Journey, a downloadable game from for the PlayStation format, won six awards, including Game of the Year, at the 13th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards on March 27th. Journey was developed and produced by thatgamecompany, a video game company run by alum Jenova Chen ‘06 and co-founded by Kellee Sanitago ‘06.

"The success of Journey signals significant changes in the industry -- first, it is a game that is meant to be played by a broad range of people, crossing gender, age, play style, nationality, etc. It is a game that touches the human heart across all these distinctions," said Tracy Fullerton, the Chair of the Interactive Media and Games Division at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. "Also, it is a downloadable game, and a game that was made outside of the traditional AAA console environment. And last, it is an art game, a game that's primary impetus is expression and the experience of an emotional journey."

The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is the world's largest and longest-running professionals-only game industry event. Journey was awarded Game of the Year, the Innovation Award, Best Audio, Best Downloadable Game, Best Game Design and Best Visual Arts.

Chen and Santiago started working together as students, and their first successful game, Cloud, was produced while they were still at SCA. Cloud became a viral success, crashing the School’s server. Journey is their third and most successful commercial game from thatgamecompany and is published by SCEA Santa Monica Studio. Their other games flOw and Flower were also commercial hits.

For more information, please visit: http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/winners/index.html