GDC dubs Meier a lifer

Legendary strategy-game designer to receive Lifetime Achievement Award during Game Developers Choice Awards.

In November, the Academy of Interactive Arts and Science named former Sony Computer Entertainment chairman and CEO Ken Kutaragi as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, to be given at this year's D.I.C.E. Summit in February. At the second developer commune for the month--the Game Developer's Conference--legendary game designer Sid Meier will receive his own Lifetime Achievement Award, the CMP Game Group announced today.

Gaming tycoon Sid Meier.

Meier's career in the gaming industry spans back to 1982 with the founding of MicroProse, where he created the seminal empire-building turn-based strategy game Civilization, as well as the business strategy sim Railroad Tycoon. In 1996, Meier cofounded development outfit Firaxis, where he further iterated on the Civilization franchise and created other acclaimed titles such as Alpha Centauri and Pirates! Meier has received numerous other awards over the years, including being inducted into the AIAS' Hall of Fame in 1999.

"Sid Meier has served as one of our industry's greatest role models for more than 25 years, creating fun and intelligent games for a diverse public long before it was popular," said GDC executive director Jamil Moledina. "Now that the rest of the industry is actively targeting the broader audience, it's fitting to honor him with our highest award and thank him for his continuing example of inspiration for the video game community."

Meier won't be the only industry frontrunner to receive an award during the Game Developers Choice Awards. Ralph Baer will be given the Pioneer Award during this year's ceremony. Heralded as the "father of video games," Baer is credited with creating the first gaming console suitable for a mass-market audience, the Magnavox Odyssey.

The CMP Group will also be honoring International Game Developers Association executive director Jason Della Rocca with the 2008 Ambassador Award. According to the CMP Group, Della Rocca is being honored for "connecting developers with their peers, promoting professional development, and advocating on issues such as quality of life, creative freedoms, workforce diversity, and credit standards."

The Game Developers Choice Awards is slated to run in conjunction with the Independent Games Festival at this year's GDC on February 20. San Francisco's Moscone Center plays home to this year's conference, which runs from February 18 to 22.

46 Comments

  • teh_leeto

    Posted Feb 17, 2008 2:55 am PT

    Every Meier game that I've played I've enjoyed. Good work

  • _Pedro_

    Posted Feb 17, 2008 2:44 am PT

    well earned, one of the greatest developers ever

  • phobos8u

    Posted Feb 16, 2008 2:35 pm PT

    Alpha Centauri was such a great game, zomg, this award is well earned

  • vito_128

    Posted Feb 15, 2008 11:05 pm PT

    Well earned man. Kudos to Sid

  • Fenrir_DarkWolf

    Posted Feb 15, 2008 7:48 pm PT

    A game designer that can stand the test of time

  • URError

    Posted Feb 15, 2008 7:12 pm PT

    Sid is one of the best

  • chibi-acer

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 5:04 pm PT

    There's a reason is name is the title of all the games he creates (ex: Sid Meier's Civilization 3). Sid Meier rules.

  • duxup Site moderator

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 3:30 pm PT

    A well deserved award for Sid.

  • athenian29

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 1:25 pm PT

    My only Sid Meier game is Civ 3, but that was really fun.

  • pauldarkside

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 10:21 am PT

    Sid Meier: a name synonymous with quality gaming. Well deserved and well done

  • redskinStu

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 9:45 am PT

    You couldn't find a more deserving guy.

  • mrkame16

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 7:30 am PT

    I freaking love Alpha Centauri! what great game. and the expansion pack with the new factions was a must have, C'mon Sid make us a sequel already.

  • Cablestein

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 7:14 am PT

    I'm gonna be a Spore Whore.

  • klugenbeel

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 6:55 am PT

    Still not enough people know the joy of playing Alpha Centauri, what a great game.

  • 3KindgomsRandy

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 6:01 am PT

    As influential and important to gaming as any other person in the industry, as far as I'm concerned. When he created Civ, he turned gaming from a hobby to an obsession.

  • WARxSnake

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 5:34 am PT

    Alpha Centauri! Go Sid

  • Strike_Zer0

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 4:41 am PT

    Awesome. He does indeed deserve it.

  • jusmurph

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 4:41 am PT

    Pirates! and Civ 1 are games i have played the most ever!

  • AzelKosMos

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 3:41 am PT

    God I loved Civ 2. I played it to death. Death I tells ya!

  • gazza_gamerNZ

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 2:33 am PT

    Pirates! is one of my all time favourites, Sid's a legend.

  • stjimmy222

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 2:05 am PT

    Well done son

  • lazyhoboguy

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 1:14 am PT

    sid is awesome. I have spent many many many hours playing civ 2 and 3.

  • BraindeadRacr

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 12:56 am PT

    Meier earned it. Without a damn doubt.

  • hellrazor707

    Posted Jan 9, 2008 12:44 am PT

    i loved civilization and pirates he totally deserves the recognition

  • Ice_man_1985

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 11:42 pm PT

    he earned it with his hard working.

  • IIBlackknightII

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 11:12 pm PT

    Congratulation!.

  • ColdfireTrilogy

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 10:47 pm PT

    cool

  • SonicTheMonkey

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 10:43 pm PT

    So how many gamerpoints is the Lifetime Achievement Award worth?

  • JapAngel

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 10:31 pm PT

    Great going Sid Meier Rox!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • h4xx0rz

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 10:22 pm PT

    I spent many hours on Alpha Centauri, I still play Civ II + expansion, even though Civ IV is awesome. Currently, Pirates! occupies all my Meier time. In fact, I think the only game I really had a problem with was CivNet...

    Well done, Sid Meier, and may Civilization keep advancing.

  • Nanopertgey

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 10:04 pm PT

    Every time Sid makes a new game, you are reborn.

  • wytefang

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 9:27 pm PT

    I would take a Sid Meier game, any day, over the best any crappy Japanese developer can offer...no contest. Congrats Sid, you're the man and I hope to meet you someday.

  • Eldramesha

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 8:20 pm PT

    Civilization is what made me a gamer and I've played more Alpha Centauri than most would consider healthy or sane (though my time spent in WoW might finally be approaching a similar amount)

    Here's to you, Sid!

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 8:08 pm PT

    Arr matey!

  • gnbfd

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 7:01 pm PT

    Nice job Sid!

    The next award should definately go to Shigeru Miyamoto or Will Wright

  • OfficialBed

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 7:00 pm PT

    definitely deserves it

  • Stingray86

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 6:51 pm PT

    About time. Somehow the guy manages to make apparently simplistic yet ridiculously entertaining games.

  • fireblazerx

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 6:51 pm PT

    Sid Meier simply should own it. So many epic quality games has come from this man, it's rather unbelievable.

  • GeneralXiahou

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 6:37 pm PT

    Congrats!!! He most definitely deserves this. I have had the honor of playing Civ II-Civ IV and all attached expansions. Also played Pirates! which was a n excellent game

  • athenian29

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 5:42 pm PT

    Congratz! You deserve it!

    My only gripe about this is that the only Sid Meier game I've ever played is Civ 3. Oh well, that game was a blast...

  • dr_jashugan

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 5:33 pm PT

    Congrats Sid Meier.
    How about developing Alpha Centauri 2?

  • Dreski83

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 5:09 pm PT

    definently a good guy worth giving credit to

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 5:05 pm PT

    never played his games before, but always heard good things cause I had friends play them

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 4:39 pm PT

    Sid is God.

  • smbius

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 4:27 pm PT

    His games belong in the love-it-hate-it category. I've tried playing his games since the original Civilization. There a quite a couple I just couldn't get into.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Jan 8, 2008 4:14 pm PT

    I still have not played a Sid Meier game to any great extent except maybe a couple hours of Pirates at my friends place, though, just looking at his Wikipedia page he did create a lot of games

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