Swedish Video Game Awards 2010

Stockholm 2010-03-19 Double up for Stockholm-based developer, EA DICE, which won both the Swedish game of the decade as well as the Swedish Game of the year at the Swedish Video Game Awards 2010.

Sweden consolidated its position as one of the strongest game development countries over the past decade with the industry viewed as a growing cultural export that employs 1,400 people in Sweden. In order to mark the achievement, an award for the Swedish game of the decade was presented to EA DICE and their World War 2 depiction - Battlefield 1942. The game which was released in 2002 changed the overall perception of online gaming. The Stockholm based developer also went home with the Swedish Game of the Year award for its current sequel – Battlefield 1943.

"With so many successful games over the years, I believe DICE and the Battlefield franchise have achieved a unique status not only within the Swedish video game market, but internationally. Their greatness is so extensive that they may shortly have a gravitational pull of their own," jury chairman Ove Kaufeldt said.

The Game of the Year Award went to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, an action adventure which sees the hero Nathan Drake is on the hunt for the lost treasure of Marco Polo. The Swedish people were also given the chance to vote for their game of the year in the People's choice award in collaboration with Pricerunner, CDON, GAME and Webhallen. The people chose Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – which won with 23 percent of the votes.

This year, the MDTS Honorary Award went to Heikki Karbing – who ran HK Electronics, one of the most successful importers of games in the 80s as well as accounting for over 70 percent of game sales in Sweden. HK Electronics garnered great success in 1988 with racing classic Out Run, which sold over 20 000 copies following its release on the Commodore 64. In the same year, Karbing’s company rose to prominence as the world's best gaming distributor of Activision. For his pioneering work in helping define and spread word of gaming culture as well as his courage to stand up against piracy - Heikki Karbing has been awarded the honorary prize.

For more information, history and photos from previous game awards visit: http://www.swedishgamesindustry.com/

Winners from the Swedish Video Game Awards 2010

Swedish Game of the Decade: Battlefield 1942

Justification: September 2002 is a month we will have a hard time forgetting. Sweden went to war and conquered. A new era of progress and success was ushered in within the game development sector, with DICE as the proud flag bearer. For helping firmly establish Sweden on the map and forever changing the online gaming landscape, we recognize Battlefield 1942 as the Swedish Game of the Decade.

Game of the Year: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Justification: 2009’s game of the year is a dramatic matinee, an adrenaline fuelled action spectacular that’s a feast for the eyes and senses. It is a brilliantly scripted adventure that appeals to everyone.

Swedish Game of the Year: Battlefield 1943

Justification: Through the use of feeling and technology, this year’s Swedish Game of the Year shows the world that Swedish developed games stand for quality and a love for the gamer who wants to share the experience with others.

Swedish Talent of the Year: Erik Svedäng

Justification: He is a Swedish creator who despite limited resources has received critical acclaim both locally and internationally. In 2009, he became synonymous with interactive poetry in motion and led us through a secret indie garden populated with random meetings – a world we never tire of exploring.

Action Game of the Year: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Justification: Its ability to enthral and captivate the player with its superb story, jaw dropping visuals and a leading man whose all action performance is enough to force Indiana Jones into retirement.

Social Game of the Year: New Super Mario Bros Wii

Justification: Without much of an overhaul, the game has been able to retain its retro feeling whilst adding new fun innovations – thus making one of the worlds’s acclaimed solo gaming experiences a social gaming pleasure.

Online Game of the Year: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Justification: For its easy accessibility and depth which offers many possibilities with few limitations. Playing online has never been so rewarding.

Platform Game of the Year: New Super Mario Bros Wii

Justification: It’s been proven that old age not only comes with experience, but it also refreshes genres with new innovations – provided lessons are learnt from past iterations.

Portable Game of the Year: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Justification: This game gives a whole new meaning to the word, ‘small time crook’ because it is a criminally underappreciated portable little gem.

Racing Game of the Year: Forza Motorsport 3

Justification: The higher the speeds and greater the demands, the more precision is needed to create a winner. And rarely has that demand and expectation been matched as in the gaming world’s own muscle car.

RPG of the Year: Dragon Age: Origins

Justification: Classic role playing combined with a well crafted adventure in a world of dragons and demons show that when role playing returns to its roots, the genre is hard to top.

Sports Game of the Year: Fifa 10

Justification: Rarely has perspiration stank so little, but meant so much as when 80,000 fans cheer you as a winner.

Strategy Game of the Year: Empire: Total War

Justification: The 17th century author and satirist, Jonathan Swift was once quoted as saying, ‘War!’ That mad game the world so loves to play,’ it’s only when playing this game we begin to understand what he means.

Kids Game of the Year: Scribblenauts

Justification: An educational tool designed to help kids develop an appreciation for words, while guiding them through an immersive gaming experience.

People’s Choice Award: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Special Category:

Launch of the Year: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Justification: The campaign was successful in generating interest and building up the hype. This resulted in early bookings and culminated in good exposure at both retail outlets and public places - along with wide PR and a strong presence online makes Modern Warfare 2 the launch event of the year.

Retailer of the Year: GAME

Justification: Creative, good looking, well presented exposure and excellent in-store competence, decent online presence as well as Christmas and summer catalogues dripping with love for gaming makes GAME the retailer of the year.

MDTS Honorary Award 2010: Heikki Karbing

Justification: He headed one of the most successful games import businesses which sold half a million games a year in Sweden and in 1988 was voted the best distributor in the world. For his pioneering work in helping define and spread word of gaming culture as well as his courage to stand up against piracy Heikki Karbing has been awarded the honorary prize.

Expert jury:

Ove Kaufeldt, chairman

Thomas Arnroth (SVT/TT Spektra)

Joakim Bennet (FZ/PC Gamer)

Johnny Berggren (Discshop)

Tobias Bjarneby (Level)

Björn Brånfelt (Dagbladet i Sundsvall)

Jonathan Danemo Rehnberg (Goodgame)

Eddy Danielsson (Gamestop)

Christian Ekstrand (ONOFF)

Mikael Erneborn (Siba)

Erik Hansson (Level7)

Petter Heggevall (Gamereactor)

Nisse Jonson (Ginza)

Adolf Kristjansson (GAME)

Victor Leijonhufvud (Gameplay)

Mats Lerneby (GP)

Martin Lindell (Dataspelsbranschen)

Susanne Möller (DN)

Peter Ottsjö (Aftonbladet)

Christer Pettersson (Webhallen)

Peter Söderlund (CDON)

Orvar Säfström (Sydsvenska Dagbladet/BTJ)

Category - Children’s game

Thomas Arnroth (SVT/TT Spektra)

Johnny Berggren (Discshop)

Petra Billquist (Gamestop)

Mikael Erneborn (Siba)

Nisse Jonson (Ginza)

Adolf Kristjansson (GAME)

Peter Söderlund (CDON)

Category – Game of the Decade

Ove Kaufeldt, chairman

Joakim Bennet (FZ/PC Gamer)

Tobias Bjarney (Level)

Bengt Lemne (Gamereactor)

Martin Lindell (Dataspelsbranschen)

Peter Ottsjö (Aftonbladet)

Orvar Säfström (Sydsvenska Dagbladet/BTJ)

The Retailer of the year award is voted for by publishers and distributors in Sweden.

The Launch of the year award is voted for by retailers.

About Dataspelsgalan

Dataspelsgalan (Swedish Video Game Awards) is the Swedish Games Industry's award designed to highlight development, creativity and innovation in games. Since 2000, an expert panel has been tasked with nominating the games and winners. Since 2007, MDTS has also presented an honorary award to persons who have made decisive contributions to the development of the Swedish game industry.

Previous winners

Game of the year

2000 Metal Gear Solid

2001 The Sims

2002 Grand Theft Auto 3

2003 Ico

2004 -

2005 Half-Life 2

2006 World of Warcraft

2007 Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

2008 Super Mario Galaxy

2009 Grand Theft Auto 4

Swedish game of the year

2000 Fem myror är fler än fyra elefanter

2001 Ground Control

2002 Headhunter

2003 Battlefield 1942

2004 -

2005 Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay

2006 Battlefield 2

2007 GTR 2: FIA GT Racing Game

2008 World in Conflict

2009 Mirror's Edge

About the Swedish Games Industry

Swedish Games Industry is a partnership organization that represents the industry in the public. The organization consists of the trade organizations Spelplan-ASGD (developers and producers) and MDTS (publishers and distributors). English equivalent.

For more information:

Martin Lindell

Analyst and Communications Officer

martin.lindell@dataspelsbranschen.se

0706 62 94 96