Mass Effect 2, Plants vs. Zombies and Call of Duty the big winners as 1.54 million votes are cast in Golden Joystick Awards 2010

26% voting increase as gamers cast 1.54m votes and name Mass Effect 2 their ultimate game. It’s taken 200 days, over 4000 games and 1.54 million votes, with Mass Effect 2, Plants vs. Zombies and the Call of Duty franchise all emerging triumphant with two honours apiece, as the winners of the 28^th Annual Golden Joystick Awards (http://www.goldenjoysticks.com) were announced today in London.

The most coveted accolade for “Ultimate Game of the Year” at the world’s most popular gaming awards, was presented to Electronic Arts for Mass Effect 2, which also scooped “RPG of the Year.”

Plants vs. Zombies from Popcap Games also netted two Golden Joysticks, winning “Download Game of the Year” and “Strategy Game of the Year.” Activision’s seemingly unstoppable Call of Duty franchise, continued its annual winning streak with 2010’s third double, bagging “Shooter of the Year” for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and “One to Watch” for the forthcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops – released next month.

The 28^th Annual Golden Joystick Awards celebrates a successful year which saw gaming further embed itself into people’s daily lives – as one of the UK’s most popular modern leisure activities.

28^th Annual Golden Joystick Awards – The winners:

• Action Game of the Year sponsored by Nuts – Assassin’s Creed II
• ITN Game On Shooter of the Year – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
• Racing Game of the Year in association with T3  – Forza Motorsport 3
• RPG of the Year in association with GamesRadar – Mass Effect 2
• Puzzle Game of the Year in association with NGamer – World of Goo
• Fighting Game of the Year in association with Official Nintendo Magazine – Super Street Fighter IV
• Sports Game of the Year sponsored by Mousebreaker.com – FIFA 10
• Strategy Game of the Year in association with PC Gamer – Plants vs. Zombies
• Music Game of the Year in association with Total Film – Guitar Hero 5
• Online Game of the Year sponsored by Game Gears – League of Legends
• Downloadable Game of the Year sponsored by Green Man Gaming - Plants vs. Zombies
• Habbo.com Portable Game of the Year – Pokemon HeartGold/SoulSilver
• Soundtrack of the Year in association with Metal Hammer – Final Fantasy XIII
• MSN One to Watch - Call of Duty: Black Ops
• UK Developer of the Year in association with Edge - Jagex
• Ultimate Game of the Year in association with GamesMaster – Mass Effect 2