Power Players: The 25 Biggest Celebrities in the Video Game Industry
Everything you need to know about who's who in gaming.
intro
Just like in any entertainment industry, we in gaming have our own celebrities. They may not be regulars on the cover of Time magazine (yet), but we love them just as much as others love their Jake Gyllenhaals and Lady Gagas.
fumito ueda
Fumito Ueda
Famous for: ICO, Shadow of the Colossus
Follow him on Twitter (if you read Japanese)
Ueda is one of the quiet innovators of game development, with the only two games under his belt (ICO and Shadow of the Colossus) consistently hailed as masterpieces. Despite his recent departure from Sony and Team ICO, we remain confident that his upcoming The Last Guardian will live up to our expectations, and we can't wait to see what he'll be able to tackle next—and what platforms it'll appear on.
biodocs
Doctors Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk aka Biodocs
Famous for: co-founders of Bioware
Follow them on Twitter (Muzyka and Zeschuk)
As the co-founders of Bioware (which they created fresh from medical school), they're responsible for everything from Neverwinter Nights to Mass Effect, Dragon Age and, most recently, Star Wars: The Old Republic. Their influence on gaming, and more specifically, RPGs, can't be overstated. Also, they're fucking doctors.
peter molyneux
Peter Molyneux
Famous for: Populous, Black & White, Fable series
Follow him on Twitter
Molyneux has got one of the biggest mouths in the industry, and unfortunately he can't always back up his too-lofty promises. It's led to a lot of disappointment over the years, but one thing we can't fault him for is his enthusiasm for game design, and his constant desire to better his projects. Milo was just weird, though.
nolan north
Nolan North
Famous for: the voice of Nathan Drake, Desmond Miles, the Prince of Persia and more
Follow him on Twitter
If you've played a video game in the last decade and a half, you're familiar with Nolan North's work. He's contributed his talented pipes to everything from Goldeneye 007 to Batman: Arkham City, though he's most famous for his role as Uncharted's leading man, Nathan Drake, as well as Assassin's Creed's Desmond Miles and the prince in 2008's Prince of Persia. He's about as big a star as a voice actor can be. Check out our most recent interview with him.
suda 51
Goichi Suda aka Suda 51
Famous for: Killer 7, No More Heroes series
Follow him on Twitter
Suda's got one of the most distinct styles in the whole industry, and his projects are instantly recognizable. Killer 7, No More Heroes and, more recently, Shadows of the Damned ooze with his particular brand of cool, and we're looking forward to Lollipop Chainsaw this year as well.
tim schafer
Tim Schafer
Famous for: Grim Fandango, Psychonauts, Brutal Legend and The Secret of Monkey Island
Follow him on Twitter
Tim Schafer's brilliant, twisted mind has brought us some real classics. Stacking and Trenched are the most recent offerings from his studio, Double Fine, which he founded in 2000, and they've been great as well.
jessica chobot
Jessica Chobot
Famous for: licking a PSP
Follow her on Twitter
We're only half kidding; Chobot got her big break when a picture of her sensually licking a PSP spread like viral wildfire in 2005. Since then, though, she's proved time and time again that she's the real deal—beautiful, smart and talented. Her work at IGN is always top notch.
will wright
Will Wright
Famous for: The Sims
Follow him on Twitter
While Will Wright didn't start out making the Sims series (his first game was the unremarkable Raid on Bungling Bay), his creation of SimCity in 1989 revolutionized an entire genre. His latest game, Spore, failed to live up to expectations, but we have hope for his future projects, whatever they may be.
major nelson
Larry Hryb aka Major Nelson
Famous for: being the face of Xbox
Follow him on Twitter
When Hryb assumed his position at Microsoft, he was told he would need a gamertag. He chose "Major Nelson" based on his TiVo's recommendation he watch "I Dream of Genie." Little did he know millions of gamers would soon know him by that name. As the public face of Xbox, he communicates directly with fans on his blog.
kevin butler
Kevin Butler
Famous for: PlayStation commercials
Follow him on Twitter
Kevin Butler is Sony's only equivalent to Microsoft's Major Nelson and Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime, and never mind that he's not a real person. Played by actor Jerry Lambert, he's really little more than the product of an ingenious advertising agency, but whoever writes his dialogue truly has their pulse on this industry. We identify more with him than with most real-life gamers we know.
morgan webb
Morgan Webb
Famous for: co-host of X-Play
Follow her on Twitter
As the co-host of G4's video game show, X-Play, Morgan has brought us stellar gaming news, commentary and reviews for the better half of a decade. Not only does the show excel in wit—it's also helped transform gaming into the behemoth it is today by exposing average cable viewers to high-quality industry coverage. Basically, we have a lot to thank her for.
olivia munn
Olivia Munn
Famous for: co-host of Attack of the Show
Follow her on Twitter
Olivia shot to stardom as the co-host of G4's Attack of the Show, and from there it's only gotten better for her. With film appearances, modeling, and even a book ("Suck It, Wonder Woman!") under her belt, she shows no signs of slowing down.
reggie fils aime
Reggie Fils-Aime
Famous for: being the face of Nintendo in North America
Reggie, Reggie, Reggie. For the president and COO of Nintendo of America, he sure has a goofy looking face. Actually—it fits pretty well, and he almost always does Nintendo proud. His rise to fame was kickstarted with his opening line at Nintendo's E3 2004 press conference: "My name is Reggie. I'm about kickin' ass, I'm about takin' names, and we're about makin' games."
jeff gerstmann
Jeff Gerstmann
Famous for: refusing to sell out
Follow him on Twitter
Prior to his termination from Gamespot in 2007, Gerstmann was a well respected veteran of games journalism and criticism. After that debacle, though, during which it was rumored that he was fired for refusing to award the craptastic Kane and Lynch a score higher than a 7, he skyrocketed to the status of an icon, a beacon of integrity in the often (wrongfully, I might add) mistrusted world of gaming journalism. His site Giant Bomb is one of the best around, combining news, features and reviews with a wiki-like database of games.
adam sessler
Adam Sessler
Famous for: co-host of G4's X-Play
Follow him on Twitter
Sessler's been hosting X-Play, G4TV's video game show, since before it was X-Play; hell, he was on G4 before it G4. He's been with the network the longest of anyone currently working there, and his legacy precedes him everywhere he goes. His blend of wit and serious coverage and criticism has made him a staple of the industry.
geoff keighley
Geoff Keighley
Famous for: Gametrailers TV, Spike TV Video Game Awards
Follow him on Twitter
Keighley is the face of games journalism for millions of cable TV viewers as the host of Spike TV's Gametrailers TV (GTTV). On top of that, he's responsible for the network's annual Video Game Awards, and as of this year, he's been working in this industry for two decades. He's super talented, and he's got charisma shooting from every orifice. Respect.
felicia day
Felicia Day
Famous for: The Guild, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
Follow her on Twitter
Day writes, directs and star in The Guild, an internet sitcom about MMO addiction that blew up when it premiered in 2007. She also starred in Joss Whedon's hit musical Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Basically, she does it all—acting, singing, producing—and did we mention The Guild is based on the years she spent addicted to WoW? What a trooper.
notch
Markus Persson aka Notch
Famous for: Minecraft
Follow him on Twitter
Notch defines the indie game developer: Minecraft was the product of years of work by none other than him, himself, alone. It's incredible that a game so bursting with ideas and originality could have come from the mind of one person alone, and gaming fans have recognized that, making Minecraft one of the most popular games of the year and Markus "Notch" Persson a game design icon.
ken levine
Ken Levine
Famous for: Bioshock
Follow him on Twitter
As a co-founder of Irrational Games, Levine is largely responsible for the Bioshock series and its predecessor, System Shock 2. Bioshock's immersive, beautiful world and literary themes changed gaming forever, and Bioshock Infinite, the third game in the series, looks to live up to its pedigree later this year.
mike and jerry
Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik aka Tyco and Gabe
Famous for: founding Penny Arcade
Follow them on Twitter
When Holkins and Krahulik's first Penny Arcade web comic debuted on loonygames.com in 1998, they had no idea it was the start of a gaming empire. Since then, Penny Arcade has become one of the biggest sites in the industry, they've started a charity (Child's Play) and two conventions (PAX and PAX East) with thousands of attendants, and the comic has grown to reach an audience of 3.5 million.
david jaffe
David Jaffe
Famous for: Twisted Metal, God of War
Jaffe is another industry rock star, infamous for his controversial statements, from which he always refuses to back down. That's definitely not a bad thing—it's refreshing to hear someone speak their mind once in a while without any bullshit PR messages tacked on. And creating Twisted Metal and God of War is no small pedigree.
hideo kojima
Hideo Kojima
Famous for: Metal Gear Solid
Follow him on Twitter
Kojima is one of the rock stars of the industry. The Metal Gear Solid series often throws convention to the wind, and each game is marked by his distinct stylistic habits—like having more cut scenes than actual gameplay. Most gamers can't get enough.
gabe newell
Gabe Newell
Famous for: Valve, Half-Life, Steam
Game Newell is one of the most accessible people in the industry. His e-mail (gaben@valvesoftware.com) is well-known by the public, and while he's not exactly forthcoming with information he doesn't feel like sharing (do we have to say it?), he has been known to drop occasional tidbits. As a co-founder of Valve, the company behind Half-Life, Left 4 Dead, Portal, Team Fortress 2, Steam, and more, he's in a position to be as discerning with his tips as he wants.
cliffy b
Cliff Bleszinski aka Cliffy B
Famous for: Unreal, Gears of War
Follow him on Twitter
The self-proclaimed "Tony Stark of videogames", Cliffy B's been with Unreal and Gears of War developer Epic Games for quite some time, though his star has really taken off in recent years. Epic's one of the greatest developers in gaming history, and he gets tons of face time thanks to Gears' success as an Xbox exclusive. He's also the real deal—a true gamer—and it really comes across.
shigeru miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
Famous for: Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, etc.
What's left to say about Miyamoto-san? He's the creator of every important Nintendo franchise of the last three decades. He single handedly brought gaming out of its late-70s recession with the creation of Donkey Kong and, two years later, Super Mario Bros. His main influences are his childhood spent exploring the wilderness around his home and his boundless imagination. As the biggest celebrity in the gaming industry and one of the most respected creators in entertainment, there's nothing bad to say about him at all.
Did we miss anyone? Are you irreparably offended by any of our choices? We'd love to hear about it, so let us know in the comments or on Twitter.
