The Game Republic Awards were revealed at GaMaYo on 21st November at WX in Wakefield. Boss Judge Keith Stuart was so impressed with the quality of nominations alongside the winners, several individuals and studios earned special commendations.
Sponsors of the Awards included Red Kite Games, Barclays Games, Escape Technology, Yogscast Games, Eaton Smith Solicitors and Other Things.
Alongside the Awards, Brandon Briggs won the Safe in Our World raffle (picture below)
And the winners and special commendations are
(Gallery below with photos by Corrupted Lens | thecorruptedvisuals.com)
Best Small Studio sponsored by Yogscast Games
Cooperative Innovations
Special commendations for Best Small Studio
Chokepoint Creative, Distinctive Games and Coal Supper
Best Mid-Sized Studio sponsored by Other Things
Red Kite Games
Special commendation for Best Mid-Sized Studio
Just Add Water Development
Best Large Studio sponsored by Eaton Smith Solicitors
Double Eleven
Special commendation for Best Large Studio
Wushu Studios
Community Player Award
Stacey Jubb at National Videogame Museum
Special commendations for Community Player
Simon Barratt (Cooperative Innovations) and One to One Development
Most Innovative Use of Technology sponsored by Escape Technology
Pitstop Productions
Inclusivity Award
Chokepoint Creative
Special Commendation for Inclusivity Award
Huey Games
Studio Hero Award sponsored by Other Things
Kerrie Holland – Tanglewood Games
Special commendations for Studio Hero
Arpit Sharma Huey Games and Adam Clewes-Boyne BetaJester
Inspiring Course Leader
Renzo Palmisano from Burnley College
Special commendations for Inspiring Course Leader
Duke Gledhill (University of Huddersfield), Ben Elson (The Manchester College) and Mike Acosta (University of Staffordshire)
Best Game Related Research sponsored by Escape Technology
IGGI – University of York, Queen Mary, Goldsmiths and Essex
Special commendation for Game Related Research
Staffordshire Games Institute
Games Legend sponsored by Red Kite Games
Martyn Brown
Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by Red Kite Games
Roger Womack
Best Indie Game Made in Yorkshire from Sept 23 to Nov 24 sponsored by Barclays Games and Creative
Broken Sword –The Shadow of The Templars: Reforged
Award winners in 2023
Nominations closed on 30th September and Game Republic alongside our Official Partners Red Kite Games, Barclays and Escape Technology and our Award Sponsors were chuffed to bits with the response. Thanks all for taking time out to nominate your colleagues, studios, games and more. Thanks to our Official Partners for supporting our 2023 year of events – Escape Technology, Red Kite Games and Barclays.
Below the winners you will see the full list of nominations which were judged by Game Republic, Sponsors and our Boss Judge who had the final say on everything Rhianna Pratchett.
Photos by Johnny Carr johnnycarr.com
Best Small Studio presented by Wayne Smith from Lenovo
Winner: Huey Games
Best Mid-Sized Studio presented by Elaine Dowman from Barclays
Winner: Radical Forge
Best Large Studio presented by Chris Taylor from Eaton Smith Solicitors
Winner: Double 11
Commenting on the studio awards – Chris Taylor of Eaton Smith Solicitors was impressed with the range of nominations “It is wonderful to see such a breadth and depth of games studios in Yorkshire and the North of England, showing what a well-developed ecosystem there is.”
Elaine Dowman from Barclays added “What was clear in the mid-sized studio category was that companies nominated all shared a common feature of growing but staying true to their roots. Well done to Radical Forge”
Further awards included:
Best Game-Related Research presented by Simon Iwaniszak from Red Kite Games
Winner: IGGI
Inclusivity Award presented by Azaria Narine & Jessica Swiffen from Boneloaf
Winner: Sumo Group
Sustainability Award presented by Richy Pears from Other Things
Winner: Megaverse
Most Innovative Technology Award presented by Neil Parmar from Escape Technology
Winner: Dreaming Methods
Neil Parmar from Escape Technology admired the winning team in particular their Abandoned library project that has won major accolades, he explained “this project used tech to create a moving and powerful experience dealing with environmental disaster and has widened access to immersive technology and raised awareness of global issues at the same time.”
Best Company Boss presented by Matt Hitchcock from Other Things
Winner: Kimberley Turner of Double 11
Studio Hero presented by Chris Lunardi from Barclays
Winner: Anne Van Der Merwe of Red Kite Games
Most Inspiring Course Leader presented by John Stopforth from Escape Technology
Winner: Matt Novak of the University of Huddersfield
Community Player Award presented by Nick Keynes from Tileyard North
Winner: Andrew Crawshaw, Thunkd
Games Legend presented by Simon Iwaniszak from Red Kite Games
Winners: Charles Cecil and Noirin Carmody of Revolution Software
And in the Best Game Ever Made in Yorkshire and The North the same legendary team took the title against 19 other nominated games as Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars was voted Best Game in a public vote.
Speaking about the Games Legends and their work Simon Iwaniszak, Studio Director of Red Kite Games said “‘I feel extremely honoured to be involved with this award – and what’s better than one games legend if not two! Over the last three decades Charles Cecil and Noirin Carmody have been instrumental in ensuring that the games industry in Yorkshire and The North prospers and evolves. In 1989, Charles and Noirin co-founded Revolution Software, a pioneering games studio that went on to develop hit titles such as Lure of the Temptress, Beneath a Steel Sky and my personal favourite, the Broken Sword series. I was 10 years old when I pointed-and-clicked my way through The Shadow of the Templars, a lasting childhood gaming memory, that I still cherish today. Charles and Noirin are the dictionary definition of a games legend, and we’re lucky to have them in Yorkshire!”