ESA founder to be honored by AIAS

The founder of the Entertainment Software Association, Douglas Lowenstein, is to be awarded the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award (www.interactive.org). Lowenstein launched the ESA (under the former title the Interactive Digital Software Association) in 1994. During his 13 years as president, the ESA launched the E3 Expo, fought vigorously against piracy, established lobbying efforts at the state and federal level, opposed laws that attempted to restrict free speech related to the games and the industry, and more. Though Lowenstein has taken his fair share of criticism from both inside and outside the game industry, it is hard to deny that his influence on the business has been a positive one.

“It was under Doug’s leadership that the industry fought off dangerous efforts to impose restrictions on video game content,” said Jay Cohen, AIAS Board chair. “For those of us in the AIAS, it is no exaggeration to say that the artistic freedom we now enjoy stems directly from Doug’s efforts.”

“This Lifetime Achievement Award represents the greatest professional honor I have ever received and I am grateful beyond words to the AIAS,” said Lowenstein. “To be honored for doing a job I loved, and fighting for values I deeply hold on behalf of an industry and people I felt privileged to represent is profoundly humbling.”

Lowenstein will become the third recipient of the award, joining Howard Lincoln and Minoru Arakawa, founders of Nintendo of America, and Ken Kutaragi, the father of PlayStation. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award will be given during a gala event at the 2010 D.I.C.E. Summit (located at the Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Indie Game Challenge deadline looms

Indie Game Challenge (IGC) officials are reminding game developers interested in entering this year’s challenge to submit their games right now. Eligibility to win one of two $100,000 cash prizes and a chance to pitch an independent game to top publishers is highly dependent on submissions being post-marked by October 31, 2009. Of the 12 finalist teams that will be chosen, two will be selected as grand prize winners. One professional team and one non-professional team will each be awarded $100,000. But what might be the most valuable prize is the opportunity for all 12 finalists to have face-to-face meetings with executives from publishers including Sony, Nintendo, Electronic Arts, Capcom, Microsoft, NAMCO/Bandai, THQ and Ubisoft.

Previously developed games, as well as new games are eligible for entry as long as they have not been professionally published in accordance with the complete rules found at www.indiegamechallenge.com. This includes the eligibility of games previously submitted to other competitions, whether or not those games placed, and online or self-published games that appear in the Apple store.

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2010 D.I.C.E. Summit speakers announced

The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences revealed its line-up of initial speakers for the 2010 D.I.C.E. Summit taking place at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas, February 17-19, 2010. The speaker line-up is an interesting mix of legal professionals, entertainment industry luminaries and game developers at the forefront of the field.

The 2010 line-up includes Dr Susana Martinez-Conde and Dr. Stephen L. Macknik, Laboratory Directors at The Barrow Institute; Ken Doroshow, Senior Council, Electronic Software Association , former Senior VP, Litigation and Legal Affairs, Recording Industry Association of America, and senior counsel to the United States Department of Justice; Matias Myllrinne, President of Remedy Entertainment, makers of the upcoming Alan Wake; Steve Perlman, Founder, President and CEO, OnLive; and Professor Jesse Schell, Carnegie Mellon University, who teaches Entertainment Technology, specializing in Game Design - and formerly Director of the Walt Disney Imagineering VR Studio.

The D.I.C.E. Summit 2010 is also the home of the 13th annual Interactive Achievement Awards, which takes place on February 18th (and once again hosted by Jay Mohr). Immediately following D.I.C.E. this year, will be the Indie Games Challenge winners announcements and celebration.

Registration for the event is currently open and those that register by October 30th will get special 2009 early bird pricing. Find out more by visiting www.dicesummit.org.

The Guildhall at SMU Students score $30k in scholarships

Recently at a luncheon hosted by The Guildhall at SMU, ten students were awarded $30,000 in scholarship funding. Ten students were awarded scholarships on behalf of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS), D3Publisher and the Entertainment Software Association Foundation.

The $10,000 AIAS Academy Scholarship is awarded biannually to an incoming student who students who exemplify “the organization’s spirit and commitment to advancing the global interactive community.” The ESA Foundation Computer and Videogame Scholarship Program recognizes academic excellence of women and minorities pursuing a Master’s degree or graduate certificate at SMU with an annual scholarship of $10,000. D3Publisher honored students who have excelled academically by granting the $10,000 Shane Hensley Scholarship for Game Development Excellence this year.

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AIAS Game Deconstruction Group videos

G4tv.com has posted some exclusive video from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences’ Game Deconstruction Group for Resident Evil 5 and Afro Samurai. The group meets to examine, discuss, and deconstruct video games. It’s interesting stuff worth taking a look at, given the controversy of one, and the lackluster gameplay of the other.

Both presentations were conducted by students from USC’s Interactive Media department and were moderated by AIAS president Joseph Olin and X-Play’s Adam Sessler. The Resident Evil 5 video comes in 6 parts and runs about 97 minutes, while the Afro Samurai video is 25 minutes long and last right around 25 minutes. You can check out some video after the break.

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Jay Mohr DICE Clip

I love gifts from trade shows, and Evan Narcisse has brought us one: a clip from Jay Mohr’s blistering AIAS Awards monologue. Before the 12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards ceremony took place - handing out multiple awards to LittleBigPlanet, Fallout 3, Dead Space and Left 4 Dead - Mohr lampooned some of the industry’s finest.

The clip catches Mohr poking fun at the likes of BioWare’s good doctors, Richard Garriott and Cliff Bleszinski. This clip is most assuredly NSFW, and may contain some adult language not suitable for all audiences. Check it out by clicking on the pretty, pretty picture to the left, or here.

AIAS and IFC to Televise Interactive Achievement Awards

So, did the Spike TV Video Game Awards show leave you feeling, well, a little juvenile about the industry? Looking to see the video game industry I a little more of a professional light? Well, it looks like you’re going to be getting your wish. Earlier today, the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) and IFC (Independent Film Channel) announced that they’ve entered into a partnership to bring the 12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards to television audiences for the first time. The awards presentation will take place on Thursday, February 19th at the Red Rock Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, while broadcast of the show will take place on IFC in April 2009. The IAA broadcast will be condensed into a half hour special with highlights from the IAAs and will be hosted by comedian, actor, and “proud game enthusiast”, Jay Mohr.

“Bringing the Interactive Achievement Awards to our audience marries alternative culture with alternative content,” said Jennifer Caserta, executive vice president and general manager of IFC said. “The Interactive Achievement Awards is an exciting and highly anticipated addition to our programming line-up that will include award highlights, scenes from the red carpet and interstitials hosted by IFC News’ Matt Singer.”

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