MCV AWARDS 2013: HMV wins – "It’s good to be back."

HMV cemented its return from administration at the MCV Awards last night, picking up the award for Retail Concept.

The firm won the award for its impressive Oxford Street games showcase, which last year featured FIFA 13, Halo 4 and Skylanders Giants.

Two members of HMV’s games team collected the award, Phil Browes and Richard Thompson, with the duo informing the 600 industry professionals in the room that "it’s good to be back."

HMV’s games team was reduced significantly during administration, and that included the Gamerbase team, which built the Oxford Street showcase.

"We’ve obviously had a rough couple of months, but we’ve come out the other side," Browes told MCV last night. "The store staff at Oxford Street are amazing, but in particular there are a few people at Head Office I’d like to thank – some of whom aren’t there any more.

"Laura Yates was instrumental in this, she was a massive advocate of the games team, she worked very hard on all of those projects. But ultimately we lost her and she’s gone on to bigger and better things.

"And Dominic Mulroy from the Gamerbase side of the business was heavily involved with the FIFA area, so our thanks go to those guys."

Mulroy, who is now working at GAME, added: "I know I am proud of all the hmv gamerbase London team that helped me with the design and management of the Oxford Street Gamerbase Showcase.

"I’d also like to thank EA for their support of this particular concept. The gamerbase team are are all scattered in different directions now, but we wish the new HMV team well with the legacy we’ve left them."