Tim Sweeney (game developer)

Tim Sweeney
Sweeney presents at the 2016 Game Developers Conference
Born	1970 (age 46–47) Potomac, Maryland, United States
Occupation	Video game programmer and developer
Known for	developing the Unreal series of engines
Awards	AIAS Hall of Fame Award (2012)

Tim Sweeney (born in 1970) is an American computer game programmer and the founder of Epic Games, being best known for his work on ZZT and the Unreal Engine.

Sweeney established Epic as a shareware company while he was a student majoring in mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland. He said that he had been interested in game development and computer programming since he was 10 years old, and finally started making games out of his parents' basement where he lived. Epic got its start when Sweeney created ZZT, the company's first game, released as a shareware in 1991. In interviews Sweeney has credited that game's success with fueling the early growth of his company. Sweeney later worked on Epic's Unreal Engine, used in the Unreal series of first-person shooters and multiple other video games.

In 2005, Sweeney attended Wake Tech Community College Digital Game Xpo as a guest speaker. He showed a demo of the Unreal Engine and talked about 3D Buzz's book "Mastering Unreal Technology: The Art of Level Design".

On February 9, 2012, Sweeney was inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) Hall of Fame for his technological innovations in the gaming industry.

On July 10, 2013, Tim and the co-founder of Epic Games, Mark Rein, were named Development Legends at the Develop Industry Excellence Awards.

Sweeney received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 Game Developers Choice Awards.