Warren Spector Chosen as 2017 Bit Awards’ Game Changer Honoree

​Deus​ ​Ex​ ​and​ ​Epic​ ​Mickey​ ​creator​ ​Warren Spector​ ​will​ ​be​ ​named​ ​Game Changer​ ​Honoree​ ​at​ ​Playcrafting’s​ ​2017​ ​Bit​ ​Awards​ ​for​ ​his​ ​global​ ​impact​ ​on​ ​the​ ​art​ ​and​ ​industry​ ​of​ ​games.​ ​The Bit​ ​Awards​ ​celebrates​ ​the​ ​year​ ​in​ ​games​ ​and​ ​the​ ​people​ ​behind​ ​them,​ ​with​ ​a​ ​special​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​developers​ ​on the​ ​rise.​ ​Mr.​ ​Spector​ ​will​ ​be​ ​live​ ​at​ ​the​ ​show,​ ​which​ ​will​ ​also​ ​feature​ ​a​ ​dedicated​ ​musical​ ​performance​ ​of​ ​work from​ ​his​ ​best-known​ ​games.

Spector​ ​has​ ​redefined​ ​genres​ ​in​ ​both​ ​the​ ​tabletop​ ​and​ ​video​ ​game​ ​worlds​ ​since​ ​he​ ​began​ ​his​ ​career​ ​at​ ​Steve Jackson​ ​Games​ ​in​ ​1983.​ ​From​ ​TSR’s​ ​Top​ ​Secret/S.I.,​ ​ORIGIN’s​ ​Ultima​ ​Underworld​ ​and​ ​Looking​ ​Glass Technologies’​ ​System​ ​Shock​ ​to​ ​Ion​ ​Storm’s​ ​Deus​ ​Ex,​ ​Spector​ ​demonstrated​ ​that​ ​by​ ​combining​ ​elements​ ​of RPG​ ​and​ ​First​ ​Person​ ​Shooters,​ ​he​ ​had​ ​the​ ​ability​ ​to​ ​produce​ ​unique​ ​gameplay​ ​experiences.

Along​ ​with​ ​his​ ​game​ ​development​ ​work,​ ​Spector​ ​also​ ​served​ ​as​ ​a​ ​prolific​ ​educator​ ​at​ ​the​ ​University​ ​of​ ​Texas​ ​at Austin.​ ​From​ ​2013-2016,​ ​Spector​ ​was​ ​the​ ​backbone​ ​for​ ​a​ ​new​ ​post-baccalaureate​ ​game​ ​development​ ​program at​ ​the​ ​UT’s​ ​Denious-Sams​ ​Gaming​ ​Academy.​ ​Feeding​ ​forward​ ​his​ ​experience​ ​of​ ​nearly​ ​30​ ​years​ ​in​ ​gaming,​ ​he has​ ​impacted​ ​the​ ​lives​ ​of​ ​hundreds​ ​of​ ​game​ ​developers​ ​of​ ​the​ ​next​ ​generation.

“Warren​ ​perfectly​ ​exemplifies​ ​what​ ​it​ ​looks​ ​like​ ​to​ ​‘level​ ​up’​ ​the​ ​entire​ ​games​ ​industry.​ ​He​ ​has​ ​left​ ​an​ ​indelible imprint​ ​on​ ​games​ ​and​ ​continues​ ​to​ ​influence​ ​the​ ​developers​ ​of​ ​today​ ​and​ ​aspiring​ ​developers​ ​of​ ​tomorrow.​ ​We are​ ​extremely​ ​proud​ ​to​ ​acknowledge​ ​him​ ​as​ ​our​ ​2017​ ​Game​ ​Changer​ ​Honoree,”​ ​said​ ​Dan​ ​Butchko,​ ​Founder​ ​of Playcrafting.​ ​

The​ ​Bit​ ​Awards​ ​are​ ​organized​ ​by​ ​Playcrafting,​ ​a​ ​nationwide​ ​organization​ ​that​ ​offers​ ​courses​ ​and events​ ​for​ ​veteran​ ​and​ ​aspiring​ ​game​ ​creators​ ​to​ ​hone​ ​their​ ​skills​ ​and​ ​connect​ ​with​ ​thousands​ ​of​ ​fans. Last​ ​year’s​ ​Game​ ​Changer​ ​recipient​ ​was​ ​Ted​ ​Price,​ ​CEO​ ​and​ ​Founder​ ​of​ ​Insomniac​ ​Games,​ ​Inc.​ ​

The​ ​2017​ ​Bit Awards​ ​is​ ​produced​ ​by​ ​​Playcrafting,​​ ​in​ ​partnership​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Parsons​ ​School​ ​of​ ​Design,​ ​and​ ​will​ ​take​ ​place​ ​on Friday,​ ​December​ ​15,​ ​2017​ ​at​ ​6:00​ ​pm​ ​at​ ​the​ ​John​ ​L.​ ​Tishman​ ​Auditorium​ ​(63 5th Ave) in​ ​New​ ​York​ ​City.​ ​The​ ​event​ ​is​ ​open to​ ​the​ ​public,​ ​with​ ​the​ ​ceremony​ ​starting​ ​at​ ​8:00pm.

For​ ​more​ ​information​ ​about​ ​the​ ​2017​ ​Bit​ ​Awards,​ ​​visit​ ​the​ ​official​ ​website​​.​ ​Tickets​ ​can​ ​be​ ​purchased​ ​through​ ​this​ ​​Eventbrite​ ​link​.