Mortal Kombat Co-Creator Ed Boon To Be Inducted In Academy Of Interactive Arts & Sciences Hall Of Fame

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) has announced that Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon will be inducted into its Hall of Fame. 

Boon will be honored as part of the 25th Annual D.I.C.E Awards celebration in Las Vegas, Nevada, on February 24, 2019. Matt Booty, Xbox Game Studios’ head of Xbox Game Studios will award Boon the 2022 Hall of Fame Award. 

“We are thrilled to have Ed be inducted into our Hall of Fame,” AIAS president Meggan Scavio writes in a press release. “From his early work on pinball machines to his monumental achievements co-creating the Mortal Kombat franchise, Ed’s dedication and perseverance to the craft and art of games has left an incredible legacy for fans and game developers alike.” 

Booty claimed that Boon was his very first encounter in the gaming industry at Midway. He then watched Boon develop Mortal Kombat into one of most famous (and grumbest) fighting game out there. 

“Ed epitomizes the best of what a game designer can be: big ideas, a great sense of humor, clear focus, and the ability to bring people together as a team,” Booty said. “He has created not only a string of hit games, but has also supported countless people on their own paths in the game industry.” 

After graduating from the University of Illinois, Boon began his career as a programmer of pinball machines for Williams Electronics. Following graduation, he moved to video games and worked on Super High Impact Football. The rest of history is the story of Boon’s work on Mortal Kombat. AIAS reports that the Mortal Kombat Series has sold more 75 million units.

“The AIAS Hall of Fame honor is bestowed upon game creators who have been instrumental in the development of highly influential games and moving a particular genre forward,” AIAS writes. “These individuals demonstrate the highest level of creativity and innovation, resulting in significant product influence on a scale that expands the scope of the industry.” 

Boon will soon join Connie Booth (Sony Interactive Entertainment product development Vice President that helped deliver multiple titles for PlayStation), Bonnie Ross (343 Industries founder), Todd Howard (The Elder Scrolls, Fallout), Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid, Death Stranding), Leslie Benzies (Grand Theft Auto III, IV, and V), Dan and Sam Houser (the Grand Theft Auto series, Red Dead Redemption), Tim Sweeney (founder of Epic Games), and many others when he’s inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame next month.