December 3 is a special day for gamers, marking PlayStation’s 30th anniversary. In honor of this milestone, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) hosted the grand event of the 2024 PlayStation Partner Awards in Japan Asia, celebrating the phenomenal games and the brilliant developers behind them who have graced the PlayStation platform, particularly in the Japan/Asia region.
This vibrant event not only spotlighted the standout titles for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 released between October 2023 and September 2024. It also paid homage to the legacy of groundbreaking Japanese and Asian-developed games across older platforms like the original PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation 4, recognizing the waves they’ve created over three decades. Here’s a look at the titles that made the cut at this year’s event.
Excellence Award
This accolade is reserved for those games developed within the Japan/Asia region that have consistently left a significant mark alongside substantial commercial success over the past three years. This year, the honor went to Genshin Impact by HoYoverse.
Grand Award
The top three titles recognized in this category are celebrated for their highest worldwide sales from October 2023 to September 2024, showcasing extraordinary performance. This year’s winners are:
- Black Myth: Wukong by Game Science Interactive Technology
- Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree by FromSoftware, Inc / Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth by Square Enix Co. Ltd
Partner Award
Acknowledging games launched in the Japan/Asia region with outstanding worldwide sales, the Partner Award highlighted titles such as Dragon’s Dogma 2 from Capcom Co., Ltd., and Honkai: Star Rail by HoYoverse, among others. Each of these games achieved impressive rankings between October 2023 and September 2024.
Special Award
This category honors PS5 titles born from a collaboration with SIE outside Japan/Asia that have achieved tremendous success within these regions during the past year. Winners include:
- Rise of the Ronin by SIE, developed by Koei Tecmo
- Stellar Blade by SIE, developed by Shift Up
Users’ Choice Award
Here, the spotlight shines on the top five titles released in the Japan/Asia region, chosen through player votes from the top 30 games with the most gameplay time. The winners include titles like Black Myth: Wukong and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
PlayStation Generations Awards
Chosen by users across Japan and Asia, this award spans each PlayStation generation—from the original PlayStation to the PS4—spotlighting iconic titles that previously claimed the “PlayStation Partner Award.”
Here’s a glance at the honored titles:
- PlayStation Generations: Final Fantasy VII by Square Enix Co. Ltd.
- PlayStation 2 Generations: Final Fantasy X by Square Enix Co. Ltd.
- PlayStation Portable Generations: Monster Hunter Portable 3rd by Capcom Co., Ltd.
- PlayStation 3 Generations: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots by Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
- PlayStation Vita Generations: Persona 4 Golden by Atlus Co., Ltd
- PlayStation 4 Generations: Elden Ring by FromSoftware, Inc / Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.
The following are heartfelt messages from the prizewinners:
Genshin Impact
Hoyoverse shared its gratitude towards players and PlayStation, emphasizing the fantastic journey they’ve traveled together over four years. “We’ve embarked on new adventures, introducing players to Natlan’s wonders, and our tale is far from over as we continue crafting fresh experiences in Teyvat,” Dai Wei of Hoyoverse expressed.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
In receiving the Grand Award, FromSoftware, Inc., and Bandai Namco Entertainment extended a big thank you to their community for exploring the Lands Between, and specifically for the long-awaited Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
Black Myth: Wukong
Feng Ji from Game Science Interactive Technology remarked on the immense honor of winning the Grand Award. He credited the inspiration from “Journey to the West” and committed to further exploration of technology to enrich their storytelling.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Square Enix’s Naoki Hamaguchi felt truly amped receiving the Grand Award, echoing gratitude to fans. As they push towards the trilogy’s conclusion, there’s a promise of an epic finale that awaits players.
These insights showcase the triumphs and future aspirations of developers and underline the vibrant world of gaming continuing to evolve on PlayStation consoles.
