Ed Boon, co-creator of the Mortal Kombat series, will be inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E Awards. Boon, CEO of NetherRealm Studios, has been involved in the gaming industry for many years, being responsible for such franchises as the aforementioned tournament fighter, which just saw the release of its eleventh installment in 2019, as well as contributing to the Injustice series for DC Comics.
The Hall of Fame award is given out to members of the industry whose influential footprint can be felt across many titles, whether it be on one genre of game, or across an entire generation of gaming. Past recipients of the award include highly recognized creatives such as Gabe Newell, Sam and Dan Houser, Tim Sweeney, Todd Howard, and Hideo Kojima.
And now, in a press statement released by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, Ed Boon will be next recipient of the award at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards on February 24th in Las Vegas. Xbox Games Studios’ Matt Booty will present Boon with the award.
In the same statement, president of the A.I.A.S. Meggan Scavio stated that Boon’s “dedication and perseverance” to gaming, in both his early work on pinball machines to his contributions to Mortal Kombat, have left an incredible legacy for fans and developers to look back on with admiration. Booty, who got his start at Mortal Kombat’s original developer Midway Games, adds to the statement that Boon encompasses al the great traits of a game designer, also noting Boon’s support for other people in the industry.
Looking back at Boon’s career, it’s hard not to see how much of an honor this is, but also how this was all but inevitable. Boon’s contributions to the gaming industry, and the franchises that he has helped create, have spun into internationally known franchises of great renown. Mortal Kombat in particular has been a staple of the gaming industry, spinning into a media franchise, including a live action Mortal Kombat film that will be getting a sequel soon.
This is an incredible achievement for one of the gaming industry’s modern pioneers, and it’s exciting to see Boon be presented with this award. It will be interesting to see who from the gaming industry will be selected for this award next year.