The organizers of the Game Developers Choice Awards have revealed the recipients of this year’s special categories: the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Ambassador Award.
Yoko Shimomura has been chosen for this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Shimomura has had a remarkable career spanning back to 1988 when she began her journey as a composer.
She made significant contributions during her time at Capcom, where she crafted memorable soundtracks for iconic titles like Street Fighter II, Final Fight, and The King of Dragons.
In 1993, she transitioned to Square Soft (now Square Enix), where she became renowned for her work on the Kingdom Hearts series, the Final Fantasy franchise, and other notable games such as Parasite Eve. Among her recent credits are Super Mario RPG and Live A Live.
Fawzi Mesmar is the recipient of the Ambassador Award. Mesmar boasts over two decades of experience, having worked at various AAA studios.
Throughout his career, he has held key roles at companies like Gameloft, King, EA’s DICE division, and Ubisoft, where he currently serves as vice president of global creative. His portfolio includes contributions to titles like Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, Battlefield 2042, and the upcoming Star Wars Outlaws.
Stephenie Hawkins, the event director at Informa Tech, expressed pride in honoring Shimomura and Mesmar for their significant contributions to the art and craft of game development.
She highlighted their enduring impact on the industry, noting that their success has not only been marked by their individual achievements but also by the inspiration they have provided to aspiring composers and designers worldwide.
The awards ceremony is scheduled for March 20th and will be held during the Game Developers Conference at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, alongside the Independent Game Festival awards.
