Gameboy Creator Gunpei Yokoi To Receive IGDA's Lifetime Achievement Award
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (Feb. 20, 2003) -- The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) will recognize legendary game developer Gunpei Yokoi for the innovative work he produced during his career. Yokoi will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Game Developers Choice Awards ceremony on March 6 during CMP Media's Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Jose, Calif. Last year's recipient, Yuji Naka, will be presenting the award, which Yokoi's family will be accepting on his behalf.
"I am as deeply honored to be presenting this award as I was to receive it," said Yuji Naka, president and CEO, SONICTEAM, LTD., a SEGA development studio. "To have a life's work recognized by other game creators is the most meaningful honor one could receive."[an error occurred while processing this directive]In a career spanning nearly three decades, Yokoi is best known as the creator of the Nintendo Game Boy. Overwhelmingly popular since its launch, the Game Boy and its successors have sold more than 142 million units worldwide.
During his early years at Nintendo, Yokoi led the company's entry into the video game space, creating the Game & Watch - a credit card-sized video game that introduced the cross-shaped directional pad. He went on to collaborate with Shigeru Miyamoto to design arcade classics such as "Donkey Kong,"
"Mario Brothers" and "Metroid."
In 1996, Yokoi founded Koto Laboratory, while continuing to consult for
Nintendo. Tragically, Yokoi was killed in a traffic accident the following
year.
"Gunpei Yokoi is the forefather of the portable video game industry," said
Jason Della Rocca, program director, IGDA. "His innovation and creativity
are sorely missed in our community. We're proud to recognize Yokoi-san
and his work with the Lifetime Achievement Award."
The Game Developers Choice Awards Advisory Board selects the recipient
of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The ceremony for the 3rd annual Game Developers Choice Awards, the premier
accolades for peer-recognition in game development, is scheduled to take
place at 6:30 p.m. on March 6, 2003, at the GDC. Produced by the Gama
Network, the GDC is the world's largest conference and exposition dedicated
to video game development and related industries.
The Game Developers Choice Awards are proudly sponsored by Nvidia and Renderware.
About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)
The International Game Developers Association is an independent, non-profit
association established by game developers to foster the creation of a
worldwide game development community. The IGDA's mission is to build a
community of game developers which leverages the expertise of its members
for the betterment of the industry and the development of the art form.
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