By Edge Staff
February 20, 2009
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LittleBigPlanet was the name repeated over and over last night at the 12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, with Media Molecule’s acclaimed debut title picking up a total of eight awards from ten nominations.
“Best blank CD we ever made,” claimed Alex Evans, Media Molecule co-founder, upon receiving the award for Family Game of the Year. It would not be the last time Evans would be called up to make a speech, as the PS3 exclusive title picked up prizes for Outstanding Character Performance, Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction, Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction, Outstanding Innovation in Gaming, Console Game of the Year, and Overall Game of the Year.
The ceremony, which took place at Las Vegas’ Red Rock Resort, also honoured Ensemble founder Bruce Shelley with the prestigious Hall of Fame Award for his contributions to the industry. Presented with the award from Tony Goodman, co-founder of Ensemble Studios, Shelly Joked: “Thirty years ago I set out to get a real job... I still don't have a real job.”
Valve’s Left 4 Dead scooped up the prizes for Computer Game of the Year and Outstanding Achievement in Online Game Play, with Valve marketing director Doug Lombardi describing the game as a “labor of love”, adding that it “continues to beat everyone's expectations.”
Meanwhile, EA Redwood Shores’ Dead Space picked up the awards for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design, as well as the coveted Action Game of the Year, beating titles such as Gears 2, Far Cry 2, Activision’s Call of Duty World At War and Grand Theft Auto IV. Executive Producer Glen Schofield took to the stage and thanked EA for allowing him to make a game on dismemberment, before declaring “it's the best game I've ever worked on.”
Elsewhere, 2D Boy's World of Goo picked up the award for Outstanding Achievement in Game Design, Mirror’s Edge won Adventure Game of the Year, Blizzard’s Wrath of the Lich King took Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year, EA’s NHL 09 beat FIFA 09 to win Sports Game of the Year, and Burnout Paradise picked up the prize for Racing Game of the Year.
Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Brawl fought off competition from the likes of Street Fighter HD to claim Fighting Game of the Year, while Ready at Dawn’s God of War: Chains of Olympus was prized for winning Handheld Game of the Year.
Jonathan Blow saw Braid earn the award for Casual Game of the Year, and Fallout 3 won gongs for Outstanding Achievement in Original Story and Role-Playing Game of the Year. Upon receiving the award Todd Howard joked: “special shout out to Bioware for honouring our special pact not to release games in the same year.”
“This year's winners represent the range of interactive entertainment experiences and truly exemplify why video games enjoy so much popularity among adults and children,” says Joseph Olin, president, AIAS.
Full awards list can be found on the next page.
I dont get it, what conspiracy???
I feel its even stranger for so many people writing in saying these things about edge preferring one console over another. I couldn’t believe the effect of the Killzone review. Its really scary that so many people are saying this things about edge. I hope they stick to their guns.
Edge is a big organization, do you really think they would actively choose a system over another?? Edge is not one or two people. All of their staff have different opinions and they are all entitled to them. I am sure there are plenty of playstation fans within their staff too.
I have been a “playstation fan” since its beginning, and this last iteration of the console, has been very ‘awkward’, to say the least. I mean just look at the unveiling conference of the console, and look at it now and you will see what I mean. There is so much stuff that has gone on behind the scenes that we have no idea about.
I mean what the f is it, with the console having the same font as the sony produced spiderman film?? As soon as I saw that I was scared. Subliminal advertising anyone???
Don’t get me wrong I have my ps3, and very happy with it and I know Sony is jus a massive corporation Justas any other looking for the next buck to earn, but I feel that there is so much the console should do, and could be doing already.
I actually believe that if there is any conspiracy here is coming from sony, specially with these types of comments. coming in such a random way, to articles which clearly have nothing to do with choosing one console over another. It was a GAME who won the awards not the console. LBP could have been an xbox exclusive if Microsoft had grabbed media molecule before sony, who knows. Would you be still making those comments if that had been the case??? I wonder.
One more thing cause I like to preach, what is the problem with liking other consoles? This is not a war, which you have to pick sides, don’t you think we are in the best position ever as consumers as we can get the best of everything. Wii, Xbox and Ps3, and all the rest if you are not a home console player.
In anycase Edge, hope you are not taking all this comments to heart, in fact I am sure you are as amused as I have been with some of the commentary from this PS3 fascists. Keep up the gaming, everyone
Go look up sarcasm in the dictionary.
Media Molecule has done exceptionally well!! To their credit they are more than deserving of the coveted Game of the Year award. It's so much fun to play, especially with 3 or 4 players on the same machine, cooperation or their lack of can have some hilarious consequences when you've been smoking Amsterdam's finest all afternoon.
The best part of it how it has grown a whole creative community around it. It's ideal if you feel MM's or User content left you wanting. Make your own fun instead!! If you took away the Online sharing functionality, Little Big Planet would be nothing more than a challenging but fairly generic platformer. But as it is, it assumes the role of muse for your own endeavours. I have enjoyed playing it but it's a steep learning curve and I can see how people would dislike it.
I have to say though and I don't mean to be critical, but are we looking at the same list.. I see Wii, 360 and PS3 games being nominated side by side in the various categories, so I'm confused as to where you feel the negativity comes from. I only see Edge reporting the news here.
I was surprised that Mirrors Edge won over God of War in the best Adventure Game catergory. I was also half expecting Fable 2 to receive a little something. But those are minor things really as they have received so much recognition elsewhere over the months.
sigh....
"Best blank CD we ever made” refers o the fact that it's a game with user created content, and it's mentioned as such by Alex Evans as a way of humility towards receiving the award.
You know, being humble, not a strange thing to do when recieving an award.
But don't believe me, EDGE is out to get you and everything you love. ( you crazy person)
Seconded. "Best blank CD we ever made"??
Edge, you have no credibility at all, it's OFFICIAL now.
Professionalism and journalistic integrity my arse.
/insert random "Jean-Luc Picard facepalming" picture
Obviously this headline story is proof that Edge has a clear bias towards Microsoft. Along with giving Little Big Planet a coveted Edge 10 and naming it "Game of the Year", clear moves designed to hurt sales, Edge now twists the knife with this celebratory article about the Sony exclusive title's award success. This just smacks of desperation and is obviously just something they've done to be 'controversial'.
Will the hate filled Edge team stop at nothing to undermine and destroy the PS3? Is Microsoft paying them to spread such muck? As a journalist with over 2 weeks experience of writing a blog that no-one visits I feel I am qualified to say that this article is full of bias.
Consider my subscription cancelled.
Gyak/Arron,
Ok, I'm a bit confused...EDGE is biased because they put up an article that shows a Sony Exclusive winning nearly everything? And what's the deal being so upset with the phrase, "Best blank CD ever made."? It headlinded the article, but that is what Alex Evans, Media Molecule co-founder said, not EDGE. They just quoted him. I guess I can uderstand people being frustrated with some of EDGE's review scores being lower than the almighty meta-critic average (for both consoles) but I just can't figure out how this article shows clear bias on EDGE's part. Can you guys please enlighten me?
Unless that was all sarcasm, which would make perfect sense.
You see the problem with being a fanboy is you can't relax and enjoy a bit sarcasm incase someone might be being serious.
Haha, be nice. The real problem is in these threads people say things that are as ridiculous as what you were saying when you were being sarcastic but they are actually being literal. I assumed it was sarcasm, but in these forums, you can never be too sure. And your humor was pretty dry, I just took your comment as a crazy fanboy who can't see past his own nose. Sorry bro! My bad. ^^
edit: I just re-read your original post and it had me cracking up. I guess I initially took it as one of the 2 million comments that read near-identical to the comments on the seems-to-never-end killzone 2 verdict thread. I liked the bit about your 2 week journalism experience you have writing a blog no one reads. Your parody of the flaming fanboy was so dead-on I thought it was serious.
Well put.
Though if I was Microsoft I'd be pretty f***** off at this point and would be demanding that sack of money (labelled $) back.
Think you've pretty much hit the nail on the head with that one!