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 05 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