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The end of the year has always been prime time for awards season, and with the Game Awards just around the corner, it’s important to note that the same sentiment applies across the Pacific as well. Every year, Sony Interactive Entertainment Japan Asia announces winners of the Playstation Awards based on sales within a specific time frame, and 2018 is no exception after a spectacular year of software powerhouses and hardware profits for the company. Keep in mind, however, that this is purely based on statistics from the Japanese market, so it does not reflect the total global sales of each title.
While the West subscribed to the mania of God of War and Marvel’s Spider-Man, the Monster Hunter franchise still reigns supreme in the East. In Japan alone, Monster Hunter: World sold more than 4 million copies, rightfully earning it the Quadruple Platinum Prize and further cementing its place as Capcom’s best-selling title.
Given that Japan’s preferences in games differ from those in the US and Europe, it’s quite surprising that the one other recipient of the Platinum Prize (over 1 million copies sold) besides JPRG standout Persona 5 was Naughty Dog’s very own The Last of Us Remastered. The award is made even more impressive by the fact that Naughty Dog’s masterpiece has been out for quite some time now, proving that an immaculately crafted game can transcend cultural barriers.
However, that’s not to say that more West-oriented games like the aforementioned titles don’t make large impacts in the Japanese market. Though they only earned the Gold Prize, both God of War and Marvel’s Spider-Man still sold over 50k units, which is nothing to scoff at given the competitive scene and a gaming community with particular inclinations toward specific genres.
Other winners to note include Fortnite, which was one of the recipients for both the Playstation Network Award as well as the Users Choice Prize, further underscoring the ubiquitous popularity of the battle royale title. For the Indie & Developer Award, distinguished names include Motion Twin’s Dead Cells and Giant Squid’s Abzu.
For the full list of categories and winners, check out Gematsu’s coverage of the event here. To watch the full event, check out the video below.