MCV Industry Excellence Awards Finalists Announced

Representatives from British Trade paper MCV have unveiled the list of finalists for the MCV Industry Excellence Awards 2006, with the winners due to be announced at a gala evening event in London on April 6th. Traditionally focusing more on retailers than developers, the twenty awards categories include those for Independent Retailer, Entertainment Retailer, Retail Buying Team and various marketing awards. An additional Grand Prix award is given to “a company that has achieved outstanding success in the past twelve months, with the highest levels of innovation, ambition and service”. Nominees for those categories directly related to publishing or development are as follows: New Game Brand Buzz! (Sony), Nintendogs (Nintendo), FIFA Street (Electronic Arts), Juiced (THQ), F.E.A.R. (VU Games) Game Brand Need for Speed (Electronic Arts), Pro Evolution Soccer (Konami), FIFA (Electronic Arts), World of WarCraft (Blizzard/VUG), Football Manager (Sports Interactive/Sega) UK Development Team Sports Interactive, Traveller's Tales, Bizarre Creations, Lionhead Games Industry Newcomer Imagine Publishing, Black Bean Games, Buena Vista Games In2Games, Giant/TT Games Unsung Hero Rockstar Leeds (Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories), Team PlayStation (support and service to independent retail), Capcom (Resident Evil), SCi (Eidos acquisition), Channel Advantage (retail support services) Most Improved Company THQ, Codemasters, Capcom, NCsoft, Sega Games Publisher Electronic Arts, THQ, Sega, Ubisoft, Activision "This year's shortlist reveals no-one can rest on their laurels," says Stuart Dinsey, managing director, Intent Media, publisher of MCV. "There's a dark horse candidate in almost every category – and, as last year's event showed, the Judging Panel, which comprises 65 of the industry's most influential executives, can be difficult to call. There'll be a few surprises on the night, of that you can be sure."