Gaming’s Biggest Names of 2008 and 2009
Who changed the industry last year, and who might this year?
By 1UP Staff
Few people in the industry had a bigger year than our power players — a selection of people who made a huge impact on the gaming world in 2008. One of them might be our Person of the Year, which you can find on the second page of this feature. And if you hate the past, check out page three, where we look at gaming visionaries that should make a big splash in 2009.
Power Players in 2008
Alex Evans
The Bob Vila of gaming
The gaming industry first took notice of former Lionhead employee Alex Evans when he helped create the quirky independent PC fighter Rag Doll Kung Fu. But as cofounder and technical director of Media Molecule, he’s made a colossal splash with Little Big Planet, the wildly imaginative do-it-yourself online platformer for PlayStation 3. LBP has garnered tremendous critical acclaim and already fostered a massive community.
What’s next: Little Big Planet will expand and evolve in 2009. Plus, look for Rag Doll Kung Fu: Fists of Plastic, a multiplayer online remake of the classic PC hit (from a new development team that doesn’t include Evans), to arrive on PlayStation Network.
Sam Houser
People person
“Cultivating relationships…. That’s one of the things that I’ve personally been obsessed with in games for years,” Rockstar President Sam Houser told us last year. And though Grand Theft Auto 4’s focus on one city seemed scaled down compared to San Andreas‘ sprawling world, Rockstar gave its virtual Big Apple knockoff big heart by having protagonist Niko Bellic spend as much time keeping friends happy as wreaking havoc, propelling the successful franchise to a new high.
What’s next: Downloadable content for GTA4: The Lost and Damned (360 only). Is the long-rumored GTA MMO far behind?
Hideo Kojima
PlayStation patriot
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