Masahiro Sakurai has had his creative talents recognised in the Japan Game Awards 2015, having been awarded the prestigious Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award.
The award is open to an individual or group that has “contributed to the development of the videogame industry through creation of an excellent product,” or expanded the industry’s scope by using new technology.
Over the past five years, the award has been presented to LEVEL-5’s Akihiro Hino, the Puzzle & Dragons development team, the Nintendo 3DS hardware developers, The Pokémon Company’s Tsunekazu Ishihara, and Dragon Quest series creator Yuji Horii.
As for software, Yo-kai Watch 2 and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & Nintendo 3DS were the big winners, with other nods toward Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Niantic’s Ingress – who have since partnered with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company to develop Pokémon Go.
Best Sales
- Yo-kai Watch 2 Founder/Head
Global Award – Japan
- Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Global Award – Overseas
- Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Game Designers Award
- Ingress (Niantic)
Excellence Awards
- Bloodborne
- Destiny
- Dragon Quest Heroes
- Mario Kart 8
- Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
- Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire
- Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
- Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
- Yo-kai Watch 2 Founder/Head
- Yo-kai Watch 2: Headliner
Special Award
- Monster Strike
- Minecraft
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award
- Masahiro Sakurai
Grand Prize
- Yo-kai Watch 2: Founder/Head/Headliner
今年の日本ゲーム大賞において、スマブラ3DS/WiiUがそれぞれ優秀賞、グローバル賞(今年度世界で最も売れた日本のゲーム)、そして私個人が経営産業大臣賞をいただきました。支持、投票をいただきまして、ありがとうございます！ pic.twitter.com/7zA4HsCgSN
— 桜井 政博 (@Sora_Sakurai) September 17, 2015
