Double Eleven, one of the world’s leading game developers and publishers, has been awarded the prestigious MCV/Develop Legends Award 2026, recognising two decades of exceptional contribution to the games industry. Presented at the MCV Develop Awards ceremony in London earlier this month, the Legends Award is awarded to studios whose innovation, excellence and influence has shaped the industry in a lasting way. Double Eleven’s Co-CEO’s Mark South and Kimberley Turner accepted the award on behalf of the company, who employ more than 400 people across the UK and Malaysia.
Speaking about the win Jamie Sefton, MD of Game Republic said “Double Eleven is a fantastic example of a company that leads global success without losing its regional roots. We are delighted for this win and confirmation of their legendary status and their work is why we are so pleased to have them as our Official Partners too.”
Founded in 2009, Double Eleven has grown organically into a globally recognised and respected development and publishing studio, all while remaining one of the UK’s few remaining independent games companies, despite multiple buy out offers. With a foundation of trust, technical expertise and creative ambition, Double Eleven has established itself as a co development powerhouse across the world.
Success at Double Eleven isn’t measured by targets and growth, and the company has long been committed to creating rewarding careers in the region, focussing on allowing talented developers to build meaningful careers without the need to relocate to major cities. They establish an environment where people can thrive both professionally and personally, not being expected to sacrifice a life outside of the studio.
Winning the Legends awards reaffirms that this commitment remains true, unpinned by a simple belief that if you look after your people, anything is possible. Boasting an annual turnover in excess of £50m, in an increasingly crowded market, co-development remains the company’s core DNA. Double Eleven established itself as a trusted partner and has worked with some of the most recognised publishers and developers in the industry, including Obsidian Entertainment, Mojang, Bethesda Game Studios, and Rockstar Games.
Teams have played their part in globally successful IPs, including Minecraft Dungeons, and upcoming sequel Minecraft Dungeons II, Fallout 76, Red Dead Redemption and Facepunch studio’s smash it, Rust Console Edition. The award also acknowledges Double Eleven’s commitment to supporting players and the gaming community.
Earlier this year, the company made the tough decision to cease active development on its own original IP, Blindfire. While the first person shooter didn’t quite reach the commercial success the team had hoped for, Double Eleven committed to keeping the servers online indefinitely, and made the game free to play, as a gift to the community and a testament to the work their insanely talented team had created. Thin player counts meant that early adopters didn’t get to experience the game at its full potential, and in a practically unheard of move in the games industry, is working towards refunding those players. Setting a new standard of what player resolution looks like.
As the company celebrates its latest award, the focus remains firmly on the future.
Double Eleven continues to invest in talent, establishing its own fully accredited in-house Academy. Supporting the wider development community. And in their role in shaping the future of the industry as they continue to build a lasting legacy on game development in both the UK and across the world.
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