Full Sail Stories

The Game Awards returned this December to recognize the year’s most impactful games, and once again, Full Sail graduates were represented across the show’s top categories.

This year, 137 Full Sail graduates were credited on 27 nominated projects spanning 18 categories. When the winners were announced, 36 graduates were credited on seven winning projects across seven categories, underscoring Full Sail’s continued presence throughout the global games industry.

Grads from film and music programs contributed to Best Adaptation winner The Last of Us, including Hall of Fame inductee Marc Fishman, who worked as a Re-Recording Mixer on the series’ second season.

More than a dozen grads from programs including Game Development, Game Art, Digital Marketing, and Computer Animation contributed to Innovation in Accessibility winner Doom: Dark Ages, working in senior roles on systems programming, marketing, game development, and audio design.

Full Sail grads were credited on several other winning projects, including Best Multiplayer (Arc Raiders), Best Fighting Game (Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves), Best Community Support (Baldur’s Gate 3), and Best Sim/Strategy Game (Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles).

Recording Arts graduates played a pivotal role in the development of Games for Impact winner South of Midnight, working in various roles including Dialogue Editor, Senior Recording Engineer, Assistant Engineer, and Producer on the action-adventure game.

Students on campus joined the celebration with a Game Awards viewing party hosted by the Armada community in Armada HQ, marking the first time the new space has hosted the event. The gathering gave students an opportunity to experience the show together, cheer on alumni-credited projects, and take part in major industry moments as they unfolded live.

“This year’s Game Awards party was great,” says Anissa Peoples, Full Sail Armada’s Community Manager. “The students loved the awards show, the announcements, and the experience we had as a group. Hearing their shock and excitement at the victory of their favorite nominees was a huge highlight.”

Armada HQ proved to be an ideal setting for the event, offering comfortable seating and clear sightlines throughout the space. “The console room’s couch space made it much easier for students to connect with one another,” Anissa adds. “Having a space of our own that gives students a place to hang out and connect with ease is a huge game-changer for events like these.”