The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) Don James, longtime director and cornerstone of Nintendo of Americaand the legacy, honored with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.
This recognition will be celebrated in its 28th year DICE Awardstakes place on February 13, 2025, at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas.
James joined Nintendo of America in 1981 as one of its first employees. As vice president of operations, he oversaw several departments including customer services, design, experiential marketing, real estate & facilities, manufacturing engineering, quality control, supply chain operations, purchasing, product testing, technical services and technical translation.
During his tenure, James was instrumental in creating the video game industry's current Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating system and the creation of the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA), which now called the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), where he served on the board.
In the early 1990s, James was instrumental in the creation of the world famous Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). He was also an integral part of the AIAS, serving as a board member since 1991.
James also served as chief steward of Nintendo of America's relationship with the Starlight Children's Foundation. He co-designed the Nintendo GameCube Starlight Sports Center in 2002 and led Nintendo of America's support of Starlight to bring games and movies to seriously ill children in hospitals.
James is also an active supporter of philanthropic organizations, including the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Pratt Fine Arts Center.
“I am truly honored to receive this award from the Academy,” said James, in a statement. “This industry is full of talented and creative people, and it has been a true honor to know and work along with so many of them over the decades. My career has been wild and fun, and I'm proud of the opportunities I've been lucky enough to have.”
“Don James has been both a humble and fundamental part of the gaming industry, from his founding work at Nintendo of America to his interests at the Starlight Children's Foundation,” AIAS President Meggan Scavio said in a statement. “He has led a number of impactful initiatives that have created lasting change throughout his life, including here at the Academy. We are delighted to celebrate his incredible legacy and contributions history video game.”
The AIAS Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for individuals whose sponsorship spans a wide range of disciplines over a long career in the industry. Recipients are usually individuals who are renowned for their business leadership and are not necessarily involved in the development or creative process. Through their leadership and idealism, these people have driven significant and positive change throughout the industry.
Past recipients of the Lifetime Achievement award include: Minoru Arakawa and Howard Lincoln (2006), Ken Kutaragi (2007), Doug Lowenstein (2009), Bing Gordon (2010), Satoru Iwata (2015), Genyo Takeda ( 2017) and Phil Spencer (2022). Additional information about each special award winner can be found here
Tickets to the 2025 DICE Collection and 28th Annual DICE Awards are available at . Keep up with all the AIAS news by following the AIAS on Bluesky, Instagram, and Twitter.
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