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4th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards
2004 Finalists & Winners
Honoring the Best Games of 2003
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Lifetime Achievement Award
Mark Cerny
The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the career and achievements of a developer who has made an indelible impact on the craft of game development and games as a whole.
First Penguin Award
Masaya Matsuura
The Pioneer Award (formerly known as the First Penguin Award) celebrates those individuals who developed a breakthrough technology, game concept, or gameplay design at a crucial juncture video game history - paving the way for the myriads who followed them.
Maverick Award
Brian Fiete, Jason Kapalka and John Vechey
The founders of PopCap Games for bringing casual gaming to mainstream audiences.
IGDA Award for Community Contribution
Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk
The joint CEOs of BioWare Corp., they contribute to both the developer community and charities at large.
Game of the Year
STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC (BioWare Corp.)
Finalists:
- BEYOND GOOD & EVIL (Ubisoft Pictures)
- CALL OF DUTY (Infinity Ward)
- PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME (Ubisoft Montréal)
- THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE WIND WAKER (Nintendo EAD)
Original Game Character of the Year
HK-47 (STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC)
Finalists:
- Glitch (METAL ARMS: GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM)
- Jade (BEYOND GOOD & EVIL)
- Joe (VIEWTIFUL JOE)
- Vince (VOODOO VINCE)
Rookie Studio of the Year
Infinity Ward (CALL OF DUTY)
Finalists:
- Big Huge Games (RISE OF NATIONS)
- eGenesis (A TALE IN THE DESERT)
- S2 Games LLC (SAVAGE: THE BATTLE FOR NEWERTH)
- Swingin' Ape Studios (METAL ARMS: GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM)
Excellence in Audio
Chuck Russom for sound effects (CALL OF DUTY)
Finalists:
- Koji Igarashi and Ms. Michiru Yamane for composition (CASTLEVANIA: LAMENT OF INNOCENCE)
- David Henry and Stan LePard for composition (CRIMSON SKIES: HIGH ROAD TO REVENGE)
- Laurent Betbeder, Paul Gorman, Howard Shore, Charles Stockley and Don Veca for composition (THE LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING)
- Christopher L. Clanin and Tim Larkin for sound design (URU: AGES BEYOND MYST)
Excellence in Game Design
David Chateauneuf, Patrice Desilets, Jordan Mechner and team (PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME)
Finalists:
- Michel Ancel, Jacques Exertier, Frederic Houde, and Sebastien Morin (BEYOND GOOD & EVIL)
- The Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando team (RATCHET & CLANK: GOING COMMANDO)
- Casey Hudson, James Ohlen and team (STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC)
- Goro Abe, Hirofumi Matsuoka, Kazuyoshi Ohsawa and Ko Takeuchi (WARIOWARE INC.: MEGA MICROGAME$)
Excellence in Programming
Dominic Couture, Feng Quan Wang and team (PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME)
Finalists:
- Jak II team for programming (JAK II)
- Kim Salo, Markus Stein and Olli Tervo for physics programming (MAX PAYNE 2: THE FALL OF MAX PAYNE)
- David Worswick for network programming (PROJECT GOTHAM RACING 2)
- Mike Rayner, Jon Spencer and team for programming (SSX 3)
Excellence in Visual Arts
Masanao Arimoto, Yoshiki Haruhana and Satoru Takizawa (THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE WIND WAKER)
Finalists:
- Mickael Labat, Raphael Lacoste, Celine Tellier and team (PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME)
- Akira Yamaoka (SILENT HILL 3)
- Eric Kohler and team (TRON 2.0)
- Atsushi Inaba, Hideki Kamiya and team (VIEWTIFUL JOE)
Excellence in Writing
David Gaider, Drew Karpyshyn, Luke Kristjanson and Peter Thomas (STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC)
Finalists:
- Michel Ancel and Jacques Exertier (BEYOND GOOD & EVIL)
- Charles Cecil, Steve Ince, Neil Richards, and Tony Warriner (BROKEN SWORD: THE SLEEPING DRAGON)
- Sheldon Pacotti and Sarah Paetsch (DEUS EX: INVISIBLE WAR)
- Takehiro Izushi (FIRE EMBLEM)