IGN's Top 30 Games People of 2011

It's been an amazing year in gaming. To celebrate, we've picked 30 people who made a big difference. But which person has made the biggest contribution this year? You can decide by voting for your 'IGN Games Person of the Year.'

The IGN team huddled together to choose 30 people we believe best represented the past year's achievements in games. Plus, each IGN Platform Channel - PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo, PC and Mobile - picked a Nomination for IGN Games Person of the Year, including Satoru Iwata, Amy Hennig, Erik Wolpaw and Mikael Hed. Ultimately, Markus "Notch" Persson won the title of Person of the Year.

The list here is in alphabetical order.

In a season of gritty, modern shooters, Rayman Origins arrived on the scene sporting innocence, fantastic art, and rock-solid design. Michel Ancel, the original creator of Rayman, returned to his classic character roots to deliver one of the most cohesive packages of 2011. Rayman Origins knows exactly what kind of game it is because the man behind the scenes had the confidence to create something that fuses its elements together so well.



Aonuma has been with the Zelda series for over a decade, and his involvement has led to some of the greatest moments in the long-running franchise. By assembling Skyward Sword's development team and introducing changes like Motion Plus controls, he helped Skyward Sword become arguably the best Zelda game ever made. Aonuma has helped Zelda evolve into one of the most impressive and enduring franchises in gaming.



The IGN team was inspired this year by Patrick Campbell, a 21-year-old gamer, who conquered a severe disability to, as he puts it, "kick ass" at gaming. Campbell suffered from a stroke at age 14 and lost the use of much of the right-side of his body. Now, he plays entirely using his left hand. Many gamers with disabilities, like Patrick, have found smart work-arounds so they can pursue their passion.



Critically lauded following the release of his landmark cinematic platformer, Another World, Chahi carried that momentum to its beloved sequel, Heart of Darkness. However, after that the French wunderkind vanished from the gaming scene, seemingly leaving the industry for good. This year marked Chahi's triumphant return with his awesome god game, From Dust, hitting downloadable platforms. The game was filled with atmosphere and personality, bearing Chahi's signature like a work of art. While he may have disappeared from the industry for over a decade, Chahi's latest doesn't miss a beat.



For years, comic fans have known that Paul Dini is the man. He was the driving force behind Batman: The Animated Series, and that launched DC Comics' animation movement. Superman: The Animated Series, Justice League Unlimited -- this guy has had his hand in it all. Now, he can include award-winning video games. Dini penned Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City, two games that are considered some of the best comic-to-game adaptations of all time. Arkham City combined Batman villains and all kinds of obscure comic references to make a tale gamers couldn't put down.



It's rare for video games to headline talk shows the same way that movies and TV shows do, but Jimmy Fallon is attempting to change that. The SNL alum has brought gaming into the mainstream by inviting guests like Kudo Tsunoda and Reggie Fils-Aime, and he continues to make sure that video games get the recognition they deserve.



All Your Base Are Belong To Us is a lovely read. It's a history of games and the game industry, but each chapter is a story of struggle and very human emotions, of how dreams are lived and how creativity flourishes in the strangest places. New York-based journalist Harold Goldberg wove together a great tale and gave the game industry documented reality of its own history.



Turn 10 Studios operates on a two year development cycle, meaning the company needs to turn out a top-tier racing experience every odd-numbered year – no easy task. This year's Forza Motorsport 4 garnered high-praise from IGN and outlets around the world, not least because of the creative direction of Dan Greenawalt. When presented with Microsoft's then-new motion-sensing Kinect technology, and building off the already stellar Forza Motorsport 3, Greenawalt shaped the landscape of Forza Motorsport 4 so that its graphics, physics, sound, and experience were the best the series had yet seen.



Angry Birds isn't exactly the hot 2011 story. The smash-hit mobile game first launched in 2009, and officially became a runaway success in 2010. But as CEO of Angry Birds' parent company Rovio, Mikael Hed deserves special recognition for his incredible business acumen in growing a $0.99 iPhone game into a massive multimedia & merchandising machine over the course of just a few short quarters. 2011 saw Mattel release a licensed Angry Birds board game, Nickelodeon airing an Angry Birds short film, and Angry Birds fruit snacks appearing on supermarket shelves nationwide.



Amy Hennig has been working in the games industry for years, but it's her work on the Uncharted franchise that has propelled her to a household name (in nerd households at least). Looking at the three Uncharted games, it's no wonder. As creative director at Naughty Dog, Hennig has created three stories so rich and coaxed out performances so natural that she and Naughty Dog have established a universe fans know, love and get lost in.