Final Fantasy XIII tops PlayStation Awards

As the end of the year descends upon the game industry, the requisite year-end back-patting commences. In Japan last night, Sony held its annual PlayStation Awards show to honor the best-selling PlayStation 3, PSP, and PlayStation Network games for the November 1, 2009, to October 31, 2010, period in the electronics giant's home region.

Relayed by Andria Sang, the PlayStation Awards show had a single entrant in its top platinum category, which honors those games that sold more than 1 million units domestically. That game was Square Enix's blockbuster Final Fantasy XIII, which earned a strong critical reception upon its release in Japan last December. The game reached the platinum level within 24 hours in Japan and went on to sell more than 5.5 million units worldwide.

The Gold-level awards, which are given to those titles that sold more than 500,000 units in Japan, were in greater supply, if only ever so slightly. Two PS3 games achieved the half-million milestone in Japan: Sega's Yakuza 4: Densetsu o Tsugumono and Tecmo Koei's Fist of the North Star Warriors. That list was augmented by six PSP games, including Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G, God Eater, and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.

Sony also handed out awards to the top five best-selling PSN content pieces in Japan. Sega dominated this list, with After Burner Climax, Hatsune Miku Project Diva Add-On Song Collection Deluxe Pack 1, and Hatsune Miku Project Diva Dreamy Theater all being named. The Sega trio was joined by Sony's Weekly Toro Station and Acquire's Wizardry.

Andria Sang notes that while Sony has traditionally limited the PlayStation Awards show to best-sellers, the company introduced a User Choice category this year. Voted on by visitors to Sony's PlayStation website, the winners range from Demon's Souls and God of War III on the PS3 to Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G and Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker on the PSP.

Platinum Award: (1 million-plus sellers)
Final Fantasy XIII (Square Enix, PS3)

Gold Award: (500,000-plus sellers, unranked)
Yakuza 4 (Sega, PS3)
Fist of the North Star Warriors (Tecmo Koei, PS3)
Phantasy Star Portable 2 (Sega, PSP)
Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G PSP the Best (Capcom, PSP)
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep (Square Enix, PSP)
God Eater (Namco Bandai, PSP)
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (Konami, PSP)
Monster Hunter Diary (Capcom, PSP)

PlayStation Store Special Award: (top-five sellers, unranked)
Wizardry (Acquire, PS3)
Hatsune Miku Project Diva Add-On Song Collection Deluxe Pack 1 (Sega, PSP)
After Burner Climax (Sega, PS3)
Hatsune Miku Project Diva Dreamy Theater (Sega, PS3)
Weekly Toro Station (Sony, PS3/PSP)

User Choice Award:
Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G PSP the Best (Capcom, PSP)
Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker (Konami, PSP)
Hatsune Miku Project Diva 2nd (Sega, PSP)
Legend of Heroes: Zero no Kiseki (Falcom, PSP)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Square Enix, PS3)
Final Fantasy XIII (Square Enix, PS3)
Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition (Capcom, PS3)
Demon's Souls PS3 the Best (Sony, PS3)
Yakuza 4 (Sega, PS3)
God of War III (Sony, PS3)