2010 GAME British Academy Video Games Awards

Shigeru Miyamoto to receive BAFTA Fellowship at next month's do.

News by GamesIndustry International Contributor

Published on Feb. 24, 2010

London, 24 February 2010: SHIGERU MIYAMOTO, the creative force behind some of the world's most popular and enduring video games, will receive the Fellowship at this year’s GAME British Academy Video Games Awards.

General Manager of Nintendo Entertainment, Analysis & Development, Miyamoto is celebrated globally as the “Steven Spielberg” of the gaming world and is often referred to as “the father of modern video games.” His design credits read like a who’s who of classic gaming and include: Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Nintendogs and Wii Music.

On being invited to receive the Fellowship, Miyamoto said “I am very grateful to be able to receive such an honourable award from the British Academy. Our video games cannot be created by one person; since Donkey Kong until the most recent New Super Mario Bros. Wii, I have been working closely with a number of friends for three decades in order to develop fun and enjoyable games. I would like to receive this honourable award on behalf of all of these dependable colleagues.”

David Parfitt, Chairman of the Academy said “The Fellowship is the highest accolade the Academy can bestow on an individual for their creative work and we are honoured to have Miyamoto with us to accept his award. With previous honourees including Hitchcock, Kubrick and Pinter, it is only fitting that Miyamoto be recognized alongside these other pioneers for his groundbreaking work. He helped to develop an entire creative industry and is still a major force in its continuing success.”

The GAME British Academy Video Games Awards will take place on Friday 19 March at the London Hilton on Park Lane. Comedian and game enthusiast Dara O Briain will host the awards, which will be streamed live at www.bafta.org.

For information on buying tickets, visit BAFTA’s website, www.bafta.org/awards/video-games, or call James Rhodes on 020 7292 5839.

-ENDS-

About BAFTA:

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is the UK’s leading organisation dedicated to the recognition and promotion of excellence in the fields of the moving image. Renowned for its high profile Film, Television and Video Games Awards ceremonies, the prestigious BAFTA mask has long been seen as a symbol of excellence.

About GAME:

GAME is Europe’s leading specialist retailer of pc and video game products. Since the start of trading in 1991 with 11 stores in the UK, it has grown both organically and through acquisition to a chain of over 1,300 outlets in January 2009. It operates stores in ten countries, supported by eCommerce websites. Online retail is located at www.game.co.uk. For further corporate information, log onto www.gamegroup.plc.uk.

For more information, please contact:

Sasha Gibson Emma White

freud communications freud communications

Tel: 020 3003 6338 Tel: 020 3003 6302

Email: sasha.gibson@freud.com Email: emma.white@freud.com

For clips of Shigeru Miyamoto’s games please contact us. The games available are as follows:

• Donkey Kong (1981)

• Mario Bros. (1983)

• Super Mario Bros. (1985)

• Super Mario Bros. 2 (1986)

• The Legend of Zelda (1987)

• Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)