Brenda Romero, Game Designer, Writer
Brenda Romero is a BAFTA award-winning game director, entrepreneur, artist and Fulbright award recipient and is presently studio director. As a game director, she has worked on 50 games and contributed to many seminal titles, including the Wizardry and Jagged Alliance series and titles in the Ghost Recon, Dungeons & Dragons and Def Jam franchises. Away from the machine, her analog series of six games, The Mechanic is the Message, has drawn national and international acclaim, particularly Train and Siochán Leat, a game about her family’s history, which is presently housed in the National Museum of Play. In addition to a BAFTA and a Fulbright, Romero is the recipient of multiple lifetime achievement awards, a Grace Hopper Award, a GDC Ambassador Award, and many of the games she has contributed to have won numerous awards. Romero is CEO and co-founder of Romero Games based in Galway, Ireland.
Associations
Co-Founder of IMIRT: The Irish Game Maker's Association, 2015
Co-Chair, IndieCade - 2013
Board of Advisors, IndieCade - 2011 to Present
International Game Developers Association Chair of Women’s SIG - 2010 to Present
Game Developer Magazine - 2009 to Present
Board of Advisors, Strong Museum of Play - 2009 to Present
Smithsonian Board of Advisors for Game Exhibit (resigned due to removal of Apple II) - 2010
Board of Advisors, FantasicFest - 2009
International Game Developers Association Board of Directors - Elected March 2008
Women in Games International, Steering Committee Member - 2007
International Game Developers Association Savannah Chapter Co-Founder - 2007
International Game Developers Association Education SIG - Ad Hoc Committee Chair - 2008
John Romero, Programmer and Game Designer
John Romero is an award-winning game designer, level designer and programmer whose work spans over 130 games, 107 of which have been published commercially, including the iconic works Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM and Quake. Romero has worked in the mobile, hardcore, mid-core, casual and MMO space. Romero has co-founded eight successful game companies including the likes of id Software, Gazillion Entertainment and, most recently, Romero Games which celebrated its 7th anniversary in 2022. He is considered to be among the world’s top game designers, and his games have won well over 100 awards. One of the earliest indie developers, Romero began working in the game space in 1979 on mainframes before moving to the Apple II in 1982. He is a completely self-taught programmer, designer and artist, having drawn his inspirations from early Apple II programmers. Romero co-owns Romero Games.
Associations
BAFTA, Invited Member - 2012 to present
Board of Advisors, Strong Museum of Play - 2009 to Present
Smithsonian Board of Advisors for Game Exhibit (resigned due to removal of Apple II) - 2009
Chairman of the Advisory Board, Cyberathlete Professional League - 1997 to 2009
Co-Founder & Guildhall Master, Guildhall at SMU - 2002
Full Sail Advisory Board
Awards
Brenda Romero
Personal
2018 – Bizkaia Lifetime Achievement, Fun & Serious Games Festival, Bilbao, Spain
2017 – Brenda Romero – BAFTA Special Award
2017 – John and Brenda Romero – Develop Legend award; Develop Industry Excellence Awards; Brighton, England
2015 – Brenda Romero – GDC Choice Award, Ambassador Award
2014 – Brenda Romero – Fulbright Scholar / Ireland (6-week commission to study Irish game industry)
2014 – Brenda Romero – Business Insider, "The 100 Most Influential Tech Women on Twitter" (May)
2013 – Brenda Romero – Top 10 Game Developers of 2013, Gamasutra
2013 – Brenda Romero - Lifetime Achievement Award, Game Developers Conference, Women in Gaming
2013 – Brenda Romero - Forbes “12 Women in Gaming to Watch”
2013 - Lifetime Achievement Award, Game Developers Conference, Women in Gaming
2013 - Forbes "12 Women in Gaming to Watch"
2010 – Woman of the Year, Charisma+2 Magazine
2010 – Microsoft 2010 Women in Games, Game Design Award, Nominee
2009 – Train, Vanguard Award, IndieCade
2009 – Train, IndieCade Finalist
2008 – Women in Games: The Gamasutra 20, Recognized as one of the top 20 women in games
2007 – Presidential Fellowship Award, Savannah College of Art and Design
2007 – Next Generation, one of only six “outstanding female game developer[s]”
2006 – Next Generation, “100 Most Influential Women in the Game Industry”
2006 – New Radical, Radical Game Designer, Nerve Magazine, “The 50 artists, actors, authors, activists and icons who are making the world a more stimulating place”
2005 – GamerGod.com, Top 10 Most Interesting People of 2005, #3
2005 – Guardian Unlimited, Top 10 Most Interesting People of 2005, #5
Ghost Recon Commander
2013 February - GANG Award for Best Audio in a Casual, Indie or Social Game
2012 – Golden Joystick, Nominee, Best Browser/Flash Games, September 2012
Ravenwood Fair
2011 – Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, Nominee, Social Networking Game of the Year
2011 – Game Developers Choice Online Award, Nominee, Best Social Network Game
2011 – Game Developers Choice Online Award, Nominee, Best Online Game Design
2011 – Game Developers Choice Online Award, Nominee, Best Audio Design
D&D Heroes
2003 – Official Xbox Magazine’s Editors Choice Award
2003 – Gamer’s Pulse Editor’s Choice Award
Wizardry 8
2002 – Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, Finalist, Computer Role Playing Game of the Year
2001 – Computer Games Magazine, 2001 RPG Game of the Year (Tie)
2001 – GameSpot, Best Single Player RPG, Top Ten Best PC Games
2001 – GameSpy, Runner Up - PC RPG of the Year
2001 – Games Domain, Games Domain Highly Recommended Game
2001 – RPG Vault, Lifetime Achievement Award, RPG of the Year: Honorable Mention
2001 – GamePen, Best RPG of 2001, Best PC Game of 2001 Nominee
2001 – GamePen, Editor's Choice Award
2001 – ActionTrip, Editor's Choice Award
2001 – FBI Reviews, Best RPG of 2001, Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Excellence
2001 – RPGDot, Best Single Player RPG in 2001
John Romero
Personal
2019 – Lifetime Achievement, Wall of Fame, Sao Paulo, Brazil
2017 – Bizkaia Lifetime Achievement, Fun & Serious Games Festival, Bilbao, Spain
2017 – John and Brenda Romero – Develop Legend award; Develop Industry Excellence Awards; Brighton, England
2015 – John Romero – Apple II Computer and Notebook inducted into the Strong National Museum of Play
2015 – John Romero – DOOM inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame
2013 – John Romero (sound design), Brenda Romero (lead design) - GANG Award for Best Audio in a Casual, Indie or Social Game, Ghost Recon Commander
2012 July – Tech Hall of Fame, The Next Web
2012 July – Apple II Forever Award, KansasFest
2011 October – Most Influential Person in Facebook and Social Games (#1), AOL’s Games.com
1999 – MIT Technology Review TR100, Innovators Under 35
1998 – Time Magazine, CyberElite 50 (#36)
1998 October – Entertainment Weekly, Power Issue, 101 Most Powerful People in Entertainment #95
1998 September – Texas Monthly Magazine, Texas 20
1997 – Time Magazine, CyberElite 50 (#40)
1996 – Gamespot, The Most Influential People in Computer Gaming of All Time, #7
id Software Technology
2007 – National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Emmy, User Generated Content, for technology developed in part during and by Mr. Romero while at id Software.
2006 – National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Emmy, Development of 3D Software Engines, for technology developed in part during and by Mr. Romero while at id Software.
Ravenwood Fair
2011 – Game Developers Choice Online Award, Nominee, Best Social Network Game
2011 – Game Developers Choice Online Award, Nominee, Best Online Game Design
2011 – Game Developers Choice Online Award, Nominee, Best Audio Design
2011 – Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, Social Networking Game of the Year Nominee
Ghost Recon Commander
2013 February - GANG Award for Best Audio in a Casual, Indie or Social Game
2012 September – Golden Joystick, Nominee, Best Browser/Flash Games
Hyperspace Delivery Boy
2007 – Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine, Best Software Awards > Touch Screen
Quake
2012 November – Time Magazine, Top 100 Games of All Time
2012 – Metacritic, 25 Best-reviewed PC Games of All Time (#11)
2009 July – GameTrailers.com, Top 10 Breakthrough PC Games of All Time, #7
2004 – GameSpot.com, Top 10 First Person Shooters
2001 – GameSpy, Top 10 Games of All Time, #5
2001 – Stomped, Reader’s Poll - Game of the Millenium
2000 – GameSpot.com, Top Games List, #2
1997 – Computer Game Developer’s Conference (CGDC), Spotlight Award - Best Online/Internet Game
1997 – Computer Game Developer’s Conference (CGDC), Spotlight Award - Best Music Soundtrack
1997 – Computer Game Developer’s Conference (CGDC), Spotlight Award - Best Sound Effects
1997 – PC Games, Editor’s Choice - Breakthrough Game
1997 – Computer Gaming World, Action Game of the Year
1997 – Computer Gaming World, Special Award for Technological Achievement
1997 – Linux Journal, Reader’s Choice Awards, Most Played Linux Game
1997 – Computer Gaming, Best Game of the Year
1997 – Computer Gaming, Best Action/Adventure Game of the Year
1996 – Gamecenter, Action Game of the Year
1996 – Gamecenter, Game of the Year
1996 – PC Computing Magazine, MVP Award - Best CD-ROM Game
1996 – GameSpot, Editor’s Choice
1996 – Computer Gaming World, 150 Best Games of All Time (#5)
1996 – Next Generation Magazine, Top Games List, #9
1996 – Computer Gaming World, Hall of Fame
DOOM II
2012 – The Telegraph, The Best Violent Video Games of All Time
2012 – G4TV, Top 100 Video Games of All Time #12
2012 November – GamesRadar, The 100 Best Games of All Time, #57
1995 – Software Publishers Association, CODIE award, Best Action/Arcade Program
1995 – Mac User Editor’s Choice for Best New Action Game
1994 – Computer Gaming World, Game of the Year
1994 – Computer Games Strategy Plus, Action Game of the Year
1994 – 33rd Annual Origins Awards, Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Computer Game
DOOM
2015 May – Rock Paper Shotgun –"The 50 Best FPS Ever Made", #1
2012 November – Time Magazine, Top 100 Games of All Time
2012 November – ComplexGaming, The 50 Best PC Games of All Time, #18
2009 July – Game Trailers, Top 10 Breakthrough PC Games of All Time, #1
2009 – Game Informer Magazine, Top 10 Games of All Time, #6
2009 – Empire Magazine, The 100 Greatest Games, #7
2008 – Entertainment Weekly, Top Games List, #3
2008 September – Stuff Magazine, 100 Greatest Games, #8
2007 – Computer and Video Games Magazine, The 101 Best PC Games Ever, #8
2007 – PC World, Best Tech Products of All Time
2006 – GameSpot.com, The Greatest Games of All Time
2005 – IGN.com, Top 100 Games of All Time, #39
2005 – Game Informer, Top Games List, #5
2004 – Gamespot.com, Top 10 First Person Shooters
2004 – PC Gamer, Most Influential Game of the Decade
2003 – Retro Gamer, Top Games List, #9
2003 – Entertainment Weekly, Top Games List, #2
2003 – IGN.com, Top 100 Games of All Time, #44
2001 – GameSpy.com, Top 50 Games of All Time, #1
2001 – GamesRadar.com, Top Games List, #5
2001 – Game Informer, Top 100 Games of All Time #5
2000 – GamesRadar.com, Top Games List #4
2000 – GameSpot.com, Top Games List, #2
1997 – Linux Journal, Readers Choice Awards, Most Played Linux Game (Runner Up)
1996 – Computer Gaming World, 150 Best Games of All Time (#5)
1994 – European Computer Trade Show, Computer Game of the Year
1994 – PC Gamer, Game of the Year
1994 – Computer Gaming World, Game of the Year
1994 – PC Magazine, Award for Technical Excellence
1994 – Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, Best Action Adventure Award
1994 – Golden Triad Award, “In Recognition of the Product’s Superior Quality”
1993 – GamesRadar UK, Platinum Choice Award and Game of the Year
Computer Gaming World, Hall of Fame
Wolfenstein 3D
2012 – The Telegraph, The Best Violent Video Games of All Time
2012 – G4, Top 100 Video Games of All Time
2011 – Playstation Universe, Unforgettable Gaming Moments
2009 – 1UP.com, Execptional Boss Fight
2007 – IGN, Top 100 Games of All Time
2006 – The Phoenix, 15th Greatest Videogame Boss in Videogame History
2003 – IGN, Top 100 Games of All Time
1996 – Computer Gaming World, 150 Best Games of All Time (#97)
1993 – Best New Home/Hobby Entertainment
1993 – Best Entertainment Software
1993 – Software Publishers Association, CODIE award, Best Arcade/Action Game
1992 – PC Gamer, Top 8 Games Ever
1992 – Compute, Best Arcade/Action Game
1992 – PC World, Most Popular Game
1992 – VG&CE, Best Action Game
1992 – VG&CE, Most Innovative Game
1992 – Shareware Magazine, Editor’s Choice Award
1992 – PC/Computing, Best Entertainment Software (Finalist)
1992 – Computer Gaming World, Hall of Fame
Commander Keen
1992 – Shareware Industry Awards, Best Action Game
1992 – Shareware Industry Awards, Innovation