The celebration honored innovation as well as technical and artistic achievement in interactive entertainment. The nominations were open to all game developers, ensuring a true reflection of development community opinion.
This year, the Game Developers Choice Awards advisory board gave out three special awards in addition to the traditional categories: Yuji Naka, president and CEO of Sega's Sonicteam, received a
Lifetime Achievement Award for the innovative and award-winning work he has produced during his career, including the creation of Sega mascot, Sonic The Hedgehog. Hubert Chardot received the
First Penguin Award for
Alone in the Dark, a game that started the "survival-horror" genre. Jeff Lander was honored with the
Community Contribution Award for his writings on game development, community building efforts and student outreach.
The other award categories and winners are as follows: The 2nd Annual Game Developers Choice Awards recipients are:
Game of the Year
Grand Theft Auto III (DMA Design/Rockstar Games)
Rookie Studio of the Year
Bohemia Interactive Studio for
Operation Flashpoint
Original Game Character of the Year
Daxter from
Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Excellence in Audio
Marty O'Donnell & team for sound effects in
Halo: Combat Evolved
Excellence in Game Design
GTA3 team for game play in
Grand Theft Auto III
Excellence in Level Design
Fumito Ueda & team for level design in
Ico
Excellence in Programming
Richard Evans for artificial intelligence in
Black & White
Excellence in Visual Arts
Fumito Ueda & team for art direction in
Ico
Game Innovation Spotlights
Black & White (Lionhead Studios)
Grand Theft Auto III (DMA Design/Rockstar Games)
Ico (Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc.)
Majestic (Electronic Arts)
Rez (United Game Artists)
More information on the awards and recipients can be found at http://www.igda.org/awards.
