The Interactive Arts & Sciences Academy (AIAS) has announced that Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
To ring in the celebration, Boon will be honored at the 25th Annual DICE Awards taking place on February 24 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty will present Boon with the 2022 Hall of Fame award.
AIAS President Meggan Scavio wrote in a press release: “We are delighted to induct Ed into our Hall of Fame. “From his early work on pin shooters to his monumental accomplishments co-creating the Mortal Kombat franchise, Ed’s dedication and perseverance to the craft and game art has leaves an incredible legacy for fans and game developers alike.”
Booty said he met Boon on his first day in the gaming industry, at Midway, and from there, he watched Boon go on to create Mortal Kombat, one of the most popular fighting games (and the creepiest) on the market.
“Ed embodies the best that a game designer can be: big ideas, great sense of humour, clear focus, and the ability to bring people together as a team,” Booty said. “He has not only created a string of hit games, but also supported countless people on their own path in the gaming industry.”
Boon started working as a ball machine programmer for Williams Electronics after graduating from the University of Illinois. He then moved more directly into video games, working on High Impact Football and Super High Impact. Boon started making Mortal Kombat in 1991 and the rest is history. To date, the Mortal Kombat series has sold more than 75 million units, according to AIAS.
The AIAS Hall of Fame is bestowed on game creators who have been instrumental in developing impactful games and moving a particular genre forward, the AIAS writes. AIAS wrote. “These individuals exhibit the highest levels of creativity and innovation, resulting in significant product influence at a scale that spans the industry.”
Boon will soon join Connie Booth (VP of Product Development at Sony Interactive Entertainment, which has helped power many PlayStation titles), Bonnie Ross (founder of 343 Industries), Todd Howard (The Elder Scrolls, Fallout), Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid, Death Stranding), Leslie Benzies (Grand Theft Auto III, IV and V), Dan and Sam Houser (Grand Theft Auto series, Red Dead Redemption), Tim Sweeney (Epic Games founder) and many others another when he’s inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame next month.
