Gaming News - December 2006
Los Angeles, CA (December 14, 2006) - The Producers Guild of America
today announced that the 2007 Vanguard Award will be presented to game designer
Will Wright.
From The Producers Guild of America:
The Vanguard Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement in new media and
technology, will be presented to Wright at the 2007 Producers Guild Awards on
Saturday, January 20th at the Century Plaza.
Deemed by Entertainment Weekly to be one “the 100 most creative people in
entertainment” Wright draws on academic and artistic sources as the original
producer of games such as the
classic urban planning game, SimCity, and most notably, The Sims, which became
the best selling PC game in history. As the originator of the “God Game”, Wright
introduced the concept of allowing players to control simulated individuals or
groups of individuals by serving as an omnipotent entity that influences various
scenarios within a game. This innovative perspective changed the face of the
video game model and revolutionized the gaming industry. He is currently
developing Spore—an epic journey that takes players from the origin and
evolution of life through the development of civilization and technology and
eventually all the way into the deepest reaches of outer space.
PGA Awards co-chairs, Mark Gordon and Hawk Koch commented, “Will Wright is the
icon of the gaming industry and one of the great producers of entertainment
content. His creations have transcended into feature films and continue to
entertain a global audience. We are proud to have him be the first Vanguard
recipient from the gaming universe.”
“The PGA’s decision to honor a game designer is a big moment for game designers
such as myself, and those who would like to follow in our footsteps. The PGA is
signaling that games are an integral part of the entertainment industry, and an
art form worthy of recognition,” said Wright. “For that reason, I am incredibly
honored to be the first game designer to receive the Vanguard award.”
The PGA will also honor Ron Meyer with their Milestone Award. Doug Wick and Lucy
Fisher will receive the David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion
Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer will receive the Norman Lear Producers Guild
Achievement Award in Television. Ken Ehrlich will be honored with the Visionary
Award, and the Stanley Kramer Award will be presented to An Inconvenient Truth.
Previous recipients of the Vanguard Award include George Lucas, James Cameron,
Pixar Animation Studios and AOL Chairman and CEO Jon Miller.
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