Brenda Romero to be honored with BAFTA Special Award

Veteran game designer Brenda Romero will be honored with the prestigious Special Award at next week's BAFTA Game Awards. 

The Special Award recognized individuals for their creative contribution to the games industry, and will be handed to Romero in celebration of her illustrious career, her advocacy for the art and creative processes behind game-making, and her commitment to encouraging the next generation of talent. 

Romero first began working in games in 1981 as a tester at Sir-tech Software, and has been credited on 49 titles to date. 

During her career she's made key contributions to a number of notable franchises including Wizardry, Jagged Alliance, Def Jam, and the BAFTA-winning Ghost Recon and Dungeons & Dragons series.

Her six-part analogue series, The Mechanic is the Message, has also drawn national and international acclaim, particularly the Train and Siochán Leat, which is currently being showcased in the National Museum of Play.

"I am first and foremost grateful to BAFTA for recognizing the artistic potential and power of games. This recognition is culturally critical for games overall. So for that, I am profoundly thankful," commented Romero.

"As for me? Genuinely, I am still in a state of shock, having been chosen. I’ve devoted my life to games - making them, teaching them, playing them - and to receive any honor from the community is incredible. But a BAFTA? It’s well beyond anything else."

The BAFTA Game Awards will take place at London's Tobacco Dock on Thursday, April 6.