Gaming has a new knight. Sir Ian Livingstone, an industry legend, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth at the United Kingdom’s New Year Honors recently. He received the prestigious title for his services in the online gaming industry.
Livingstone has an impressive record of service within the gaming community, both on and off the screen. He began his journey in 1975 as a co-founders of Games Workshop, along with John Peake and Steve Jackson. The flatmates started out publishing a monthly newsletter titled Owl and Weasel which eventually reached Brian Blume. In return, Blume sent them a copy of a new game- Dungeons and Dragons. And the rest is history as they say. Livingstone definitely rolled a 20, because he and Jackson struck a golden deal with Blume, becoming the first distributor of D&D in the UK and Europe.
Soon after, they organized the very first Games Day. Expanding their Games Workshop brand, it grew into a successful gaming manufacturer and retail chain. During this time, Livingstone and Jackson also created White Dwarf, a gaming magazine that promoted Games Workshop’s projects and Citadel Miniatures.
The duo turned their attention to writing gamebooks in 1982. The most prolific series is probably the Fighting Fantasy series, which sold over 20 million copies during its print run. Being able to role-play through a book was a novel idea but gained rapid popularity. At least until the video game adaptations showed up. The interactive text-based games are still available through Steam for those who wish to experience Livingstone and Jackson’s creative worlds.
Livingstone’s incredible legacy
During his 45 years in the gaming industry, Livingstone has done it all. He is also responsible for securing a number of popular titles including Tomb Raider and Hitman as the product acquisitions director, and then Life President of Eidos Interactive where he remained until 2013. Today, Games Workshop is known for its interactive board games and miniatures, including titles associated with Warhammer and Lord of the Rings.
With Livingstone’s long and varied background, it is safe to say our gaming world would not be the same without him. His knighthood is the fourth major appointment or award recognizing his influence and contributions to gaming. He received the BAFTA Interactive Special Award in 2002, and was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2006. In 2013, he became the Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
We congratulate Sir Ian Livingstone on his knighthood and look forward to his further contributions.
Via, thegamer.com.
