Grand Theft Auto creator Rockstar Games are to be honoured with a Fellowship, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) have announced.
Sam Houser, Dan Houser, Leslie Benzies and Aaron Garbut will attend the British Academy Games Awards ceremony next week to be presented with the accolade, which is the highest that the Academy bestows in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, television or games. Previous recipients include Peter Molyneux, Gabe Newell, Will Wright, and the esteemed Shigeru Miyamoto.
It was Grand Theft Auto’s shift into the realm of 3D that proved such a turning point for the studio with Grand Theft Auto III, which they later capitalised on with Grand Theft Auto IV and Grand Theft Auto V, as well as Red Dead Redemption and L.A. Noire. Meanwhile, Nintendo platforms were treated to Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Manhunt 2, and Bully.
“We have long believed in the potential for videogames to become a new form of cultural expression and worked to show that in our games, so for us accepting the BAFTA Fellowship is incredibly humbling”, commented Rockstar Games founder Sam Houser.
“This honour reflects the creative vision and dedication of a huge number of people over many years, and we look forward to accepting the Fellowship on their behalf.”
Rockstar Games to be awarded BAFTA Fellowship
