The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences has named Honorary Chairman and former President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., Ken Kutaragi, the recipient of the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award which will be bestowed at this year’s Interactive Achievement Awards ceremony on February 7 in Las Vegas in conjunction with the annual DICE Summit.
Recognised internationally as the 'Father of PlayStation', Kutaragi will be honoured for revolutionizing the global in-home entertainment market with the creation and monstrous success of the PlayStation computer entertainment systems. The launch of the original PlayStation in 1994 and the PlayStation 2 in 2000 went on to become the most popular TV-based gaming systems of their era, resulting in combined shipments of more than 230 million units worldwide.
“Ken Kutaragi’s passion, innovative thinking and business savvy sparked a monumental movement that was unstoppable,” said Joseph Olin, president, AIAS. “If it wasn’t (sic) for Ken and his concept of the original PlayStation, there wouldn’t be the billion dollar industry there is today. His contributions have clearly set new standards for developers, publishers and consumers worldwide.”
About Kutaragi
The 'Father of PlayStation' launched his career in 1975 by joining Sony Corporation’s research lab, where he earned the reputation as an excellent problem solver and forward-thinking engineer. This same reputation was confirmed over the years by Kutaragi’s vision and foresight of the potential of computer entertainment. In the late 1980s, he presented his idea to build new gaming technology. This landmark proposal to Sony allowed Kutaragi to bring to the market in 1994, the original PlayStation.
Five years later, in 1999, on the heels of the PlayStation success, Kutaragi was named president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. During his tenure as president, he spearheaded the release of the next-generation PlayStation 2, the best-selling home console game system in history with more than 120 million units shipped worldwide.
Recognised for the success of PlayStation 2, Time magazine named Kutaragi one of the 100 most influential people of 2004. During that same period, he was appointed executive deputy president of the Game Business Group and Broadband Network Company for Sony. Kutaragi briefly shifted his focus to handheld gaming and launched the PlayStation Portable, quickly followed by the next version of the popular home console, the PlayStation 3.
In June 2007, Kutaragi announced his official retirement from Sony after 30 years of service. He currently serves as honorary chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc., and senior technology advisor of Sony Corporation, where he applies his extensive technological knowledge and experience to continue to advance the future of technology.
"Ken Kutaragi is the smartest guy in the history of the video game business,” said Trip Hawkins, founder, Electronic Arts and AIAS Hall of Fame member. “Without Ken, there is no Sony PlayStation and that is beyond comprehension."
The first Lifetime Achievement Award was presented last year at the 10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards to honour those individuals who have devoted their lives to the advancement of the interactive entertainment industry. Recipients are recognised for their continued contributions that have significantly impacted the US$25 billion video game industry.
About the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences was founded in 1996 as a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the advancement and recognition of the interactive arts. The Academy’s mission is to promote and advance common interests in the worldwide interactive entertainment community, recognise outstanding achievements in the interactive arts and sciences, and conduct an annual awards show (Interactive Achievement Awards) to enhance awareness of the interactive art form.
The Academy also strives to provide a voice for individuals in the interactive entertainment community. In 2002 the Academy created the DICE (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit, an annual conference dedicated to exploring approaches to the creative process and artistic expression as they uniquely apply to the development of interactive entertainment. The Academy has over 10,000 members, with the board comprised of senior executives from the major videogame companies including Bioware/Pandemic, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony and Ubisoft.
