GCAP Update: Crypto, Medieval dominate Aussie awards

BRISBANE, Australia--Destroy All Humans 2 and Medieval 2: Total War dominated this past weekend's Game Developers' Association of Australia Game Awards, which recognises the best games developed in Australia and New Zealand between November 2005 and November 2006.

Held in the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre last Friday night to coincide with the Game Connect: Asia Pacific developer conference, the awards were presented in front of more than 200 game-industry professionals. Destroy All Humans 2 and Medieval 2 took out six of the nine awards presented.

Pandemic's Destroy All Humans 2 took out the top title of Best Game for 2006, as well as the awards for Best Console Game and Best Audio. Creative Assembly's Medieval 2: Total War won the awards for Best PC Game, Best Gameplay, and Best Graphics.

GDAA president and CEO Evelyn Richardson said this year's awards had attracted a record number of nominations. "It's been a big year for the industry. We've seen our locals continue to grow with every medium and large studio, both independent and offshore parent owned, reporting significant growth in staff numbers," she said.

Tantalus Interactive's MX vs. ATV Unleashed won the title of Best Handheld Game, while Madden 07 3D by Firemint won the award for Best Mobile Game. The Adam Lancman Award for Best New Start-Up went to Endgame Studios.

Here's a full list of 2006 GDAA Game Award winners:

Best Game
Destroy All Humans 2, Pandemic Studios

Best Console Game
Destroy All Humans 2, Pandemic Studios

Best PC Game
Medieval 2: Total War, Creative Assembly

Best Handheld Game
MX vs ATV: On The Edge, Tantalus Interactive

Best Mobile Game
Madden 07 3D, Firemint

Best Gameplay
Medieval 2: Total War, Creative Assembly

Best Graphics
Medieval 2: Total War, Creative Assembly

Best Audio
Destroy All Humans 2, Pandemic Studios

The Adam Lancman Award for Best New Startup
Endgame Studios