Game Developers Choice Awards Reveals Recipients of Special Awards

<p>The 13th Annual  Game Developers Choice Awards has revealed the recipients of the remaining two of its Special Awards&comma; the Pioneer Award and the Ambassador Award&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The Pioneer Award will be given to Steve Russell&comma; creator of 1962&&num;8217&semi;s <em>Spacewar&excl;<&sol;em>&comma; the earliest known digital computer game and one that would spawn numerous imitators such as classic title <em>Asteroids<&sol;em>&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>According to a press release&comma; the Pioneer Award is &&num;8220&semi;given to developers for creating breakthrough video game genres or concepts&comma;&&num;8221&semi; and the same press release goes on to state that Russell&&num;8217&semi;s work on <em>Spacewar&excl; <&sol;em> &&num;8220&semi;influenced technological advances and gave rise to the cultural phenomenon of video games&semi;  Spacewar&excl; created a model for game development&comma; establishing shooting as a core game mechanic&comma; and inspired space and science fiction themes for future games&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The Ambassador Award is &&num;8220&semi;given to those who have helped the game industry advance to a better place&comma;&&num;8221&semi; and has been announced as going to Chris Melissinos for curating &&num;8220&semi;The Art of Video Games&comma;&&num;8221&semi; an exhibition at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 2012&period; The press release states that Melissinos&&num;8217&semi; work with the exhibition &&num;8220&semi;helped to cement the message of interactive entertainment as a form of modern culture&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The third of the GDCA&&num;8217&semi;s Special Awards&comma; the Award for Lifetime Achievement&comma; has already been announced as going to BioWare founders Dr&period; Ray Muzyka and Dr&period; Greg Zeschuk&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The 13th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards ceremony will take place on 27th March at the San Francisco Moscone Center and is hosted by Double Fine Productions&&num;8217&semi; Tim Schafer&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;