By Derrik J. Lang, Entertainment Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) --"Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor" is king of the Game Developers Choice Awards.
Monolith Productions' gritty action-adventure game set between J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" was honored as the game of the year at Wednesday's 15th annual ceremony, which is held during the Game Developers Conference.
"I want to thank everyone at Monolith Productions," said studio head Kevin Stephens as he was backed on stage by dozens of employees. "There are about 40 people up here. I holed them away for two years to make this game, and now I'm letting them loose on GDC."
The artsy mobile puzzler "Monument Valley" from ustwo captured the most trophies, picking up the best visual art, mobile and innovation awards.
"The last 12 months has been completely insane, and it's far bigger than we ever expected, said executive producer Daniel Gray. "We're genuinely humbled by the rest of the people in this room."
Bungie's shared-world sci-fi shooter "Destiny" was honored for best technology, while Creative Assembly's intergalactic horror "Alien: Isolation" was awarded for best audio.
"When I first started watching people play our game, it was a big shock to me how much the audio affected how people played and how long they would spend hiding inside lockers and listening to the sounds of the station," said studio director Tim Heaton. "If I'd realized how much effect it had, we probably could have made a shorter game."
Other winners included Cardboard Computer's adventure game "Kentucky Route Zero" for best narrative, Blizzard's trade-carding title "Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft" for best design and Stoic Studio's Viking-themed role-playing game "The Banner Saga" for best debut.
Frontier Developments' updated space-trading simulator "Elite: Dangerous" landed the audience award, which was selected by online votes.
David Braben, developer of the original "Elite" in the 1980s, received the Pioneer Award for his influential work, which featured revolutionary 3D graphics and moral quandaries for players.
Brenda Romero, a veteran game designer, was presented with the Ambassador Award, which recognizes individuals who have helped advance the gaming industry.
Hironobu Sakaguchi, the Japanese creator of the long-running "Final Fantasy" series, was honored with the show's Lifetime Achievement Award.
"I'm still chugging along," Sakaguchi said through a translator. "I have not retired. I will not retire in the near future. With everyone here, I think we should just continue to make great content and great games."
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakers’ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including “Death of Mr. Peanut.” He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose “First Kid. Second Kid” campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. He’s gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. He’s accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
“Mike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,” said Goldberg. “Mike’s got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. He’s got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what we’re about.”
“I’ve... Read More