Japan Game Awards 2017 Grand Award Goes to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Nintendo won the Grand Award for the second year running!
●The Special Award goes to “PlayStation VR”!
●“Pokémon Sun/Moon” won a triple award of the Best Sales Award, Global Award for Japanese Product and the Award of Excellence!

The Japan Game Awards 2017 (organized by the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association CESA; Chairman: Hideki Okamura) has announced the award winners for the “Games of the Year Division.” “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” of Nintendo Co., Ltd. received the most prestigious Grand Award. Nintendo has won the Grand Award for the second consecutive years. Winners for the Award of Excellence, the Special Award, the Best Sales Award and the Global Award for Japanese Product / Foreign Product were also selected.

With overwhelming support from everyone, the 2017 Grand Award
goes to “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild”！

“The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” – the latest “Legend of Zelda” game – is the series’ first open-world game and retains the fun of puzzle-solving, memorable characters and deep story, while enabling adventure with a high degree of freedom. In the popular vote, it was unanimous that “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” should receive this year’s Grand Award: there were many comments full of praise for the game – such as “It’s an enjoyable adventure with continuous surprises and discoveries” and “The puzzles and battles are so exhilarating – it’s perfect!” – and the game received support from people of all generations and regardless of gender, from ages 5 through 74.

“PlayStation VR” won the Special Award!

Producing intense 3D spaces with full 360-degree immersion for the players. “PlayStation VR” won this year’s Special Award for the overwhelming sense of presence produced in conjunction with proprietary 3D audio technology, which delivers an experience where the player feels as though they are inside the game world, as well as expanding the potential of games and presenting players with new ways of enjoying games.

“Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon” won a triple award of the Best Sales Award, Global Award for Japanese Product and Award of Excellence!

More than living up to the great expectations of fans awaiting a new title, as well as gaining new users encountering Pokémon for the first time. From its simultaneous worldwide release on November 18th, 2016 until the end of March 2017, a total of 15.44 million copies were sold, setting a record number of sales during the period covered by this year’s Japan Game Awards and thus earning the Best Sales Award. With support for 9 different languages earning great support in overseas markets as well, this title has also won the Global Award for Japanese Product and the Award of Excellence, meaning a triple award this year – some feat.

Popular 11 games that won the “Award of Excellence” this year!

“Overwatch”:
Controlling anime-like characters who are easy to befriend and rich with personality. With role-playing featuring characters each having different abilities and exciting team battles, many users are going crazy for the exhilaration that comes from teaming up with friends to defeat foes. This title gained great support as a game that draws out new potential in the FPS genre and can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of skill level.

“NieR：Automata”:
The setting: the distant future, when humankind is fleeing to the moon in view of the overwhelming strength of a mechanical life-form unleashed by aliens. This title won an award for its extremely enthusiastic support from many users who were impressed by its unique world view, individualistic characters, graphics conveying beauty through ruins, excellent combat system and soundtrack.

“Nioh”:
A unique world view presented with photorealism, a wonderful cast, excellent story development, and nerves on the edge with momentary lack of preparation meaning instant death. This title won its award for receiving many positive user comments regarding its perfectly tuned difficult level, including “No matter how many times I die, I can’t stop playing” and “The finest action game masterpiece”.

“Biohazard7 Resident Evil”:
High-quality graphics comparable to a live action film, and the game immersion and tension produced by the search for items and solutions to puzzles necessary for survival as well as the isolated view. This title also earned its award from many users’ praise as “the finest survival horror game” based on the ultimate experience of fear proffered by the 360-degree view of PlayStation VR.

“The Last Guardian”:
A unique world view depicted on an overwhelming scale; feelings toward the adorable captives that increase as the game progresses. Fans awaiting its release even went so far as to describe it as a “heartrending, tear-jerking experience” in view of its enveloping tenderness, severity and painfulness, and its moving story and ending. Given its support from fans who are mad about the game, this was an obvious award-winner.

“Final Fantasy XV”:
The story of a journey in which Prince Noctis of The Kingdom of Lucis, imbued with magical power, units with friends to continue walking in order to recover his dispossessed birthplace. Featuring an overwhelming world view and graphics combining realism and fantasy, as well as a series-first openworld format. This award-winner also gained great support for its exhilarating battles and real sense of presence together with a high degree of freedom.

“Persona 5”:
Making all elements more stylish – from scenario, game system and graphics to character design, BGM and beyond. “Persona 5” not only appealed to the series’ wild fans but also fascinated new fans, with many people praising it as “the finest masterpiece of Japanese RPGs”, for which it has won this Award for Excellence.

“Horizon Zero Dawn”:
A magnificent story coupled with overwhelming graphics reproducing a vast land full of beautiful nature and life, and a sense of immersion in the game brought about by a strategic battle system with real presence. This title won its award as a game that reaches the zenith of open-world experiences, gaining much support with fans already looking forward to a sequel.

“Monster Hunter XX”:
In addition to the much-missed revival field, new fields and locations have been added; new main monsters have appeared alongside the first revive monsters in the X series; and new hunting styles together with 14 new weapons have been added to make this the series’ most fully-loaded edition. This title won its award after being praised by many fans as the high point of the series to date.

”Global Award Foreign Product” to “FIFA17”!

A reproduction of Europe’s main leagues and all J-League clubs with real player names. Incorporates the series’ first story mode, with players starting out as new face “Alex Hunter” who has aspirations to play in the Premier League, enabling vicarious experience of the development of a soccer player. Also features the new “Frostbite engine”, which has gained overwhelming support from fans around the world who are playing this even more realistic edition, earning the title this year’s Global Award Foreign Product.

Nathan Stevens

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I have always enjoyed playing video games and am a programming team lead for a video game company. I co-founded Gaming Cypher because I enjoy the gaming community and would like to provide the best news service around. Feel free to ask me any questions and I will make sure to get back to you quickly.