The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) has announced that former Naughty Dog co-president Evan Wells will join its Hall of Fame at this year's DICE Awards.
Wells has worked in the industry for more than three decades. He began his career as a designer at ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron, then joined Crystal Dynamics working on Gex and Gex: Enter the Gecko.
He joined Naughty Dog in 1998 and was the lead designer and director on numerous PS1 and PS2 games, including Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped and Jak and Daxter.
In 2005, Wells became co-president with Stephen White, overseeing the production of franchises such as Uncharted and The Last of Us.
After 25 years at Naughty Dog Wells announced his retirement in 2023..
“We are honored to recognize Evan Wells for his decades of creative leadership and his profound impact on the games industry,” said AIAS President Meggan Scavio.
“During his tenure at Naughty Dog, Evan has set an example of what it means to lead with vision, integrity and a deep respect for his craft. His passion for nurturing talent and pushing creative boundaries has shaped generations of developers and inspired millions of players around the world.”
Naughty Dog studio head and creative director Neil Druckmann will present Wells with the AIAS Hall of Fame award next month.
“Naughty Dog has been able to create truly incredible games and leave an indelible mark on the industry thanks to Evan’s unwavering leadership and the trust he has placed in all of us,” Druckmann said.
“I know I speak on behalf of many in the industry when I congratulate Evan on this well-deserved recognition. I am honored to present him with this Hall of Fame induction.”
The AIAS Hall of Fame Award is given to game creators “who have been instrumental in developing highly influential games and advancing entire genres.”
Last year the winner was Founder and former CEO of Insomniac Games Ted Price.
Other recent recipients include: composer Koji KondoHead of Double Fine Productions Tim Shaferco-creator of Mortal Kombat Ed Boonand former head of internal production for PlayStation Connie Booth.
The 29th annual DICE Awards will take place concurrently with the conference on February 16 at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas.
