Los Angeles, Calif. - IndieCade, the International Festival of Independent Games, today announced a new award category introduced to this year's program. The Honorary Trailblazer Award for Lifetime Achievement, bestowed to a true visionary in the field of game design, will be presented to inaugural recipient Tim Schafer at this year's IndieCade Awards Show, on October 8th at 8:00pm at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, CA, hosted by artist and storyteller LeVar Burton.
The Trailblazer Award joins IndieCade's list of 10 other awards in the field of independent game design. This award has been added to the program to honor an individual who has displayed extraordinary vision and creativity in the field of game design, while serving as an inspiration to up-and-coming designers in the field. Known for pushing the boundaries of storytelling and creativity, Tim Schafer will accept this year's award for his contributions to the industry, presented by former colleague and creator of the Monkey Island series, Ron Gilbert.
"Holy cow. I had no idea I was so old. Is this because of the grey in my beard? Well, it's an honor and I'm happy that it's coming from a great organization like Indiecade," said Trailblazer Award recipient, Tim Schafer
Tim Schafer began his career at LucasArts in the early 1990s, quickly gaining esteem for his contributions to the Monkey Island and Day of the Tentacle titles. As a lead designer, Schafer's following grew with the cult classics Full Throttle and Grim Fandango, which won GameSpot's Game of the Year in 1998. In 2000, Schafer set out on his own to start the independent studio Double Fine Productions, producing the critically acclaimed Psychonauts, a true representation of his unique brand of wit and creativity. Schafer's most recent offering, Brütal Legend, starring singer/actor/comic Jack Black as a roadie transported into a heavy metal fantasy world, featured his hallmark humor, hilariously combining the worlds of medieval warfare and heavy metal. Schafer continues his commitment to independent development, with four new titles on the horizon, including the recently announced Costume Quest.
"We are thrilled to present Tim with our first Trailblazer Award," said Stephanie Barish of IndieCade. "Tim and his games embody the risk-taking, boundary pushing spirit at the heart of the independent gaming community, and he is a true role model to legions of up-and-coming game makers."
The IndieCade 2010 Festival takes place October 8th - 10th in downtown Culver City, inviting the gaming community and public to a celebration of independent game development. Kicking off with a media preview on Friday, October 8th, followed by the red carpet awards gala that evening, Saturday and Sunday of the festival encompass a wide spectrum of activities, from hands-on gaming, a unique opportunity for the public play all of the finalist and awardee games, to panel discussions to free, family-friendly activities.
IndieCade 2010 is being sponsored and supported by a collaborative of institutions with a keen eye toward the future of interactive media, including Premiere Presenting Sponsor PlayStation Home, and Presenting Sponsors Activision, Codename, Intel, Atom AppUp Developer Program, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Culver City Redevelopment Agency and the Entertainment Software Association. Additional Key Sponsors include G4tv.com, BBC Worldwide, Shacknews, as well as Dell/Alienware, PlayStation Network, EA Partners, Foundation 9 Entertainment, Xbox Live Indie Games, GameTreeTV, Riot Games, ITVS, Westfield Culver City, Thrust Interactive and PopChips, along with a number of academic institutions including Art Institute Los Angeles, LA Film School, SMU-Guildhall, Savannah College of Art and Design and NYU Game Center.