Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann to receive Andrew Yoon Legend Award at the annual New York Game Awards

Neil Druckmann is expected to appear live to receive the Andrew Yoon Legend Award at the 2024 New York Game Awards.

The award is given to video game industry figures and organizations that have “exhibited a significant, sustained body of work that shows exceptional artistic achievement and innovation.” Druckmann’s impact on gaming is easy to see. Games like The Last of Us have become generation-defining titles, and with every release, he continues to push the limits of cinematic gameplay and storytelling.

His career trajectory has also been an impressive one. As the president and founder of the New York Video Game Critics Circle Harold Goldberg explains, Druckmann “worked his way from an internship all the way up to being a co-president at Naughty Dog.”

Goldberg also compliments Druckmann for his ability to “create characters that represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives.” The executive director of NYVGCC, Ryan O’Callaghan, also sings the Naughty Dog co-president’s praises, commending him for his talent for expanding the reach of the gaming industry and captivating audiences through his studio’s gaming catalog and its film and TV adaptations.

The New York Game Awards

The first New York Game Awards was hosted in 2012, and it has since grown into a large event with even former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé joining the board of directors. At the previous award ceremony, hosted at the SVA Theatre, Elden Ring won the Big Apple Award for Game of the Year, while Xbox’s Phil Spencer won the Andrew Yoon Legend Award.

It is a great honor to receive the Andrew Yoon award, as it is named after the former Joystiq editor and indie creator who met an untimely death. Other past recipients include Hideo Kojima, Tim Schafer, and id Software co-founder John Romero.

In an interview with Goldberg, Druckmann expresses gratitude for the award, though he also admits it makes him feel somewhat uncomfortable. This is because the video game industry is so collaborative that having one person singled out makes him feel weird.

The gaming world waits with bated breath to see what Naughty Dog will churn out next. If reports are correct, we could be seeing a PS5 version of The Last of Us Part 2 soon.