Evan Wells to be inducted into AIAS Hall of Fame

The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) has announced that former Naughty Dog co-president Evan Wells will join its Hall of Fame at the DICE Awards this year.

Wells has worked in the industry for over three decades. He started his career as a designer on ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron, then joined Crystal Dynamics contributing to Gex and Gex: Enter the Gecko.

He moved to Naughty Dog in 1998 and was lead designer and director on numerous PS1 and PS2 titles, including Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped and Jak and Daxter.

In 2005, Wells became co-president alongside Stephen White overseeing the production of franchises including Uncharted and The Last of Us.

After 25 years at Naughty Dog, Wells announced his retirement in 2023.

“We are honored to recognise Evan Wells for his decades of creative leadership and his profound impact on the games industry,” said AIAS president Meggan Scavio.

“Throughout his tenure at Naughty Dog, Evan has exemplified what it means to lead with vision, integrity, and a deep respect for the craft. His commitment to nurturing talent and pushing creative boundaries has shaped generations of developers and inspired millions of players around the world.”

Naughty Dog studio head and head of creative Neil Druckmann will present Wells with the AIAS Hall of Fame accolade next month.

“Naughty Dog was able to create some truly incredible games and leave a lasting mark on the industry because of Evan’s unwavering leadership and the trust he placed in all of us,” said Druckmann.

“I know I speak for many across the industry when I congratulate Evan on this well-deserved recognition. It’s a profound honor to present him with this Hall of Fame induction.”

The AIAS Hall of Fame award is given to game creators “who have been instrumental in the development of highly influential games and advancing entire genres.”

Last year’s recipient was Insomniac Games founder and former CEO Ted Price.

Other recent recipients include composer Koji Kondo, Double Fine Productions studio head Tim Schafer, Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon, and PlayStation’s former head of internal production Connie Booth.

The 29th annual DICE Awards takes place alongside the conference on February 16 at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas.