The 6th annual Game Developers Choice Awards today announced the winners in certain special categories. Will Crowther and Don Woods will get the First Penguin award for their work on creating text-based adventure titles. Chris Hecker of Maxis will get the Community Contribution award for his work on technical game design. Finally, the executives and founders of Harmonix Music Systems will get the Maverick award for their contribution to the rhythm action genre with titles like Frequency and Guitar Hero.

"We are touched to be thought of for this prestigious award," said Crowther. "Adventure was an experiment in interactivity, which took hold and has blossomed into new forms, joining other popular games that exist today."

"Chris bucks the natural human tendency to nod in agreement, and provides a much-needed jolt of disruptive but cogent innovation to the field of game design," said Jamil Moledina, director, Game Developers Conference. "Add his progressive outlook to the sheer volume of energy he pours into the Indie Game Jam and the Experimental Gameplay Workshop, and it's clear what a significant asset he is to the community."

"The guys from Harmonix have not only taken a risk by using music as a centerpiece for game design, but they have turned out titles that expand video games into the mass market in a meaningful way," said Jason Della Rocca, executive director, IGDA.

The awards will be given out by the International Game Developers Association during the Game Developers Conference Wednesday, March 22, 2006 at the San Jose Civic Auditorium.