Eric Zimmerman
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Short description|American game designer, CEO of Gamelab}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Eric Zimmerman
| image = Eric Zimmerman game designer (cropped).jpg
| caption = Zimmerman in 2010
| nationality = American
| occupation = Game designer
| known_for = Co-founder of Gamelab
| website={{url|ericzimmerman.com}}
}}
Eric Zimmerman (born 1969) is an American game designer and the co-founder and CEO of Gamelab, a computer game development company based in Manhattan. GameLab is known for the game Diner Dash. Each year Zimmerman hosts the Game Design Challenge at the Game Developers Conference. He is also the co-author of four books, including Rules of Play with Katie Salen, which was published in November 2004.{{cite web |url=http://www.ericzimmerman.com/writings.html |title=eric zimmerman · writings |publisher=Ericzimmerman.com |accessdate=January 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715013555/http://www.ericzimmerman.com/writings.html |archive-date=July 15, 2014 |url-status=dead }} Eric Zimmerman has written at least 24 essays and whitepapers since 1996, mostly pertaining to game development from an academic standpoint. He's currently a founding faculty at the NYU Game Center.
Career
File:Colleen Macklin, Eric Zimmerman - Game Developers Conference 2019 - 02.jpg 2019]]
Zimmerman develops video games and teaches game design. He has taught at universities including MIT, the University of Texas at Austin, Parsons School of Design, New York University, Rhode Island School of Design and School of Visual Arts. He co-designed the 1996 video game Gearheads with Frank Lantz at R/GA Interactive.{{cite book| last = Salen| first = Katie|authorlink = Katie Salen| last2 = Zimmerman| first2 = Eric| author2-link = Eric Zimmerman| title = Rules of Play| publisher = MIT Press| date = October 1, 2003| pages = 166–168| isbn = 978-0-262-24045-1 }}{{cite web|author1=Matthew Hawkins|title=A Man For All Seasons: gameLab's Eric Zimmerman Talks Design, Trends, and the Big Apple|url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130740/a_man_for_all_seasons_gamelabs_.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510024108/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/130740/a_man_for_all_seasons_gamelabs_.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 10, 2012|website=Gamasutra|accessdate=March 30, 2018|date=June 16, 2005}} During the game's development, they coined the term "engine" to refer to combinations of toys. Beginning in 2010, he serves as an Arts Professor at the NYU Game Center, within the Tisch School of the Arts.{{cite web|last=Game Center|first=NYU|title=NYU Game Center: People|url=http://gamecenter.nyu.edu/people|publisher=New York University|accessdate=April 12, 2014}}
In 2009, game development company Arkadium acquired Gamelab. Zimmerman continued as workshop director for the company.{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2009/09/29/arkadium-acquires-gamelabcom-game-development-firm/ |title=Arkadium acquires Gamelab.com game web site |publisher=VentureBeat |date=September 29, 2009 |accessdate=April 20, 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=25447 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003113106/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=25447 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 3, 2009 |title=Arkadium Acquires Gamelab.com Domain, Zimmerman To Lead Free Design Workshops |publisher=Gamasutra |date=September 29, 2009 |accessdate=January 18, 2014}}
Since 2009, Zimmerman has created a series of large-scale, performative games for art galleries and public space, in collaboration with architect Nathalie Pozzi. These games include Sixteen Tons,{{cite web | url = http://www.ericzimmerman.com/GAMES/SixteenTons.html | title = Sixteen Tons | accessdate = January 18, 2014 | work = Ericzimmerman.com | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130304213153/http://www.ericzimmerman.com/GAMES/SixteenTons.html | archive-date = March 4, 2013 | url-status = dead }}[https://web.archive.org/web/20110228054331/http://indiegameschannel.com/wp/2010/10/01/indiecade-2010-finalist-sixteen-tons-by-nathalie-pozzi-and-eric-zimmerman/ IndieCade 2010 Finalist: Sixteen Tons by Nathalie Pozzi and Eric Zimmerman](archive), Indie Games Channel Cross My Heart + Hope to Die,{{cite web|url=http://www.comeoutandplay.org/2010_crossmyheart.php |title=:: Come Out & Play 2010 :: |publisher=Comeoutandplay.org |date= |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} Starry Heavens, which was shown at the New York Museum of Modern Art,{{cite web|url=http://www.globaltoynews.com/2011/10/starry-heavens-a-life-size-board-game-at-museum-of-modern-art.html |title=Starry Heavens: A Life-Size Board Game at NYC's Museum of Modern Art |publisher=Global Toy News |date=October 11, 2011 |accessdate=January 13, 2014}} Interference.{{cite web | url = http://ericzimmerman.com/portfolio/interference/ | title = Interference | accessdate = January 18, 2014 | work = Ericzimmerman.com | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140201122718/http://ericzimmerman.com/portfolio/interference/ | archive-date = February 1, 2014 | url-status = dead }} and Waiting Rooms, at the Rubin Museum of Art
Zimmerman is a director of the RE:PLAY series of events and activities on gaming that included an exhibition, conference and accompanying book.
The first online game he helped create was a collaboration with Word.com called SiSSYFiGHT 2000.
Zimmerman is also a co-writer of a screenplay for a short film Play (2009).{{Cite web |url=http://www.ericzimmerman.com/film.html |title=eric zimmerman · film |access-date=January 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025061352/http://www.ericzimmerman.com/film.html |archive-date=October 25, 2014 |url-status=dead }}
Zimmerman was an Honorary Fellow at Eyebeam from 1997–1999.{{Cite web|title = Eric Zimmerman {{!}} eyebeam.org|url = http://eyebeam.org/people/eric-zimmerman|website = eyebeam.org|access-date = January 28, 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160206021358/http://eyebeam.org/people/eric-zimmerman|archive-date = February 6, 2016|url-status = dead}}
Awards
- IndieCade 2010 award – Finalists Choice award for Sixteen Tons{{cite web |url=http://indiegamereviewer.com/indiecade-2010-the-sundance-of-indie-games-comes-back-with-style/ |title=Indiecade 2010: The Sundance Of Indie Games Comes Back With Style|date=October 2010 |accessdate=March 9, 2013 |work= IndieGameReviewer.com}}
- IndieCade 2012 – Game Design award for Armada d6 and Interaction award for Interference{{cite web |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-10-12-indiecade-2012-winners-announced-unmanned-takes-the-top-prize |accessdate=February 28, 2016 |work=Eurogamer |title=IndieCade 2012 winners announced, Unmanned takes the top prize |last1=Matulef |first1=Jeffrey |date=October 12, 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160228143330/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-10-12-indiecade-2012-winners-announced-unmanned-takes-the-top-prize |archivedate=February 28, 2016 |url-status=live }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://www.ericzimmerman.com/ Official website]
- [http://www.gamelab.com/ Gamelab site]
{{Pervasive games}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zimmerman, Eric}}
Category:American video game designers
Category:American entertainment industry businesspeople
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Video game researchers