Gears a Big Winner at Golden Joysticks

The public gets involved in picking the year's best.

We saw earlier this week, with the announcement of the BAFTA Award winners, what happens when industry insiders vote for their favourite games, but what happens when the public decides? Look no further than the Golden Joysticks.

Now in their 25th year, the Golden Joystick Awards are voted for just by the public, and this year more than 750,000 votes were cast. All games released in the year up to 1 August were eligible for nomination.

The big winner on the night was Microsoft's Gears of War. Epic's shooter for the Xbox 360 was the runaway winner at the event, picking up four awards on the evening, including for Ultimate Game of the Year and the Editor's Choice Award.

Guitar Hero II was another multiple award winner, picking up honours in both the Girls' Choice and Soundtrack categories. Wii Sports, a four-time winner at the BAFTAs, managed just one nod at the Golden Joysticks, for the Family Game of the Year award.

Below is a list of all the winners at the 2007 Golden Joystick Awards:

• Girls' Choice: Guitar Hero II
• Family: Wii Sports
• Handheld: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
• Mobile: Final Fantasy
• Innovation: Wii
• Soundtrack: Guitar Hero II
• All-Nighter Award: Gears of War
• Online: World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
• Developer of the Year: Codemasters
• One To Watch: Assassin's Creed
• Retailer of the Year: Game
• Publisher of the Year: Nintendo
• Editor's Choice Award: Gears of War
• Nintendo: Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
• PlayStation: God of War II
• PC: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar
• Xbox: Gears of War
• Ultimate Game of the Year: Gears of War

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo