Chardot wins First Penguin Award

The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) has selected Hubert Chardot, the creator of Alone in the Dark, as the winner of this year's First Penguin Award. The award will be presented at the second Game Developer Choice Awards on March 21 in San Jose, California. It is intended to honor game developers who have shown a willingness to take risks for potential advancements in game development. Alone in the Dark was the game that started the survival horror genre of action adventure games.

"We are all passionate people with ideas to create attractive interactive worlds for the public," Chardot said. "This award has inspired me to work harder and I hope it will encourage others to take more risks in their work. I am very grateful to receive this honor from those I consider the brilliant creators of a new art form."

The IGDA Award for Community Contribution will be presented to Jeff Lander, who writes extensively for game development publications and speaks at numerous industry events. Lander also organizes seminars and leads student outreach efforts.

"I am thankful and humbled to receive an award like this from fellow developers," Lander said. "Early on, I realized that when you give a little to the development community, you receive back more than you ever would hope. I have tried to let this idea guide my career and have never been disappointed."

For more information about the IGDA and the Game Developer Choice Awards, visit the official IGDA Web site.