Gaming
TIGA Games Industry Awards 2023: Finalists shortlist revealed!
Games, studios, education and service companies are in the running for a prestigious TIGA Games Industry Award
Ceremony will take place on the evening of Thursday November 16th at the iconic and historic Troxy venue in London
The finalists of the TIGA Games Industry Awards 2023 have been unveiled, and the shortlist features some of the most exciting games from the last 12 months, plus the cream of the UK’s game development, business and education community.
Continuing its long tradition of visiting historic and iconic venues, this year’s TIGA Awards presentation ceremony will take place on the evening of November 16th at Troxy, a spectacular Grade II-listed Art Deco entertainment venue in East London.
Dr Richard Wilson OBE, CEO of TIGA, said:
“The TIGA Games Industry Awards celebrate excellence in the video games industry. Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations to our Awards and congratulations to all of our finalists. The finalist shortlist illustrates the depth of talent and creativity to be found amongst our game developers, service providers and educators. We’re excited to welcome everyone for an evening of celebration in November! Thank you to our sponsors for making this fantastic occasion possible.”
The TIGA Awards 2023 finalists across the Games and Business categories are:
GAMES CATEGORIES
BEST ACTION AND ADVENTURE GAME
Auroch Digital: Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
Out of the Bit Ltd: Full Void
Pentakill Studios: The Occultist
Rain Games: Teslagrad 2
Sloclap: SiFU
Sony Interactive Entertainment/Guerilla: Horizon: Call of the Mountain
Sony Interactive Entertainment/Santa Monica Studio: God of War Ragnarök
Supermassive Games: The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil In Me
The Parasight: Blacktail
BEST ARCADE GAME
Exient: Ultimate Sackboy
Island Bender Games: Island Bender
Ping Creates: Super Stretchy Chicken Legs
Secret Base Pte Ltd: Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons
Staffordshire University: MechHead
Sumo Digital Academy: Zool Redimensioned
Supermassive Games: The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR
BEST CASUAL GAME
Awaceb: Tchia
Deadpan and Gaziter: Wildfrost
Exient: Ultimate Sackboy
FuturLab: PowerWash Simulator
Gearbox Publishing: Blanc
Kwalee: Hunt and Seek
Outplay Entertainment: Subway Surfers Blast
Outright Games: DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos
Terahard Studios: Monster Mop Up
BEST SOCIAL GAME
Disney Games/Dlala Studios: Disney Illusion Island
Dovetail Games: CATAN – Console Edition
FuturLab: PowerWash Simulator
GameXPlosion Ltd: Ultimate Supremacy
Gearbox Publishing: Tribes of Midgard
Gearbox Publishing: Homeworld Mobile
Gearbox Publishing: Blanc
Hugecalf Studios: Turbo Golf Racing
Outright Games: DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos
BEST EDUCATIONAL, SERIOUS OR SIMULATION GAME
Auroch Digital: Brewmaster: Beer Brewing Simulator
BBC /Mobile Pie: Planet Planners
BBC / Playerthree: Operation Ouch! It Take Guts!
Charles Games: Beecarbonize
FuturLab: PowerWash Simulator
Fish in a Bottle / BBC: Divided Islands
Frontier Developments: F1 Manager 2023
Frontier Developments/Haemimont Games: Stranded: Alien Dawn
Slitherine Software UK Ltd: Command: Modern Operations
Somewhat Unsettling: The Longest Walk
BEST STRATEGY GAME
Abylight: One Military Camp
Deadpan & Gaziter: Wildfrost
Dovetail Games: CATAN – Console Edition
Gearbox Publishing: Homeworld Mobile
Kraken Empire: Toy Tactics
Only4Gamers: Space Menace
Slitherine Software UK Ltd: Starship Troopers: Terran Command
The Iterative Collective: Homeseek
Thing Trunk: Hellcard
BEST RPG GAME
BBC / Jollywise: Silverpoint: The Game
GameXPlosion Ltd: Ultimate Supremacy
Gearbox Publishing: Tribes of Midgard
Imperia Online JSK: Crush Them All
Pentakill Studios: The Occultist
The Iterative Collective: Knight Crawlers
Ustwo Games: Desta: The Memories Between
BEST PUZZLE GAME
ARTE France: How to say Goodbye
Chanko Studios: It’s a Wrap!
Disney Games/Dlala Studios: Disney Illusion Island
Max Inferno: A Little to the Left
Outplay Entertainment: Gordon Ramsay’s Chef Blast
Space Ape Games: Chrome Valley Customs
Staffordshire University: Mental Block
Supersolid: Cook & Merge
Trailmix: Love & Pies
Wired Productions: Tin Hearts
BEST CREATIVITY IN GAMES
Disney Games/Dlala Studios: Disney Illusion Island
Fireshine Games: Shadows of Doubt
FuturLab: PowerWash Simulator
Hugecalf Studios: Turbo Golf Racing
Jump Over the Age: Citizen Sleeper
Noun Town: Nown Toun: VR Language Learning
Supermassive Games: The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR
Supermassive Games: The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil In Me
Ustwo Games: Desta: The Memories Between
Wired Productions: Tin Hearts
HERITAGE IN GAMES
Cave Monsters: Lord Winklebottom Investigates
D’Avekki Studios: Murderous Muses
Frogwares: Sherlock Holmes The Awakened
The Parasight: Blacktail
Sugar Creative: 878 AD: Winchester Revealed
Sumo Digital Academy: Zool Redimensioned
Ustwo Games: Desta: The Memories Between
Wales Interactive, Dead Pixel Productions, Good Gate Media: Mia and the Dragon Princes
Wales Interactive and Good Gate Media: Ten Dates
DIVERSITY AWARD
Awaceb: Tchia
D’Avekki Studios: Murderous Muses
DON’T NOD: Harmony: The Fall of Reverie
GameXPlosion Ltd: Ultimate Supremacy
Sony Interactive Entertainment/Santa Monica Studio: God of War Ragnarök
Staffordshire University: Staffordshire University Games Development
Trailmix: Love & Pies
Ustwo Games: Desta: The Memories Between
Wales Interactive and Good Gate Media: Ten Dates
Women in Games
BEST AUDIO DESIGN
Air Edel Associates Ltd: After Us
Auroch Digital: Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
Dovetail Games: Train Sim World 3
Frontier Developments: F1 Manager 2023
Frontier Developments: Deliver Us Mars
Sony Interactive Entertainment/Santa Monica Studio: God of War Ragnarök
Sony Interactive Entertainment/Guerilla: Horizon Call of the Mountain
Supermassive Games: The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil In Me
TiMi Studio Group: Honor of Kings – Mayene
Wired Productions: Tin Hearts
BEST VISUAL DESIGN
Arte France: To Hell with Ugly
DON’T NOD: Harmony: The Fall of Reverie
Gearbox Publishing: Blanc
Max Inferno: A Little to the Left
Plot Twist: the Last Case of Benedict Fox
Sony Interactive Entertainment/Guerilla: Horizon Call of the Mountain
The Parasight: Blacktail
Trailmix: Love and Pies
Wales Interactive, Dead Pixel Productions, Good Gate Media: Mia and the Dragon Princes
Wired Productions: The Last Worker
BEST VR/AR/XR/MR GAME
Maze Theory: Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom
nDreams: Synapse
Noun Town: Nown Town: VR Language Learning
Squido Studio: No More Rainbows
Sony Interactive Entertainment/Guerilla: Horizon Call of the Mountain
Sugar Creative: 878AD: Winchester Revealed
Supermassive Games: The Dark Pictures: Switchback VR
Wired Productions: The Last Worker
XR Games: Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded
BEST SMALL STUDIO
D’Avekki Studio
Dlala Studios
Exient
Fireshine Games
Huge Calf Studios
Party for Introverts
Purple Yonder
Trailmix
Ustwo Games
Wired Productions
BUSINESS CATEGORIES
BEST ART/ANIMATION TRAILER SUPPLIER
Airship Interactive
Atomhawk
Liquid Crimson
Maverick Media
Sony Interactive Entertainment/PlayStation Studios
TrailerFarm
1518 Studios
BEST AUDIO SERVICES PROVIDER
PitStop Productions
SIDE
Sony Interactive Entertainment/PlayStation Studios/Creative Arts
Soundcuts Ltd
Tazman-Audio
BEST LARGE STUDIO
Auroch Digital
Dovetail Games
Flix Interactive
Guerrilla
Kwalee
nDreams
Outplay Entertainment
Rebellion
Santa Monica Studio
Space Ape Games
Sumo Digital
Supermassive Games
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AWARD
Ben Forrester, Head of PC and Console, Kwalee
Ben Lavery, Studio Head TrailerFarm
Bobby Thandi CEO XR Games
John Sanderson, CEO PitStop Productions
John Tearle, CEO Flix Interactive
Nathan Burlow Studio Director and Darius Sadeghian Studio Production Director, Rocksteady Studios.
Patrick O’Luanaigh, CEO nDreams
Professor Martin Jones, Vice-Chancellor Staffordshire University
Russ Clarke, CEO, Co-Founder and Creative Director, Payload Studios
Simon Iwaniszak, Studio Director Red Kite Games
Trevor Williams, Studio Head, Playground Games
Viki Freeman, Chief Strategy Officer Airship Interactive and Tim Horton, Chief Commercial Officer Airship Interactive
COMMITMENT TO ESG AWARD
Airship Interactive
Behaviour Interactive
London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London
PlanetPlay
Rebellion
Rocksteady Studios
Santa Monica Studio
Sumo Group
Testronic
Ubisoft Reflections and Ubisoft Leamington Spa
University of Portsmouth
COMMITMENT TO WORKPLACE WELLBEING AWARD
Airship Interactive
Dovetail Games
nDreams
Outplay Entertainment
Payload Studios
Playground Games
PlayStation London Studio
Rebellion
Rocksteady Studios
Sumo Group
TrailerFarm
Ubisoft Reflections and Ubisoft Leamington Spa
BEST EDUCATION INITIATIVE
Birmingham City University STEAMHOUSE
London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London
Norwich University of the Arts
Staffordshire University
University of Hertfordshire
University of Portsmouth
BEST TALENT DEVELOPMENT
Dlala Studios
Dovetail Games
Flix Interactive
Grads in Games
nDreams Academy
PlayStation London Studio
Rocksteady Studios
Sumo Group
XR Games
BEST EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION
Birmingham City University
Bournemouth University
London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London
Norwich University of the Arts
Staffordshire University
University of Gloucestershire
University of Greenwich
University of Hertfordshire
University of Portsmouth
University of the West of England
University of the West of Scotland
EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR
Dovetail Games
Rebellion
Sumo Group
LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDER
Charles Russell Speechlys
Eaton Smith LLP
Lewis Silkin LLP
Stevens & Bolton LLP
Wiggin LLP
BEST PUBLISHER
Curve Games
Kwalee
nDreams
Rebellion
Secret Mode
Sony Interactive Entertainment
BEST QA and/or LOCALISATION PROVIDER
PTW
Testronic
Universally Speaking
BEST RECRUITMENT AGENCY
Aardvark Swift
Amiqus
Avatar
Big Planet
BEST SERVICES PROVIDER
Airship Interactive
Big Planet
Flix Interactive
Liquid Crimson
Magic Media
Maverick Media
PitStop Productions
PTW Family of Brands
Testronic
TrailerFarm
Sky Life Accountancy
RSM
TECHNICAL INNOVATION
CG Hero Ltd
Rebellion
Speech Graphics
TrailerFarm & Big Farmer
In addition, the Outstanding Individual Year 2023 and Game Of The Year special awards winners will be announced on the night.
Award winning iGaming operator ComeOn Group announced renewing their sponsor partnership with Malta based sports clubs Sliema Aquatic Sports Club (ASC) and Sliema Wanderers FC. The sponsorship is a way for the Group to continue supporting the localities close to their headquarters in Malta. ComeOn Group and the two clubs are now embarking on another year of success and exciting projects in order to further anchor the partnership for the benefit of their local community.
Last year the sponsorship was kicked off by a launch video, which was a way for ComeOn and the two clubs to show the mutual cultural fit and foster a sense of community through sports.
Daniela Vella, Chief Operating Officer at ComeOn Group, said: “Sliema is very close to us being the first location of our offices, and even though we have moved some metres up the waterfront, we have found synergies with both teams and their path to success. Both teams tie in well with our values, especially the Run Together The Group is also focused on giving back to the communities with its CSR strategy being a key, strategic pillar and sports plays a vital role in nurturing teamwork, and leadership skills.”
ComeOn Group, highly ranked by EGR Power 50, is a tier one operator on the island with their headquarters based in the modern office facilities of Spinola Park. ComeOn Group has more than 560 employees spanning over 53 nationalities globally, with Maltese being the biggest nationality represented in the headquarters. ComeOn Group has been present for over 13 years on the island, employing over 250 people with 50% of its workforce being female, further anchoring their presence and commitment to Malta.
ComeOn Group works hard to preserve their award winning culture and the company continuously develops their people strategies to retain what is most important to them: their people. An important way to do so for ComeOn is through their extensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that serves to offer help to employees when they are experiencing a tough time. The program is a part of ComeOn’s overarching CSR strategy where the focal point is mental health and wellbeing. Another important part of ComeOn’s EAP is the wellbeing allowance employees get each year to spend on activities aimed to boost overall physical and mental health.
For ComeOn and the two teams, sports and active lifestyle is something that goes hand in hand with boosting mental health and wellbeing, hence the importance of the continuing partnership.
Frank Testa, Club President of Sliema ASC, added: “It is with immense pleasure and gratitude that we renew our collaboration with ComeOn Group. Without the involvement of such organisations it would not be possible for clubs like ours to continue to work towards achieving our targets. As we move into a new era with our excellent prospects, we are delighted to continue the journey with ComeOn.”
Rupert Perry, Club President of Sliema Wanderers FC said: “We are immensely grateful for the unwavering support of our valued sponsor. ComeOn’s commitment to our mission has been instrumental in our success. As we look ahead to the future, we are excited to continue this journey together, creating lasting impact and achieving new heights of excellence.”
Gaming
John Wright Joins Kwalee As VP of Mobile Publishing: Trades Unity For The Billion Download Studio
Wright’s leadership will reinforce Kwalee as the publisher of choice for top mobile game developers, drawing from his legacy at Luna Labs and ironSource.
Kwalee, a UK and global mobile, PC and console games developer and publisher, is thrilled to announce the appointment of John Wright as the new VP of Mobile Publishing. John joins the Kwalee team on the 2nd of October and will revamp the studio’s strategy to sign, launch and scale the games of external studios.
A passionate gamer and 15 year mobile industry veteran, Wright’s mobile journey saw him swiftly climb the ranks at app monetisation and distribution platform ironSource, relocating from London to the HQ in Israel during a pivotal phase in his professional growth. After returning to the UK, Wright re-entered the startup ecosystem by joining mobile app marketing outfit Luna Labs as their VP of Operations. With his leadership, Luna Labs witnessed significant and rapid growth. When ironSource acquired Luna Labs, Wright came full circle back to his former company, this time as the Head of Operations for Luna. Following ironSource’s merger with Unity, Wright transitioned to become the Head of Client Success for the Luna division within the wider Unity organisation.
Kwalee’s mobile publishing team is a proven hitmaker, backed up by a large in-house studio, helping developers scale games successfully with marketing, monetisation and game design expertise. John Wright joins after Kwalee achieved the milestone of 1 billion downloads in 2023 and has won Best Publisher (TIGA and Mobile Game Awards, 2022).
His strategic priorities as he starts the new role are to deepen the support offered by the publisher to developers, improve its efficiency to best serve the global community of mobile gamemakers, as well as emphasise Kwalee as the number one choice for developers close to home in the UK.
During his tenure at ironSource, John was a director in the newly formed and industry renowned “unified team” during the advent of the Hyper Casual boom, collaborating with industry players such as Ketchapp, Rollic and Homa. He helped them achieve exponential growth as an early innovator, seeing the value in combining the strategies of monetisation, mediation and user acquisition activities. John Wright has an enviable record of launching over 100 mobile games globally and managing over $1 billion in client spend.
His vast experience includes joining early-stage startups in pivotal business roles, growing them quickly, and leading large, multi-disciplinary and remote teams. Known for his ability to inject vitality into businesses, John will use his partner-side expertise to drive growth at Kwalee as he moves developer-side.
David Darling, founder and CEO of Kwalee, remarked, “John and I have a strong relationship already, working closely together, having first met a decade ago when we launched TENS!. Seeing his trajectory and achievements since, especially with Luna Labs and ironSource, it’s clear why he’s the best fit for us. We’re eager to tap into his vast experience, enhancing our developer relationships and publishing capabilities.”
John Wright shared his enthusiasm about the new role, stating, “Having worked with Kwalee as a partner and admired their innovation over the years, I’m thrilled to move across the table. We know it’s a challenging landscape post-IDFA, so small to medium-sized studios need a heavyweight publishing ally to help them achieve the highest level of multi-million dollar success. At Kwalee, I will champion developers. Our relationship will be symbiotic, understanding their needs as partners and clients.”
Embracing the rich British mobile developer community while setting sights on global expansion, John is poised to steer Kwalee’s Mobile Publishing into its most profitable and successful era yet.
World’s number-one crash game certified for launch in fast-growing online casino market
Players in Portugal, get ready to strap in for the flight of your lives. Spribe, the developer behind the number-one crash game in the world, Aviator, has been cleared for take-off in accordance with the most recent Portuguese regulations.
Aviator is the original crash game and since it took to the skies in 2019 has become one of the most-played games of all time. Today, it has more than ten million monthly active players with 160,000 bets being placed every minute of the day.
Aviator uses the increasing curve format with a plane that takes off and flies into the sky. As it climbs higher, a win multiplier climbs with it. The player must decide when to cash out; go too early and the win is small but wait too long and the plane flies away with their stake and accrued winnings.
Social interaction is at the heart of the game with players able to chat throughout their session. It’s multiplayer, too, with players competing with others on the leaderboard.
Aviator delivers fast-paced action thanks to its seamless user interface that has been designed for mobile play. Engagement is taken to the next level through bonus features including free spins and rain promo where players can make it ‘rain’ free spins in the chat.
Spribe is on a mission to launch Aviator in all regulated markets and the approval in Portugal is a major step forward in this regard. BMM Test Labs carried out the certification shortly after Portugal added ‘crash games’ in the regulations earlier in the year.
Operators in Portugal can now add Aviator to their lobbies and allow them to see what all the fuss is about by playing the most popular crash game on the planet for the first time.
“We are on a mission to launch Aviator in all regulated markets across the world so being given the green light to enter Portugal is a major moment for us,” the Chief Commercial Officer for Spribe, Giorgi Tsutskiridze, said. “Aviator offers an experience like no other; it’s fun, fast-paced and highly social. This has made it a big hit with players but especially those in the lucrative but hard to engage Millennial and Generation Z demographics.
“Operators in Portugal can now provide these experiences to these players by adding Aviator to their game lobbies for the first time, allowing them to join the ten million players that go for the ride of their lives every month.”
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