Sam Lake to be recognized at New York Game Awards

Sam Lake, the creative director at Remedy, is set to be honored with the Andrew Yoon Legend Award during the 14th New York Game Awards.

This prestigious award celebrates individuals who have profoundly influenced the gaming sector.

In the previous year, Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann was the recipient of this honor. The accolade has also been awarded to notable figures such as Hideo Kojima, Phil Spencer, and Tim Schafer in the past.

Harold Goldberg, president and founder of the New York Video Game Critics Circle, remarked, "You identify a Remedy game by Sam Lake's distinctive touch on the worlds he crafts."

Goldberg added that Lake's two-decade tenure at Remedy had significantly influenced the group and its interns, noting their excitement in welcoming him among other distinguished recipients of the Andrew Yoon Legend Award.

Lake's career began at Remedy in 1995, contributing as a writer to its inaugural game, Death Rally. He notably participated in Max Payne's development as lead writer and also served as the model for the character's face.

He is the creator behind the Alan Wake series, which debuted in 2010. Lake was key in writing and co-directing its 2023 sequel and portrayed Alex Casey through motion capture, with the character voiced by the late James McCaffrey.

His contributions also include co-directing Quantum Break and penning the game Control.

The upcoming New York Game Awards will take place at the SVA Theatre on January 21, 2025.