Grand Theft Auto IV drives off with EMA Game of the Year honors

GTAIV named EMA's GOTY

By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpotPosted Feb 11, 2009 6:02 pm PT

Rockstar's opus takes the top prize from retailer trade group; World at War and Wii Fit garner three awards each.

Award season in the gaming industry isn't over just yet. The Entertainment Merchants Association announced its Video Game Home Entertainment Awards today, with Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto IV taking home the retailer trade group's Game of the Year honors.

Niko thinks winning GOTY but not the 360 or PS3 GOTY awards is a turd sandwich thiiiis big.

The blood-spattered immigrant tale also claimed the Action/Adventure Game of the Year category, but was bested by a pair of games in terms of award quantity. Nintendo's Wii Fit earned three awards from the retailer group: Most Innovative Game of the Year, Wii Game of the Year, and Casual Game of the Year. Meanwhile, Activision's Call of Duty: World at War took home its own trio of honors as the PlayStation 3 Game of the Year, Xbox 360 Game of the Year, and Military/Shooter Game of the Year.

Nominees and categories were chosen by an EMA committee that consisted of retailers and distributors. The winners were then chosen by the rest of the EMA's retailer and distributor member base. To be eligible, a game had to be released during the calendar year 2008.

Game of the Year
Grand Theft Auto IV--Rockstar Games

Most Innovative Game of the Year
Wii Fit--Nintendo

DS Game of the Year
Guitar Hero: On Tour--Activision

PC Game of the Year
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King--Activision/Blizzard

PS2 Game of the Year
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed--LucasArts

PS3 Game of the Year
Call of Duty: World at War--Activision

PSP Game of the Year
God of War: Chains of Olympus--Sony Computer Entertainment

Wii Game of the Year
Wii Fit--Nintendo

Xbox 360 Game of the Year
Call of Duty: World at War--Activision

Action/Adventure Game of the Year
Grand Theft Auto IV--Rockstar Games

Casual Game of the Year
Wii Fit--Nintendo

Family/Children’s Game of the Year
Mario Kart Wii--Nintendo

Fighting Game of the Year
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe--Midway

Game Graphics of the Year
Gears of War 2--Microsoft

Non-Sequel Game of the Year
Left 4 Dead--Electronic Arts

Racing Game of the Year
Mario Kart Wii--Nintendo

RPG/Strategy Game of the Year
Fallout 3--Bethesda Softworks

Shooter/Military Game of the Year
Call of Duty: World at War--Activision

Sports Game of the Year
Madden NFL 09--Electronic Arts

Best Third-Party Video Game Publisher
Electronic Arts

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mand_450
Posted Feb 28, 2009 3:03 am PT

RPG/Strategy game of the year? Why the heck are those two genres combined?
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dcwdcw
Posted Feb 27, 2009 8:27 am PT

i think fifa 09 should of got sport game of the year and cod should of got game of year
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cat29f
Posted Feb 19, 2009 1:53 am PT

They name GTA IV their goty, then they make both PS3 and 360 goty call of duty? And best graphics to Gears? I mean they were pretty damn good, yeah, but half the time you're playing MGS4 you think you're looking through a window or having an acid flashback or something. Only game with better graphics I've ever seen isn't even out yet and that's the KZ2 demo.
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anik786
Posted Feb 18, 2009 5:07 am PT

Why the hell is metal gear solid 4 not on any of these awards????
This list is ridiculas!
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Kravyn81
Posted Feb 17, 2009 5:03 pm PT

No MGS4? At all?! Wow. Do the people that give out these awards even play these games?
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jamesfffan
Posted Feb 14, 2009 5:15 am PT

best graphics of the year? lol i would think crysis warhead had that medal but oh well. Also looking at some of these other picks have these people giving these awards even played a game before lol, i would agree with fallout 3 rpg of the year, and most likely gta goty, buying it for pc sometime once some more patches come out.., mario kart? lol hmm what about midnight club: la or pretty much any other racing game.. how much bribery went on here
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Shayde_Shadow
Posted Feb 14, 2009 1:47 am PT

This list is rediculous!
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notoiloco
Posted Feb 13, 2009 5:54 pm PT

???
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Xternal
Posted Feb 13, 2009 5:27 pm PT

I take it this is a joke?
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Jedilink109
Posted Feb 13, 2009 11:28 am PT

Why was Call of Duty allowed to win Console game of the year on multiple systems? There were better games that came out for those systems anyways.
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funnysplay
Posted Feb 13, 2009 7:55 am PT

I agree with arashcrysis.
Both of his choices are like my favorite games right now.
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Arashcrysis
Posted Feb 13, 2009 2:54 am PT

These Choices are Very Better Than 'GAMESPOT' Choices.
MGS4 GOTY???????????
I am Ashamed of...
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Arashcrysis
Posted Feb 13, 2009 2:52 am PT

Wii Fit?
Call WAW?
Mortal Kombat?
Mario Kart wii?
GH?
HA HA HA HA
GTA IV and GEARS 2 is Chosen Correctly ONLY
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Arashcrysis
Posted Feb 13, 2009 2:51 am PT

Wii Fit?
Call WAW?
Mortal Kombat?
Mario Kart wii?
GH?
HA HA HA HA
GTA IV and GEARS 2 is Chosen Correctly ONLY
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Arashcrysis
Posted Feb 13, 2009 2:50 am PT

Wii Fit?
Call WAW?
Mortal Kombat?
Mario Kart wii?
GH?
HA HA HA HA
GTA IV and GEARS 2 is Chosen Correctly ONLY
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assasain13
Posted Feb 13, 2009 1:27 am PT

Wii Fit?! Are you sh****g me?
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yman173
Posted Feb 12, 2009 11:57 pm PT

EA as best third-party publisher? Hmmm...kinda easy to win such an award as theyre becoming more & more the only game in town. Lets close up some more smaller studios & see what happens next year.
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silentmage_245
Posted Feb 12, 2009 11:34 pm PT

Best DS and Wii games are just WRONG WRONG WRONG
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adamh1981
Posted Feb 12, 2009 6:56 pm PT

GTA4 was most *disappointing* GOTY.
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Rakuho
Posted Feb 12, 2009 5:15 pm PT

is this a serious list or are just mentioning the few main stream games that they know?
All i just care about is who will win the "most irrelevant game awards of the year" award. I think these guys really want it this year, EMA FTW!!!
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