Announcement of Tim Sweeney's donation of 7,500 acres in the Roan Highlands of western North Carolina to the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, signifying the largest private conservation land donation in the history of North Carolina.
Sweeney was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Game Developers Choice Awards, marking a recognition of his impact and achievements in the video game industry.
Sweeney donated the conservation easement to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Sweeney, who had paid $15 million for Box Creek Wilderness, donated the conservation easement to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
The land trusts of North Carolina honored Tim Sweeney with the Stanback Volunteer Conservationist of the Year Award. This highlights Tim Sweeney's contribution to land conservation in North Carolina.
Sweeney was named Land Conservationist of the Year in 2013 by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, This marks the recognition of his conservation efforts in North Carolina
Sweeney was inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) Hall of Fame for changing "the face of gaming with the advent of the Unreal Engine and the commitment of Epic, as a studio, to bring both consumer and industry-facing technology to new heights."
Start of real estate bubble collapsed. Since that year, Sweeney has used his fortune to purchase large tracts of land in North Carolina, reportedly for conservation, becoming one of the largest private landowners in the state.
Wired magazine awarded Tim Sweeney a Rave Award for his work on Unreal Engine 3, the technology behind the blockbuster Gears of War. This award recognizes the importance of the Unreal Engine in the gaming industry.
Release of the first-person shooter video game Unreal, developed using the Unreal Engine, a pivotal moment for Epic Games and the widespread licensing of the engine to other games.
