Beach. This was backed with mainstream consumer competitions looking for the world’s best in-game sniper.

MCM LONDON COMIC CON TOTAL WAR WEEKEND TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT 2 MCM London Comic Con welcomes Creative Assembly and Sega have a The new fighter had a massive campaign 60,000 attendees. The show is held over strategy of long-lifecycle DLC support, focused on community and events. three days and is a showcase of which broadly continues to deliver Proactive engagement came through entertainment and modern popular stronger and stronger sales throughout challenges, worldwide tournaments, in- culture from various segments of the the year and engages current owners and house tournament packs for retailers plus entertainment industry including, but not new ones. A highlight for that in 2012 support for indie retailers to encourage restricted to, sci-fi or fantasy films and TV, was the first Total War Weekend on Steam local patrons to get in on the fighting video games, animation, comics and which combined promotions, free spirit. merchandise. content and a huge update to the game to deliver a spike in sales performance.

28 2013Awards The market for computer & video games MEDIA SALES TEAM JUDGING CRITERIA: Creativity, Industry collaboration, Impact vs budget

ABSOLUTE RADIO DISNEY CHANNEL EUROGAMER FUTURE Absolute is a national Disney Channel reaches over With ten website brands, 14 The UK magazine publishing entertainment and music 10m homes across the UK. All local editions, six events, and giant has restructured its brand. It proudly says it leads programming is created its own creative agency, entire Entertainment the industry in developing around a set of values, which Eurogamer is part of one of management team in 2012, applications for the web and help kids navigate the the biggest games media with several key hires and new and emerging platforms, challenges of growing up and businesses operating in the promotions. Future has also including mobile, wi-fi radio, encourage them to believe in UK. Its specialist focus has restructured its London next-generation DAB, smart themselves, follow their been embraced by the games Advertising business and TV and Xbox. Key games dreams and celebrate family. community – 60,000 of them invested more in campaign partners include Disney Channel reaches half of are expected to attend this understanding its audience Bethesda, Sega and EA. all British girls aged eight to 12 year’s EG Expo. with the creation of the Future years-old and over a third of all Illuminate Panel, dedicated to families in the UK. researching its consumers.

GAMESPOT IGN SKY SPORTS TALKSPORT GameSpot UK boasts 2.4m Reaching an audience of over A highlight of Sky Sports’ work In 2012 TalkSport took the unique users, with key games 5m UK consumers a month, in games last year was a decision to give gaming more partners and games campaigns IGN’s 10-strong games sales partnership with Sega on the focus and support. Over 70 per including EA, Activision, Ubisoft, team grew revenues across its biggest TV campaign yet for cent of its 5m monthly Bethesda, Call of Duty Elite, IGN and AskMen brands by Football Manager. This was all audience said they played Resident Evil 6, Medal of Honor more than 50 per cent in 2012 supported with Sky Sports games regularly. Example and Borderlands 2. It offers by attracting major new clients online and mobile with home successes have been the first campaign insight through its and increasing the spend of page takeovers and score- ever Twitter Radio show with GameSpot TRAX market existing partners. Highlights in centre takeovers for the days EA for FIFA 13, a nine week Call reserach. And it considers itself a 2012 included Bethesda’s of the key games. of Duty promotion that trailblazer in the burgeoning Dishonored, which saw IGN dominated all its shows and live gaming phenomenon. deliver a live streamed public various print solutions. event and themed microsite.

29 2013Awards The market for computer & video games TRADE MARKETING TEAM JUDGING CRITERIA: Effective communication of messages, Creativity, Influence on sales , Trade relations, Efficiency

ACTIVISION BETHESDA EA The Activision trade marketing team says it The trade marketing team worked closely Whether helping retail prepare for FIFA 13 delivers best in class retail programmes with retail to launch Dishonored, 2012’s or The Sims 3, Battlefield or Need For Speed, through continual innovation and focus best new IP, to ensure high quality cut- EA says it offered creative thinking on the consumer journey. Once Black Ops II through during a crowded and around pre-orders, digital sales in-store, was revealed the title immediately competitive window. and social media. Its supermarket dominated the retail landscape with in frontage takeovers were a games first. store and online presence. 2012 was a The team also says it met with retail early busy year for Blizzard with the launch of to present products and plan well in Diablo III and Mists of Pandaria. And let’s advance, and is proud of its work on store not forget Skylanders. The trade team has conferences and sales staff education. It continued to support retail with assets for also has dedicated team members per each new toy waves as well as building to account, running weekly meetings jointly the reveal and launch of Skylanders Giants. with marketing and commercial teams.

GEM NINTENDO SCE UK Gem offers more than just distribution, In a challenging 2012, Nintendo says its Key highlights over the year include the with plenty of full service options to trade marketing continued to support Book of Spells trade marketing campaign customers, whether that is in release, sales retail to ensure the brands such as Mario, which inclued print and online trade and/or marketing for physical goods. Gem Pokemon, and Professor Layton amongst media, the development of training tools strives to evolve its offering from logistics others were first choice for consumers. It which were adopted throughout Europe through to creative solutions, priding itself says it worked closely with retail and and extensive sampling throughout the on working to add continuous value to its delivered huge triple-A campaigns on busy Christmas period. The Brand relationships with partners. titles such as NSMB2, Pokemon B&W, Ambassador Scheme – SCE UK’s digital Layton 5 in 2012 plus strong Q4 plans that training and communication tool for targetted female, gifters and Mario fans. retail store staff – continues to flourish since the introduction of key elements such as the PlayStation Store which gives users the opportunity to win prizes.

UBISOFT WBIE UK XBOX For Assassin’s Creed III, huge point of sale WBIE UK’s trade marketing team prides Proactive work with retail supported a displays were created throughout retail itself on strong support for its games host of Xbox games last year. The best including grocery outlets and premium LEGO Batman 2 and LEGO The Lord of the examples come from the Halo 4 front of space. For the first time on Rings. For LEGO Batman 2, an exclusive campaign, which started with a Huge E3 Assassin’s Creed, retail completely LEGO mini toy was offered to all retail for presence including a dedicated Halo 4 embraced midnight launch events with a pre-order customer incentive. For The party and was sustained through release over 1,000 stores entertaining consumers Lord of the Rings, WBIE maximised pre- with a huge midnight opening at GAME with DJ’s, POS displays, pizza and goodie order opportunities with retailer accounts Westfield, plus POS in-store for many bags. Even shopping centres were through exclusives and by having a long other outlets. brought on board to support the game pre-order window. The firm worked with experiential activity allowing the closely with retail on retailer funded brand to broaden into the mass market above-the-line activities alongside its arena. own.

30 2013Awards Game Campaign The market for computer & video games Award Partner GAME CAMPAIGN JUDGING CRITERIA: Creativity and execution, Influence on sales, Impact vs budget, Media strategy

ASSASSIN’S CREED III BORDERLANDS 2 CALL OF DUTY: BLACK FIFA 13 (UBISOFT) (2K GAMES) OPS II (ACTIVISION) (ELECTRONIC ARTS)

Ubisoft may have had the 2K’s campaign is the most Call of Duty: Black Ops II was FIFA 13 enjoyed its biggest largest budget ever for this successful in the company’s the best selling game of 2012. week one in franchise history, campaign but it was spent history, the team says. The Key highlights from the seven- selling in excess of 1.2 million strategically with support campaign direction was guided month campaign included a units. It got there through a early on in the year for key by striking creative seen across reveal spot during the campaign across digital, print, announcement milestones. TV, outdoor, the underground, Champions League final, TV, radio, mobile, out-of-home Then, launch period hands-on events, specialist and advertising during one of the and social with relevant culminated in a three week mainstream online, music biggest films of the year The season long messaging and heavyweight TV campaign, festival, specialist and Dark Knight Rises, and a four- engagement tailored to the outdoor, radio and high- mainstream print, and a variety day launch event called Black audience and aligned to the impact specialist online ads. of bespoke community events. Ops II Live. real world of football.

HALO 4 (MICROSOFT) HITMAN: ABSOLUTION LONDON 2012 WONDERBOOK (SCE UK) Microsoft worked hard to earn (SQUARE ENIX) (SEGA) With Book of Spells, SCE UK had Halo 4’s place in the 2012 top to communicate an innovative five. Highlights included The Hitman campaign took a London 2012’s marketing idea to an audience that isn’t multiple UK preview events, brand that last graced the promoted a ‘next best thing to typically engaged with games. an innovative takeover and charts six years ago and being there’ experience. Sega With kids SCE UK focused on experiential event in the relaunched it in the most worked hard to cut through the explaining how strong the principality of Liechtenstein, a competitive time of year. The many other brands trying to experience is and the launch stunt of flying a ‘glyph’ team worked hard to create lots gain association with the relationship between the game down the Thames, plus huge of assets for the Hitman Olympics using lots of TV work and the book. The team out-of-home, cinema, TV and Youtube campaign, eventually including a specially created 90- identified mothers as the print/online advertising, and scoring 13 million views. Hitman sec spot that ran in ITV News on financial decision makers and POS in-store. Sniper Challenge DLC was an the day of the opening worked with Mumsnet to innovative pre-order inventive. ceremony. provide a subtle endorsement.

31 2013Awards The market for computer & video games SPECIALIST GAMES PUBLISHER JUDGING CRITERIA: Sales development, Product quality, Trade relations, Customer service, Marketing agility

EXCALIBUR PUBLISHING FOCUS MULTIMEDIA MIND CANDY NAMCO BANDAI GAMES The simulation PC specialists The budget PC specialist still Moshi Monsters remains a Namco saw continued growth may publish games like publishes titles like Premier huge kids phenomenon in the in 2012 through its gaming Transport Simulator and Manager and a range of online space, but its now an brands and titles offered via Camping Manager, but these hidden object games. But established IP in the physical distribution. Over the years it niche titles have actually these days it is best known for space, too. The Moshi Monsters has offered up a cream of core garnered quite a following. being the UK publisher of DS games outsold Pokemon gaming brands, bringing titles Last year the publisher Angry Birds titles. Last year last year to be the top sellers such as Demon’s Souls to the opened an office in the US Focus released Angry Birds on that format, while its western market. Stand out and also signed up some of Seasons, Space and Star Wars marketing campaigns were campaigns last year included Bigpoint’s free-to-play games onto the High Street to good significantly bigger. Dark Souls, Tekken Tag to release at retail. success, as well as spin-off Tournament 2 and The Witcher 2, game Bad Piggies. plus distribution deals on titles such as Sniper 2.

PUZZLER MEDIA RISING STAR GAMES TECMO KOEI Puzzler is one of the biggest In bringing undiscovered Tecmo prides itself on a very puzzle brands in the UK, with a gems from the East to the close relationship with its market share in excess of 60 West, Rising Star has catered audience. Its selection of core per cent. In 2012, the firm to specific audiences that games in specialised genres ported its Puzzler World follow key Japanese or casual have been supported with key products to digital and brands. It looks to engage very community activity and active mobile. The firm says it can closely with the communities event and media support engage with not just its around otherwise-neglected designed to build awareness existing audience, but also tap genres and categories, such as and pre-order excitement. into a much younger audience shoot ‘em up fans or JRPGs. that were aware of the Puzzler brand, but were not engaging with it in print.

32 2013Awards Game Campaign The market for computer & video games Award Partner GAMES PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR JUDGING CRITERIA: Sales development, Product quality, Trade relations, Customer service, Marketing agility

ACTIVISION 2K GAMES EA In 2012, the company achieved The last twelve months were the busiest EA ended 2012 as No.1 publisher in UK in outstanding success driven, both globally in 2K’s history, with the sales and terms of market share – share it had and in the UK, through launches and the marketing teams working hard to makes grown in the last 12 months. Six titles ongoing success of a number of titles. Call sure titles big and small did well in the were in the yearly Top 20 compared to of Duty: Black Ops 2 sat at top of the UK market. The diverse slate at 2K included four in 2011, while FIFA 13 continued to charts for six weeks. New IP Skylanders The Darkness 2, Spec Ops The Line, increase both market share in football Spyro’s Adventure has now been Borderlands 2 and XCom Enemy category and year on year. EA strategy’s established as a children’s favourite and Unknown and to Civilization 5 Gods & strategy has been around driving fewer, one of the top performing brands across Kings, Dora and Friends Fantastic Flight bigger hits and in particular growing its all categories in the UK in 2012 according and other family games. digital revenues, as shown through to GFK, third to COD and FIFA. products like Ultimate Team. The success with FIFA and Battlefield in a depressed market is testament to the teams’ efforts.

MICROSOFT NINTENDO SCE UK Xbox delivered a host of games for all Nintendo had a busy year in 2012 which Sony Computer Entertainment continued audiences into the market during 2012. climaxed with the release of the Wii U. It to offer a broad church of indispensable Kinect titles included Star Wars, Fable: The also added to the handheld market with and varied entertainment for the Journey, Dance Central 3, Sesame Street TV the addition of the 3DS XL. Four triple-A PlayStation, PS Vita, and PlayStation and Kinect Nike+. Big blockbusters were Mario games came out, joined by a host of Network platforms. The publisher is Forza Horizon and Halo 4. The latter ended core Nintendo franchise games for Layton always focused on new ideas, shown with the year as the No.4 bestselling game of and Pokemon. Nintendo also strengthened the reveals during 2012 of Wonderbook, 2012. Meanwhile, Xbox continues to push ties with third-parties, releasing the likes of Beyond and The Last of Us and Tearaway the platform and Xbox Live as an Resident Evil Revealtions. Digital played a when competitors focused on sequels. entertainment source, with new services big part of Nintendo’s year, with a host of such as Xbox Music launched during content added to the Nintendo 3DS eShop peak. 360 was the best selling individual and the introduction of a new online store console of the year. with Wii U.

SEGA UBISOFT WBIE UK This year SEGA has improved its publisher This year saw continued momentum and WBIE UK had a phenomenal year, rising in ranking and market share, number six in reinforced Ubisoft’s position as No.3 the UK publisher rankings from 11th terms of units, and the fourth biggest independent publisher. It enjoys success place on units and 10th place on value in third party publisher. Highlights included in casual and further enhanced its digital 2011 to seventh place on units and London 2012 chart success, an evergreen games portfolio. And that’s all while eighth place on value in 2012. year for Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 outstanding core games which included Considering that WBIE is a relative Olympic Games, and Football Manager Assassin’s Creed III, Far Cry 3 and Tom newcomer to the games publishing dominating the PC chart. Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier. industry and the relatively lean structure of its team, this is an impressive achievement.

33 2013Awards The market for computer & video games SPECIAL AWARDS JUDGING CRITERIA: Sales, Attitude and efficiency, Innovation, Success within budgetary constraints, Long-term vision

MCV SPECIAL RECOGNITION

DARREN DOUG MARTYN MAX NATALIE PENNY HOUGHTON, BONE, GIBBS, BUTLER, WHYSALL, HUMPHREY, GEM SQUARE ENIX GAME RETAIL ADVANTAGE UBISOFT ELECTRONIC ARTS GRAND PRIX

Winner 2012: Activision

The winner of this prestigious prize is decided by the MCV editorial team after soundings from the trade and is announced on the night of Thursday, April 18th at the MCV Awards ceremony.

34 Good luck to all the MCV 2013 award nominees

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