The great and the good of the games sector were celebrated at the TIGA Games Industry Awards 2023 on November 16th at the iconic Troxy London.
The TIGA Games Industry Awards were completely sold out, with over 350 industry VIPs attending to cheer the games, studios, universities and vital service support companies that have excelled over the past year.
Dlala Studios, along with publishing partner Disney Games, picked up the prestigious Game of the Year award for Disney Illusion Island. Dlala was also named Best Small Studio, and Disney Illusion Island picked up the trophy for Best Social Game 2023.
ustwo games stepped on stage twice, winning the Diversity award, as well as Creativity in Games for Desta: The Memories Between.
Sumo Digital was named Best Large Studio, and the Sumo Group was also the debut winner of the Best Talent Development Initiative category.
Also new for 2023 was the Commitment to Workplace Wellbeing award, which was picked up by Playground Games. The studio’s HR Director Geraldine Cross, meanwhile, was named Outstanding Individual of the Year.
Another new category, Commitment to ESG, was awarded to Rocksteady Studios, while the Outstanding Leadership award was presented to John Tearle, CEO of Flix Interactive, and Dovetail Games was named Employer of the Year.
The full list of TIGA Games Industry Awards 2023 winners are:
BEST ARCADE GAME
MechHead – Staffordshire University
BEST QA and/or LOCALISATION PROVIDER
Testronic
DIVERSITY AWARD
Desta: The Memories Between – ustwo games
BEST CASUAL GAME
PowerWash Simulator – Futurlab
HERITAGE IN GAMES
878 AD: Winchester Revealed – Sugar Creative
BEST EDUCATIONAL, SERIOUS OR SIMULATION GAME
Planet Planners – BBC/Mobile Pie
BEST TECHNICAL INNOVATION
Speech Graphics
BEST ROLE PLAYING GAME
Silverpoint: The Game – BBC/Jollywise
BEST AUDIO DESIGN
God of War Ragnarök – Sony Interactive Entertainment/Santa Monica Studio
BEST SOCIAL GAME
Disney Illusion Island – Disney Games/Dlala Studios
BEST ACTION AND ADVENTURE GAME
The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil In Me – Supermassive Games
BEST AR/VR GAME
Synapse – nDreams
CREATIVITY IN GAMES
Desta: The Memories Between – ustwo games
BEST SMALL STUDIO
Dlala Studios
BEST PUZZLE GAME
Love and Pies – Trailmix
BEST AUDIO SERVICES PROVIDER
PitStop Productions
BEST STRATEGY GAME
Starship Troopers: Terran Command – Slitherine Software UK
BEST LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDER
Lewis Silkin LLP
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AWARD
John Tearle, CEO, Flix Interactive
BEST RECRUITMENT AGENCY
Amiqus
BEST ART/ANIMATION TRAILER SUPPLIER
TrailerFarm
BEST PUBLISHER
Rebellion
BEST SERVICES PROVIDER
Airship Interactive
BEST VISUAL DESIGN
Horizon Call of the Mountain – Sony Interactive Entertainment/Guerrilla
BEST EDUCATION INITIATIVE
Birmingham City University
BEST TALENT DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE
Sumo Group
BEST EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIION
Norwich University of the Arts
BEST LARGE STUDIO
Sumo Digital
COMMITMENT TO ESG
Rocksteady Studios
COMMITMENT TO WORKPLACE WELLBEING
Playground Games
EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR 2023
Dovetail Games
OUTSTANDING INVIDIVIDUAL OF THE YEAR 2023
Geraldine Cross, HR Director, Playground Games
GAME OF THE YEAR 2023
Disney Illusion Island – Disney Games/Dlala Studios
Dr Richard Wilson OBE, CEO of TIGA, said: “Many congratulations to all the winners of the TIGA Games Industry Awards 2023. As ever, it was wonderful to celebrate the creativity and commitment to excellence of the games studios, universities and associated companies who make the UK a great place to make games.
“Thank you to our finalists, judges and to all who joined us on the night. Finally, thank you to the TIGA team and to all our generous sponsors for enabling TIGA to promote, recognise and celebrate excellence through our Awards.”
SpecialEffect was the Charity Partner for the TIGA Awards. This inspirational organisation transforms the lives of physically disabled people right across the world through the innovative use of technology.
The TIGA Awards were made possible thanks to supporters of TIGA, the not-for-profit organisation. Sponsors included Rothschild & Co (Headline Sponsor); Toikido (After Show Party Sponsor); Sumo Group, Supermassive Games and Ubisoft (Gold Sponsors); Amiqus (Drinks Reception Sponsor); Abertay University, Airship Interactive, Dovetail Games, Hangar 13, Liquid Crimson, Invest Newcastle, and Staffordshire University (Silver Sponsors); Birmingham City University, Bournemouth University, Eaton Smith LLP, Game Changers London, Kudos QA, Kwalee, London Games Festival, Outplay Entertainment, PTW, RSM UK, Stevens & Bolton LLP, Tazman Audio and Testronic (Bronze Sponsors).