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Game Developers Choice Awards

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Game Developers Choice Awards
File:Game developers choice awards logo.jpg
DescriptionOutstanding game developers and games
Presented byGame Developers Conference
First awardedMarch 24, 2001; 23 years ago (2001-03-24)
WebsiteOfficial website

The Game Developers Choice Awards are awards annually presented at the Game Developers Conference for outstanding game developers and games.[1] Introduced in 2001, the Game Developers Choice Awards were preceded by the Spotlight Awards, which were presented from 1997 to 1999.[2] Since then, the ceremony for the Independent Games Festival is held just prior to the Choice Awards ceremony.

Winner selection process[]

Votes for games are by made by International Choice Awards Network (ICAN), a group of leading game creators.[3] Votes are then additionally made by editors of Gamasutra. Upgrades, expansions, and mission packs are not eligible to be nominated.[4]

The top voted games are then voted on by final voting body, made up of ICANs, and editors of Gamasutra.[5] In this final stage of voting, games with the highest votes in a category are the winners.[6]

Winners for Special Awards (Lifetime Achievement, Pioneer, Ambassador) are decided by a "Special Awards Jury", which appears to consist of a variety of 5 people.[7] This group may consider recommendations from ICAN members.[8]

GDC related properties are owned by the UBM technology group.

Historical process[]

In 2007, gamasutra.com took over management of the awards from the IGDA.[9] An advisory board selected by the editors of gamasutra.com and Game Developer magazine oversees the selection process.

In the past, nominations are accepted from registered gamasutra.com users, confirmed to be game developers, and from the advisory board. Once the nomination process is complete, the advisory board identifies five finalists for each regular category.

The recipients of the Lifetime Achievement, Pioneer (formerly known as First Penguin) and Maverick awards are selected by the advisory board. For the other awards, a vote open to all those who participated in the nomination process chooses a recipient from each category's finalists.[10]

List of winners[]

Note: Events held for awards are held early in the following year. Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.

Game of the Year[]

Main article: Game Developers Choice Award for Game of the Year

The Game of the Year Award recognizes the overall best game released during the previous calendar year, as interpreted by the members of the Game Developers Conference.

Year Game Genre Platform(s) Developer(s)
2000 The Sims[11] Life simulation Mac OS, Microsoft Windows Maxis
2001 Grand Theft Auto III[12] Action-adventure Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2 DMA Design
2002 Metroid Prime[13] Action-adventure GameCube Retro Studios
2003 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic[14] Role-playing Microsoft Windows, Xbox BioWare
2004 Half-Life 2[15] First-person shooter Microsoft Windows Valve Corporation
2005 Shadow of the Colossus[16] Action-adventure PlayStation 2 Team Ico
2006 Gears of War[17] Third-person shooter Xbox 360 Epic Games
2007 Portal[18] Puzzle-platformer Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Valve Corporation
2008 Fallout 3[19] Action role-playing Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Bethesda Game Studios
2009 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves[20] Action-adventure PlayStation 3 Naughty Dog
2010 Red Dead Redemption[21] Action-adventure PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Rockstar San Diego
2011 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim[22] Action role-playing Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Bethesda Game Studios
2012 Journey[23] Adventure PlayStation 3 Thatgamecompany
2013 The Last of Us[24] Action-adventure PlayStation 3 Naughty Dog
2014 Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor[25] Action-adventure Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One Monolith Productions
2015 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt[26] Action role-playing Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One CD Projekt Red
2016 Overwatch[27] First-person shooter Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Blizzard Entertainment
2017 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild[28] Adventure game Nintendo Switch, Wii U Nintendo
2018 God of War[29] Action-adventure game PlayStation 4 Santa Monica Studio

Best Audio[]

Best Audio award recognizes the overall excellence of audio in a game, including sound effects, musical composition, sound design and orchestration.

Best Debut[]

Main article: Game Developers Choice Award for Best Debut

The Best Debut Award recognizes the best game from any development studio which released its first publicly available title during the calendar year. This was formerly known as the New Studio of the Year Award. In years prior to 2008, the award was awarded to the studio name, as opposed to the game title.

Best Design[]

Best Design award recognizes the overall excellence of design in a game, including gameplay, mechanics, puzzles, play balancing and scenarios.

Best Mobile/Handheld Game[]

Best Mobile/Handheld Game Award recognizes the overall best game commercially released on any handheld platform.

Innovation Award[]

The Innovation Award recognizes games that demonstrate innovation and push the boundaries of games as an expressive medium. Multiple awards per year were given before 2007.

Best Narrative[]

Best Narrative award recognizes the quality of writing in a game, including story, plot construction, dialogue and branching narratives.

Best Technology[]

Best Technology award recognizes the overall excellence of technology in a game, including graphics programming, artificial intelligence, networking and physics.

Best Visual Art[]

Main article: Game Developers Choice Award for Best Visual Art

Best Visual Art award recognizes the overall excellence of visual art in a game, including animation, modeling, art direction and textures.

Best VR/AR Game[]

  • 2016: Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives[27]
  • 2017: Superhot VR[27]
  • 2018: Beat Saber[29]

Special Awards Recipients[]

Audience Award[]

These awards are voted by the audience for best game of that year.

The Pioneer Award[]

Known as the First Penguin award until 2007, the Pioneer Award celebrates individuals who developed a breakthrough technology, game concept or gameplay design.

  • 2000: Chip Morningstar and Randy Farmer (creators of LucasArts's Habitat)
  • 2001: Hubert Chardot ("for his risk-taking work on Alone in the Dark")
  • 2002: David Crane, Larry Kaplan, Jim Levy, Alan Miller, Bob Whitehead (founders of Activision)
  • 2003: Masaya Matsuura (founder of NanaOn-Sha, pioneer of music/game integration)
  • 2004: Richard Bartle (co-creator of MUD, ancestor to MMOs)
  • 2005: Don Woods, Will Crowther (creators of the early text game Adventure)
  • 2006: Alexey Pajitnov (creator of Tetris)
  • 2007: Ralph Baer (inventor of the Magnavox Odyssey)
  • 2008: Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy (founders of Harmonix)
  • 2009: Gabe Newell (founder of Valve Corporation)
  • 2010: Yu Suzuki
  • 2011: Dave Theurer
  • 2012: Steve Russell (creator of Spacewar!)
  • 2013: Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill (creators of Riot Games)[30]
  • 2014: David Braben (founder of Frontier Developments, co-creator of the Elite series)
  • 2015: Markus "Notch" Persson (creator of Minecraft)
  • 2016: Jordan Mechner (creator of Prince of Persia)[27]
  • 2017: None
  • 2018: Rieko Kodama (graphic artist/director/producer for several Sega titles)[31]

GDC had announced their intention to award Nolan Bushnell (co-founder of Atari) the 2017 Pioneer Award.[32] However, after several people asked the GDC to reconsider this in light of documented sexist activities in Bushnell's past in light of the current #MeToo movement, GDC opted to not award the Pioneer Award and instead "will dedicate this year's award to honor the pioneering and unheard voices of the past".[33][34]

Ambassador Award[]

The Ambassador Award is given to individuals within or outside the industry who helped video games "advance to a better place."[35] It replaced the IGDA Award for Community Contribution after 2008.[36]

Lifetime Achievement Award[]

The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the achievements of a developer who has impacted games and game development.

Retired awards[]

The following award categories have been retired or replaced with a different focus.

Best Downloadable Game[]

Best Downloadable Game Award recognizes the overall best game released on console or PC platforms specifically and solely for digital download - with an emphasis on smaller, more 'casual'-friendly titles.

  • 2007: flOw
  • 2008: World of Goo
  • 2009: Flower
  • 2011: Minecraft
  • 2012: Bastion
  • 2013: Journey
  • 2014: Papers, Please

Character Design[]

The Character Design award recognizes the overall excellence of non-licensed character design in a game, including originality, character arc and emotional depth.

Excellence in Level Design[]

Excellence in Programming[]

IGDA Award for Community Contribution[]

The IGDA Award for Community Contribution recognized developers for significant efforts "building community, sharing knowledge, speaking on behalf of developers and/or contributing to the art form of game development".[36] The Ambassador Award replaced it after 2007.[35]

Original Game Character of the Year[]

Maverick Award[]

The Maverick Award recognizes the current achievements of a developer who exhibits independence in thought and action while experimenting with alternate/emerging forms of digital games.

  • 2003: Brian Fiete, Jason Kapalka, and John Vechey (PopCap Games)
  • 2004: Matt Adams, Ju Row Farr, and Nick Tandavanitj (Blast Theory)
  • 2005: Mike Dornbrook, Eran Egozy, Greg LoPiccolo, and Alex Rigopulos (Harmonix Music Systems)
  • 2006: Greg Costikyan

Best New Social/Online Game[]

References[]

  1. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards". Retrieved September 13, 2016. {{cite web}}:
  2. ↑ "Archive". Archived from the original on May 29, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2016. {{cite web}}:
  3. ↑ http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/rules.html. {{cite web}}: ; title
  4. ↑ http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/rules.html. {{cite web}}: ; title
  5. ↑ http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/rules.html. {{cite web}}: ; title
  6. ↑ http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/rules.html. {{cite web}}: ; title
  7. ↑ http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/advisory.html. {{cite web}}: ; title
  8. ↑ http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/rules.html. {{cite web}}: ; title
  9. ↑ "Press Release:THE 2008 GAME DEVELOPERS CHOICE AWARDS". December 20, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2016. {{cite web}}:
  10. ↑ "rules and regulations". Retrieved September 13, 2016. {{cite web}}:
  11. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2000". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  12. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2001". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  13. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2002". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  14. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2003". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  15. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2004". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  16. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2005". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  17. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2006". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  18. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2007". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  19. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2008". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  20. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2009". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  21. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2010". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  22. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2011". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  23. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2012". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  24. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2013". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  25. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2014". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  26. ↑ "Game Developers Choice Awards 2015". gamechoiceawards.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015. {{cite web}}:
  27. ↑ 27.00 27.01 27.02 27.03 27.04 27.05 27.06 27.07 27.08 27.09 27.10 27.11 27.12 27.13 27.14 27.15 Dornbush, Jonathan (March 1, 2017). "GDC 2017: Overwatch Wins Game of the Year at Game Developers". IGN. Retrieved March 1, 2017. {{cite web}}:
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 28.5 28.6 28.7 Chan, Stephanie (March 21, 2018). "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is GDC 2018's game of the year". Venture Beat. Retrieved March 21, 2018. {{cite web}}:
  29. ↑ 29.00 29.01 29.02 29.03 29.04 29.05 29.06 29.07 29.08 29.09 29.10 Williams, Mike (March 20, 2019). "God of War Wins Another GOTY at 2019 Game Developers Choice Awards". USGamer. Retrieved March 20, 2019. {{cite web}}:
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 "Anita Sarkeesian, Riot co-founders win GDCA 2014 Special Awards". www.gamasutra.com. Gamasutra. February 11, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014. {{cite web}}:
  31. ↑ "Trailblazing Sega dev Rieko Kodama to be honored with Pioneer Award at GDC 2019!". Gamasutra. January 17, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2019. {{cite web}}:
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 "Nolan Bushnell, Tim Schafer, and Rami Ismail to be honored at the 2018 GDC Awards!". Gamasutra. January 30, 2018. Retrieved January 30, 2018. {{cite web}}:
  33. ↑ Fogel, Stefanie (January 30, 2018). "GDC Re-Examines Award for Atari Founder After Outcry Over Past Conduct". Glixel. Retrieved January 31, 2018. {{cite web}}:
  34. ↑ Kim, Matt (January 31, 2018). "GDC Announces It Will Not Award Atari Founder Nolan Bushnell After Controversy". US Gamer. Retrieved January 31, 2018. {{cite web}}:
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 "Ambassador Award Archive". gamechoiceawards.com. Game Developers Choice Awards. 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2014. {{cite web}}:
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 "Community Contribution Archive". gamechoiceawards.com. Game Developers Choice Awards. 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2014. {{cite web}}:
  37. ↑ www.gamechoiceawards.com (March 2011). "Ambassador Award Archive". Retrieved 16 January 2012. {{cite web}}:
  38. ↑ Takahasi, Dean (January 20, 2017). "Epic Games' Tim Sweeney to receive lifetime achievement award at GDC". Venture Beat. Retrieved January 20, 2017. {{cite web}}:
  39. ↑ Sinclair, Brendan (December 11, 2018). "Amy Hennig to receive lifetime achievement award". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved December 11, 2018. {{cite web}}:

External links[]

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