Epic Games’ founder and CEO Tim Sweeney will be named to the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences’ Hall of Fame. Sweeney, who is responsible for the industry respected Unreal Engine, will be the sixteenth person to join the ranks of those who have made a huge impact on the gaming industry.
“Tim’s vision has changed the face of gaming with the advent of the Unreal Engine and the commitment of Epic, as a studio, to bring both consumer and industry-facing technology to new heights.” said Martin Rae, president of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. “We’re honored to add Tim Sweeney to our Hall of Fame. His unrelenting and innovative work on behalf of developers and gamers has created the imaginative games that help to drive the success of our industry.”
"I've had the pleasure to work alongside Tim Sweeney for nearly 20 years. Many people in the game industry are aware of what a brilliant technical visionary he is, but what they might not realize is that he is also a great leader and thinks deeply about how to use technology to empower artists and creatives to be successful and realize their vision - not only at Epic but around the world in the studios who license our Unreal Engine technology," remarked Mark Rein, vice president, Epic Games.
"Tim's sense of fairness and doing what’s right, not just for Epic but for the industry as a whole, is also what makes him so admired among the people who know him. I am very proud to call him my friend and mentor, and am thrilled that I will be able to present this well-deserved award to him. I wish everyone in the industry could know Tim as I do."
Sweeney will be inducted at the Awards show, hosted by comedian/actor Jay Mohr, at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas this February 9, 2012. The Hall of Fame award will be given out by Epic VP Mark Rein.
For more on Tim Sweeney’s storied career, the folks at Kotaku have given an incredibly detailed biopic for the man that has helped drive some of the biggest tech in the industry.
