Charles Cecil MBE, one of the founding members of Game Republic, who has been awarded ‘Industry Legend’ status by Develop (Europe’s leading development magazine), has been a key figure in video games development for over 40 years will gain an honorary Masters Degree next week. In 1990 he founded Revolution, one of the world’s leading adventure game companies which created the Broken Sword and Beyond/Beneath a Steel Sky series. Charles has additionally designed titles as diverse as The Da Vinci Code for Sony Pictures and Doctor Who for the BBC for which he won a BAFTA award.
Charles has a particular interest in the narrative and aesthetic aspects of Interactive Narrative and how this medium will develop with advancing technology. Charles regularly talks at national and international conferences, and to mainstream press about creative and commercial aspects of the video games industry. This week he will be joining the Narrative Design panel at Develop on 9th July.
Charles Cecil MBE, said: “I am deeply honoured to be receiving this recognition from Leeds Arts University, an institution with such an incredibly rich history, whose alumni have included some of the most extraordinary creative minds of the 20th century. It is wonderful that Leeds Arts celebrates the contribution of video games to our vibrant creative culture and I feel privileged to be associated with a university that is so effectively inspiring the next generation of students to shape the future of the arts for the 21st century.”
Professor Simone Wonnacott, Vice-Chancellor, Leeds Arts University said:“We are honoured to present an Honorary Master of Arts degree to Charles Cecil, a leading figure in the video games industry. The breadth of his work is an inspiration not just to those graduating from games related degrees, but to all our graduates as an example of how exciting and diverse a career in the creative industries can be.”
Jamie Sefton MD of Game Republic adds “To see Charles recognised like this is fantastic. Charles has been such a big support to our regional ecosystem and to the establishment of Game Republic. He alongside his business partner Noirin Carmody, provide such support to start-ups, new game developers and educational institutions in the North. This is well deserved recognition indeed!”
Charles will be recognised by Leeds Arts University during a graduation ceremony held at The Royal Armouries on Monday 8 July 2024. The ceremony will celebrate graduating students from across the University’s undergraduate degree courses.
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