Today, the New York Videogame Critics Circle (NYVGCC) announced that Neil Druckmann, co-president and head of creative at Naughty Dog, is the recipient of the Andrew Yoon Legend Award for the 13th annual New York Game Awards.
Druckmann has a legendary 20-year career in the games industry, contributing to landmark titles in the Uncharted series and transcending traditional gaming with the multimedia juggernaut in The Last of Us. Neil’s generational talents in game design, storytelling, and directing have earned him countless accolades and have cemented his status as an icon of game development history.
“Neil Druckmann’s story is an inspirational one of self-determinism. He worked his way from an internship all the way up to being a co-president at Naughty Dog,” said Harold Goldberg, president and founder, NYVGCC. “His skill for creating titles that consistently redefine cinematic gameplay and human-centric storytelling not only deserves celebrating, but his efforts to create characters that represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives have enriched content in AAA games. His brilliant work has been lauded with multiple New York Game Awards over the year, and we are honored to recognize him as this year’s Andrew Yoon Legend Award winner.”
“It’s an honor to have someone like Neil Druckmann as the Andrew Yoon Legend Award for my first New York Game Awards with NYVGCC,” said Ryan O’Callaghan, executive director, NYVGCC. “His creative vision has been monumental in pushing the games industry to captivate audiences through Naughty Dog’s expansive video game catalog and their film and TV adaptations. We look forward to presenting the Andrew Yoon Legend Award to Neil live and in-person as part of the 13th Annual New York Game Awards!”
The New York Videogame Critics Circle presents the Andrew Yoon Legend Award to recognize people and organizations that exhibited a significant, sustained body of work that shows exceptional artistic achievement and innovation. The award is named for Andrew Yoon, a founding member of the New York Game Critics Circle. Past recipients of the award include Reggie Fils-Aimé, Phil Spencer, Tim Schafer, Jerry Lawson, Jade Raymond, Richard Garriott, Todd Howard, Ralph Baer, and Hideo Kojima.
The 2024 New York Game Awards will take place on Tues., Jan. 23, at the SVA Theatre in Manhattan. Tickets are available through Eventbrite with three options: $60 for General Admission, $75 for VIP (preferred seating), and $100 for VIP + After Party. Proceeds from ticket sales help fund ongoing educational programs performed by the NYVGCC for 2024. For more information on the NY Game Awards and other NYVGCC programs, please visit the website.
Related: New York Game Awards Announced for Jan. 16, 2024 – Tickets Available Now
I'm a published author and proud US Army veteran who happens to be a gamer, so I decided to combine the two and love every minute of it! Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments and I'll be sure to get back to you.
More Stories
Big EXTRA LIFE 2024 Plans for Game Day and Beyond Revealed by Daybreak Games
In 2025, SHOVEL KNIGHT Will Embark on a Two-Part Concert Tour to Commemorate its 10th Anniversary
Anime NYC Day 3 – Final Day, More Cosplay!