'Fallout 3' Wins Game of the Year Award at the 9th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards

Media Molecule's 'LittleBigPlanet' Receives Four Awards, Other Winners Include 'Prince of Persia,' 'Dead Space,' 'God of War: Chains of Olympus' and 'World of Goo'

SAN FRANCISCO, March 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Bethesda Softworks' epic post-apocalyptic open-world adventure, "Fallout 3," received the Game of the Year Award at the 9th annual Game Developers Choice Awards, presented at a ceremony this evening at Think Service Game Group's 2009 Game Developers Conference (GDC). Bethesda also received the Best Writing award for the game.

Media Molecule's imaginative user creation-centric platform game "LittleBigPlanet," which was first unveiled at GDC 2007, was the recipient of the most awards of the evening, taking four awards for Best Game Design, Best Technology, Best Debut Game and Innovation Award.

Other winners included Ubisoft's hauntingly beautiful update of the "Prince of Persia" franchise, which won the prize for Best Visual Arts, and Ready at Dawn's portable action-adventure, "God of War: Chains of Olympus," winner of the Best Handheld Game award. EA Redwood Shores' shocking horror title, "Dead Space," won the prize for Best Audio award.

Additionally, successful independent developer 2D Boy, winner of the 2008 Independent Games Festival's Design Innovation award and Technical Experience award, snagged this year's Game Developers Choice award for Best Downloadable game for "World of Goo."

The Game Developers Choice Awards, which honor the very best games of the year, are voted on by developers and created for developers. They are produced and hosted by the GDC and presented by Gamasutra.com and Game Developer Magazine, with the aid of a distinguished Advisory Committee that includes many of the world's top game creators, and each award is decided by thousands of votes from game professionals worldwide.

This year, Hideo Kojima, the Corporate Officer, Executive Producer and Director of Kojima Productions and creator of the seminal Metal Gear series was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his influence on the craft of game development and his twenty years of work on Metal Gear and other notable franchises.

In addition, Harmonix co-founders Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy, co-developers of a groundbreaking decade-plus long line of music games culminating in the Rock Band franchise, received the Pioneer Award for their work; and Tommy Tallarico, co-founder of the Video Games Live concert series and founder of the Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.), received the Ambassador Award for helping to advance the game audio community.

The recipients of the 9th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards are:

    Game of the Year
    Fallout 3 (Bethesda Softworks)

    Best Game Design:
    LittleBigPlanet (Media Molecule)

    Best Writing:
    Fallout 3 (Bethesda Softworks)

    Best Technology:
    LittleBigPlanet (Media Molecule)

    Best Visual Arts:
    Prince of Persia (Ubisoft Montreal)

    Best Debut Game:
    LittleBigPlanet (Media Molecule)

    Best Handheld Game:
    God Of War: Chains Of Olympus (Ready at Dawn)

    Innovation Award:
    LittleBigPlanet (Media Molecule)

    Best Audio:
    Dead Space (EA Redwood Shores)

    Best Downloadable Game:
    World Of Goo (2D Boy)

    Recipients for the evening's special awards were:

    Lifetime Achievement Award
    Hideo Kojima

    Pioneer Award
    Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy

    Ambassador Award
    Tommy Tallarico

"Over the past nine years, the Game Developers Conference has become the premiere video game award show because it gives voice to those who understand games better than anyone; the people who make them," said Meggan Scavio, content director of the Game Developers Conference. "The games being recognized here are virtuoso efforts that have truly advanced the state of video games. Our congratulations to all the talented and hardworking teams that put so much of themselves into their art."

For more information about the awards and all the recipients, please visit: http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/

About the Think Services Game Group

A core provider of essential information to the professional game industry, the Think Services Game Group offers market-defining content, and drives community through its award winning lineup of print, online, event and research products and services. These include Game Developer Magazine, Game Developer Research, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com, GameCareerGuide.com, WorldsInMotion.biz, GameSetWatch.com, GamesOnDeck.com, SeriousGamesSource.com, the Game Developers Conference(R), the Game Developers Conference(R) Austin, the Game Developers Conference(R) Europe, the Game Developers Conference(R) China, GDC Mobile, the Game Career Seminars, the Independent Games Festival and Summit, and the Game Developers Choice Awards. To learn more, visit www.tsgamegroup.com

About Think Services, a division of United Business Media

Think Services connects specialized communities worldwide using educational events, consulting, training, certification, membership, and innovative media. Providing comprehensive opportunities for people to learn from, network with, and inspire each other, Think Services builds strong brands and works within communities to foster a unique affinity with its products and services. The division's flagship products include the Game Developers Conference, the Webby Award-winning Gamasutra.com, Game Developer magazine, the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI), and HDI. Think Services is a subsidiary of United Business Media, a global media and marketing services company with a market capitalization of more than $1.6 billion. To learn more, visit www.think-services.com.

SOURCE Think Services Game Group