The company behind the hugely successful video game franchise Grand Theft Auto was presented with the highest accolade at the British Academy Games Awards in 2014.

Sam Houser, Leslie Benzies, Aaron Garbut and Dan Houser, accepted the accolade on behalf of the company and were presented it by President of Komami; Hideo Kojima.

Who are Rockstar Games?

Founded in 1998, Rockstar Games have proven pioneers of the gaming industry by consistently pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved. Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games, explains: “It’s in our DNA to avoid doing what other companies are doing.”

Groundbreaking games such as L.A. Noire, Manhunt, Bully and Red Dead Redemption have revolutionised the industry across a number of platforms and earned the company global recognition.

However, it was the Grand Theft Auto series’ shift into 3D with Grand Theft Auto III that reached a new height in game-making, as players were immersed in a highly detailed, open world where they could explore gritty urban locations and follow the game’s narrative at their own pace. This unique approach to game development is proving more popular than ever with gamers.

On 17 September 2013, Grand Theft Auto V made $800 million worldwide, becoming the best-selling game of all time in its first 24 hours with continuing sales saw it break six world records, including fastest game to gross $1 billion.

Grand Theft Auto V has also gained critical as well as commercial success, having been nominated in nine categories at this year’s British Academy Games Awards, including Game Design and Best Game – a testament to their significant influence on the gaming industry over the last year.

Inspiring a whole generation of game developers

The Chair of BAFTA’s Games Committee, Harvey Elliott praised the company for their achievements to date:

“The creativity and passion exhibited by the Rockstar teams have inspired a generation of game developers to raise the bar in every aspect of game development. From design and mechanics, through to storytelling, cinematics and audio immersion, and in the process creating games that compete so profoundly on a global stage across all entertainment media.”

Committed to honouring all those that contributed to Rockstar’s success, the company’s founder, Sam Houser added:

“This honour reflects the creative vision and dedication of a huge number of people over many years, and we look forward to accepting the Fellowship on their behalf.”

Rockstar Games join previous Fellows Gabe Newell (Half-Life, Counter-Strike), Peter Molyneux (Populous, Theme Park), Shigeru Miyamoto (Mario, The Legend of Zelda), Nolan Bushnell (founder of Atari, Pong) and Will Wright (SimCity, The Sims).

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