PRESS RELEASE

Japan Game Awards 2008
“Games of the Year Division” Award Winners Chosen

The titles that will receive awards in the “Games of the Year Division” at the Japan Game Awards 2008, sponsored by the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association (CESA, Chairman: Yoichi Wada; Location: Nishi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo) have been chosen.

The Grand Award in the "Games of the Year Division”, selected from games sold in Japan between April 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008 goes to two games: "Wii Fit" (Nintendo Co., Ltd.) and "MONSTER HUNTER PORTABLE 2nd G” (CAPCOM CO., LTD.)

Games of the Year Division Award Winners

Awards	Title	Platform	Company
Awards	Wii Fit	Wii	Nintendo Co., Ltd.
	MONSTER HUNTER PORTABLE 2nd G	PSP	CAPCOM CO., LTD.
Award for excellence	Wii Fit	Wii	Nintendo Co., Ltd.
	Super Mario Galaxy	Wii	Nintendo Co., Ltd.
	Super Smash Bros. Brawl	Wii	Nintendo Co., Ltd.
	Devil May Cry® 4	PS3/Xbox360/PC	CAPCOM CO., LTD.
	DRAGON QUEST IV The Chapters of the Chosen	DS	SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.
	Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time / Explorers of Darkness	DS	The Pokémon Company
	Mario Party DS	DS	Nintendo Co.,Ltd.
	MONSTER HUNTER PORTABLE 2nd G	PSP	CAPCOM CO., LTD.
	RYU GA GOTOKU KENZAN!	PS3	SEGA Corporation
	Professor Layton and the Devil’s Box （tentative title）	DS	LEVEL-5 Inc.
	WORLD SOCCER Winning Eleven 2008	PS2/PS3/Xbox360	Konami Digital Entertainment Co. Ltd.
Best Sales Award	Wii Fit	Wii	Nintendo Co., Ltd.
Global Award Japanese Product	Wii Play	Wii	Nintendo Co., Ltd.
Global Award Foreign Product	Guitar Hero III Legends of  Rock	PS2/PS3/ Xbox360/Wii	ACTIVISION Ltd.
Special Award	Call of　Duty4 Modern Warfare	PS3/Xbox360/DS	ACTIVISION Ltd.

●The following abbreviations are used for the platforms.
　 Wii: Nintendo Wii, XB360: Xbox 360, DS: Nintendo DS and DS Lite, PC: Personal Computer,
　 PS3: PlayStation 3, PSP: PlayStation Portable

“Wii Fit”, one of the Grand Award winners, skillfully makes the most of the continually evolving special characteristics of game consoles and has greatly expanded the Wii user base by expanding the definition of games and their entertainment value. The Japan Game Awards selection committee’s high evaluation of these achievements resulted in the title’s selection for the Grand Award

“MONSTER HUNTER PORTABLE 2nd G” has further evolved from the earlier game which gave rise to an unprecedented hunting boom nationwide. “I’m addicted!” “I never get of tired of it!” This game has admirably responded to the expectations of a wide range of users and the overwhelming support that it has received led to its selection as a Grand Award winner.

「Japan Game Awards」's official site ： http://awards.cesa.or.jp/English

General Information

Japan Game Awards Office c/o CESA
Nishi-Shimbashi Annex 3F, 1-22-10 Nishi-Shimbashi,Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0003 Japan
Tel: +81-3- 3591 9151 Fax: +81-3- 3591 9152　Email: awards@cesa.or.jp

 

“Wii Fit” also won the Best Sales Award in addition to the Grand Award. The game recorded sales of 1.85 million units in the four-month period between December 2007, when it was first launched in Japan, and March 2008 of the target year. In the period up to the end of June 2008, total worldwide sales reached 5.27 million units.

“Call of Duty4 Modern Warfare” (Activision Ltd.) was selected for the Special Award, an award that is made at the discretion of the Japan Game Awards selection committee. The characteristics of the “Call of Duty4 Modern Warfare” game are the use of light and shade, and the realistic reproduction of the atmosphere of a battlefield. If they have Xbox LIVE, the multiplayer mode enables up to 18 players to participate in the war simultaneously. The high quality of this title as an FPS (first-person shooter) game earned it the Special Award.

Activision Ltd. has also won in the Global Award Foreign Product category with its “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock” title. This is the first time that two titles from an overseas software manufacturer have won awards simultaneously in the Japan Game Awards’ “Games of the Year Division”.

For further detailed information such as the reasons why the titles that received awards were selected, please visit the Japan Game Awards official website: URL http://awards.cesa.or.jp/.

CESA produces stickers that can be affixed to the packaging of games that have received awards and posters that show all the games that received awards, and then distributes these materials to stores that sell game software. The aim of these marketing tools is to increase public awareness of the Japan Game Awards as well as to help promote sales of the games that have won awards. Through the Japan Game Awards, it is our aim to communicate the enjoyment and wonder of computer entertainment to as many people as possible, and to contribute to the further development of the game industry.

Materials such as the Japan Game Awards logo and design data for the various awards are available for download at: URL: http://awards.cesa.or.jp/download.html

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■“Amateur Division ” ”Future Division “ of Japan Game Awards: 2008, To Be Awarded.

　In addition to the “Games of the Year Division”, award ceremonies for the “Amateur Division”, a category 　for original games created by amateurs, and for the “Future Division”, a category where members of the 　general public cast votes for pre-release games presented and exhibited at the Tokyo Game Show 2008 　and the Japan Game Awards Selection Committee selects the final winners, will be held at the Tokyo Game 　Show 2008 venue as follows:

　●Amateur Division: Saturday, October 11, 11:30 to 12:30
　●Future Division: Sunday, October 12, 12:30 to 13:30
　　　　　※The press pass of "Tokyo Game Show 2008" is necessary for the coverage. Please present
　　　　　 the press pass at the event entrance.