MCV AWARDS 2012: The winners in full

The tenth anniversary MCV Awards were dominated by mass-market brands and digital pioneers.

There were no prizes for the format holders. Instead, the top three publishers all claimed multiple prizes while ambitious smaller firms grabbed many others.

Activision took home four awards: two for the best-selling Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure (Digital Retail Innovation and New Game Brand) plus the Marketing Team prize, and the night’s most coveted, the Grand Prix.

It was Activision’s first win of the top prize, which recognised key achievements including the introduction of new brand Skylanders at the most difficult point in the console cycle, plus continued success for Call of Duty both in boxed products and DLC sales.

But EA, Ubisoft and Bethesda did not go home empty-handed.

EA’s Battlefield 3 took the Game Campaign award and the firm overall won the Games Publisher prize.

Wins for Ubisoft were the PR Team prize – voted for by a panel of 100 games journalists – plus the Sales Team award.

Bethesda, meanwhile, claimed the Trade Marketing Team and Digital Distribution Team prizes.

Elsewhere, Deep Silver won for its attention-grabbing Dead Island social media debut, while 505’s energetic Zumba Fitness took the Sales Triumph prize.

In retail, John Lewis’ Oxford Street Nintendo shop beat established specialists to Star Store, while Mainstream Retailer went to Amazon UK. ShopTo bested bigger rivals to be named Specialist Retailer, and Games Centre won Independent Retailer. CentreSoft was also named the best High Street Distribution Team.

Rosemary Buahin won this year’s Special Recognition prize. The trade marketing exec has held roles at Sony, WBIE, Eidos, Novalogic and Acclaim, and is hugely respected for her work with retail.

Here are the winners in full:

PR & MARKETING

Peripherals & Accessories Brand – Turtle Beach
Best Use of Social Media – Dead Island, Deep Silver
New Game Brand – Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure
Trade Marketing Team – Bethesda
Game Campaign – Battlefield 3, EA
PR Team – Ubisoft
Marketing Team – Activision

RETAIL

Independent Reatiler – Games Centre
Star Store – John Lewis
Digital Retail Innovation – Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure
Digital Retailer – Steam
Specialist Retailer – ShopTo.net
Mainstream Retailer – Amazon.co.uk

PEOPLE & INDUSTRY

High Street Distribution Team – Centresoft
Sales Triumph – Zumba Fitness
Digital Distribution Team – Bethesda
Sales Team – Ubisoft
Games Publisher – EA

GRAND PRIX

Activision

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Rosemary Buahin (Sony Compuer Entertainment)