The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS), an American organisation comprising games industry professionals, will induct Naughty Dog alumnus Evan Wells into its prestigious Hall of Fame at this year's D.I.C.E. Awards.
Taking place on 12th February in Las Vegas, the award will be presented by the current head of Naughty Dog, Neil Druckmann.
Wells has been working in games for over 30 years, predominantly as part of the aforementioned studio.
He cut his teeth on games like ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron, GEX, and Gex: Enter the Gecko before landing a lead designer role at Naughty Dog on the Crash and Jak and Daxter series.
He quickly climbed the ranks to become co-president, overseeing the development of the Uncharted and The Last of Us franchises before retiring in 2023.
"Naughty Dog was able to create some truly incredible games and leave a lasting mark on the industry because of Evan’s unwavering leadership and the trust he placed in all of us," says Druckmann. "I know I speak for many across the industry when I congratulate Evan on this well-deserved recognition. It’s a profound honor to present him with this Hall of Fame induction."
AIAS president Meggan Scavio shared similar sentiments:
"We are honored to recognize Evan Wells for his decades of creative leadership and his profound impact on the games industry. Throughout his tenure at Naughty Dog, Evan has exemplified what it means to lead with vision, integrity, and a deep respect for the craft. His commitment to nurturing talent and pushing creative boundaries has shaped generations of developers and inspired millions of players around the world. It is a privilege to celebrate his remarkable legacy at the 29th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards."
The AIAS Hall of Fame already includes the likes of Hideo Kojima, Ted Price, Shigeru Miyamoto, Tim Schafer, Ed Boon, Connie Booth, Mark Cerny, and many other notable names.
[source interactive.org, via videogameschronicle.com]
Comments 8
About time Akira Yamaoka got the award, his contribution to gaming and music far outweighs the above.
Let me guess it’s a dice?
But Naughty Dog never release any games!
Removed - unconstructive
Naughty Dog has never released a bad game! They’ve not released many games. But every game they put out is anticipated like no other. Yes, they’re divisive. Can’t help that. Keep doing it big ND! ✌🏾
Some great stuff there from the past till now projects, congrats to them.
@AhmadSumadi Even from their non PlayStation years that no one talks about?
Math Jam for Apple 2, Way of the Warrior for 3DO, their RPG for Genesis I think. They are fair games. (like many studios people only look at certain series or eras and ignore the rest).
They do good though not denying that. Their earlier stuff is interesting in their own way though.
That’s a lot of great games and iconic franchises he’s been involved in.
Not sure why anyone would want to downplay his impressive contribution to gaming that we have all benefited from.
@SuntannedDuck2 fair. But no one really counts those other games, right? I mean, they do exist. But that’s before ND sat up in the chair and started playing for real. 😀
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