IGDA names Game Developers Choice Award winners

The International Game Developers Association has announced the recipients of several Game Developers Choice Awards, with six development veterans from disparate parts of the industry set to receive their gongs at GDC next month.

Among the winners is Japanese developer Masaya Matsuura, who will receive the oddly-named First Penguin award, which recognises those who have taken risks to break new ground in the industry, for his work on titles such as Parappa the Rapper.

PopCap Games founders Brian Fiete, Jason Kapalka and John Vechey receive this year's Maverick Award, which recognises developers for "experimenting with emerging forms of digital games." PopCap is a company specialising in small online games aimed at casual players.

Bioware joint CEOs Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk will be recognised for their work in charity, including Bioware's contributions to the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation and foundation of a fund to aid children's mental health programs, with the IGDA Award for Community Contribution.

Earlier this month, the IGDA announced that this year's recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award would be Mark Cerny, an expert on the game production cycle who has collaborated with developers on titles including Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Jak & Daxter and Ratchet & Clank.

All of these awards, plus a host of others which have been voted for by the IGDA's members, will be handed out at a ceremony during the Game Developers Conference in San Jose next month.