Shortlist for GR Awards Revealed

Game Republic has revealed the shortlist of Game Republic Awards 2026. The Award winners will be revealed on 26th November at GaMaYo at WX in Wakefield in front of over 450 developers, publishers, platform-holders, media and investors. The Awards this year will be judged by Rhianna Pratchett. Best Game Made in The North will be revealed later this week and will be subject to public vote.

GaMaYo is the UK’s largest and friendliest gathering of game developers – the event will include a short 30 minute presentation of the Awards, over 50 new games on show, roundtables with experts including publishers Curve, platform holder XBOX, legal experts Eaton Smith, finance experts Plus Accounting to name a few, special guests and lots of networking, food and drink in what is always a highlight of the games industry year.

The event forms part of Game Republic’s activities for 2026, supported by Official Partners Red Kite Games, Xsolla and Double Eleven and Strategic Partner Steel City Interactive. In addition special sponsors for the Awards include Eaton Smith Solicitors, Silver Lining Interactive, Plus Accounting and Kudos Games.

Best Large Studio sponsored by Eaton Smith Solicitors

Double Eleven
Lucid Games
Sumo Digital
Team17
TT Games
Wushu Studios

Best Mid-Sized Studio sponsored by Kudos Games

Atomhawk
Behaviour Interactive UK
EA Playdemic
Milky Tea Studios
Nosebleed Interactive
Radical Forge
Red Kite Games
Skyhook Games
Tanglewood Games

Best Small Studio sponsored by Silver Lining Interactive

Alchemy Realm
Claymatic Games ltd
Cooperative Innovations
Dink
IMPRNT STUDIOS LTD
Just Add Water Development
Maximalist
Miami Avalon
Observer Interactive
Pondering Panda
Pretty Cool Games
Silent Games
ToastieLabs
Weaseltron

Inspiring Course Leader Award sponsored by Double Eleven

Anthony Martin – University of Staffordshire
Eric Cockburn – Leeds City College
Franck Dhotel – Teesside University
Matt Gough – University of Greater Manchester
Maya Jermy – Leeds Arts University
Rob Charlish – Heart of Yorkshire Education Group
Shannon van Zyl – Leeds City College
Stuart Lilford – University of Hull

Studio Hero Award sponsored by Plus Accounting

Casey-Jo Kenny – Tanglewood Games
Jack Thompson – Maximalist
James de Silva – Silver Lining Interactive
James Easton – Huey Games
Jennifer Summers – Yogscast Games
Judi Alston – Dreaming Methods
Lewis Bibby – Cooperative Innovations
Niall Curran – Dink
Phoebe Francis – Aylward – Double Eleven
Sam Hadland – Double Eleven
Shirley Hoang – Lucid Games
Suzi Kyla Hi Blue – One to One Development Trust

Games Legend sponsored by Red Kite Games

Grant Clark
Ste and John Pickford
Lizi Attwood
Nina Cliff
Olly Bennett
Simon Barratt

Industry Impact Award

EA Playdemic
Fresh Seed
Secret Mode
Shiverbug
Silver Lining Interactive
The Click GG

Student Star Award

Adam Robinson – Teesside University
Jake Myers – Leeds City College
Jordan Peters – Nottingham Trent University
Kate Pattison – University of Hull
Luke Watkiss – Wakefield College
Olesya Panyushkina – Manchester Metropolitan University
Prasad Sandbhor – IGGI – University of York
Rosie Holmes – University of Lancashire
Thomas Jebson – University of Northampton
Zoe Dunn – University of Salford

Most Innovative Use of Technology

Cooperative Innovations
Huey Games
Mary Tallontire
Pitstop Productions
Sumo Digital / Neural Dawn
Weaseltron

Community Manager Award

Emily Brown
Imogen van Goethem
Molly J Holmes
Oliwia Malek
Simran Whitham
Wendy Fritscher

Inclusivity Award

Cast Iron Games
Secret Mode Sheffield
Shiverbug Studios
Silver Lining Interactive

Best Game-Related Research Award

Adam Hart, University of Salford
Alex Brooke, Matthew Crossley, John Henry, Manchester Metropolitan University
Alex Flint, iGGi – University of York
Amit Pate, CEO, Orio Games
Anthea Nelson, Supa Manager
Callum Steele, Leeds Beckett University
Daniel Maktabi, Manchester School of Architecture; Dr Hamid Khalili, Manchester School of Architecture
Dragon Mind Research Team: Dr. Martin Turner, Dr. John Henry, Dr. Zarah Eve, Dr. Lucy Walker, Dr. Claire Agius, Manchester Metropolitan University.
Elishbah Idris, Sheffield Hallam University
Jack Murrell, Blaze Games
Neta Yodovich, University of Salford

If you are developing or supporting games in The North, you can join GaMaYo, other Northern meet-ups and the Great Northern Games Discord for FREE here

To find out about this and future Game Republic events and webinars as well as games industry events visit the events page.

If you would like to secure a free ticket and get access to other in-person events for free and business support – you can apply to join Game Republic here

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