BAFTA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, will honor Epic Games with a Special Award recognizing its growth from its founding in 1991 to "world-renowned industry leader and innovator." Epic is responsible for games including the Gears of War series and Fortnite, and also the massively popular Unreal Engine that's powered some of the biggest games of the past two decades.
"We are delighted to present this year’s Special Award to Epic Games. Having powered the creativity and imaginations of development teams of all sizes over the years—many of whom have gone on to win BAFTAs—it’s right to mark their huge contribution with this Special Award as part of BAFTA’s commitment to celebrating and promoting the very best in games," BAFTA Games Committee chair Dr. Jo Twist said. "Epic is at the forefront of the evolution of the global games industry and the impact of their innovation is undeniable."
Unlike regular BAFTA award categories, Special Awards are given irregularly, to recognize broad contributions to the industry. Previous winners include Sam Houser and Leslie Benzies of Rockstar Games, Markus "Notch" Persson, Amy Hennig, Brenda Romero, Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill of Riot Games, and Nolan North.
The award will be accepted on behalf of Epic by founder and CEO Tim Sweeney. "All of us at Epic Games are honored that BAFTA has awarded Unreal Engine for excellence in technology, and we share this recognition with our partners and the creative community," Sweeney said.
The BAFTA Special Award will be presented on June 12, during the E3 convention in Los Angeles.
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