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Tandem Events has today announced the shortlist for the Develop:Star Awards 2021. The winners will now be selected by an industry vote, open to previous delegates.
Voting opens today, and closes on September 24th. The winners will then be announced at the Develop:Star Awards ceremony on the evening of Wednesday 27 October, during Develop:Brighton 2021.
The shortlists were decided across 17 categories, judged by a panel of industry experts and developers, who reviewed a record number of submissions.
Housemarque’s PlayStation 5 exclusive title Returnal is the most nominated game with six nominations, followed by The Chinese Room and Sumo Digital’s Little Orpheus with five nominations.
Seven finalists will compete for the Best Studio award: Creative Assembly, FuturLab, Housemarque, Mediatonic, nDreams, Sumo Digital and ustwo games.
Those who have attended Develop:Brighton since and including the 2017 conference, as well as anyone who registered for this year’s conference, will be invited to vote. Attendees will be contacted directly with further instructions.
“This incredible collection of games, teams and individuals shows the best the games industry has to offer, and we’re excited to offer the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the hard work of so many over the past year, “said Andy Lane, managing director of Tandem Events.
“I’d like to shout out the new Tomorrow’s Star category in particular, recognising some of the incredible future talent emerging in the industry. Good luck to all our nominees, we’re looking forward to seeing you at the ceremony on 27 October.”
Table bookings and individual tickets for the awards are available to purchase now with an Early Bird discount of up to £400 until 15 September. Further details and links to purchase tickets can be found at: https://www.developconference.com/whats-on/develop-star-awards
Additionally, MCV/DEVELOP readers can get 10% off with the code KVVKUJ.
All tickets include a three-course dinner and invite to the drinks reception and after party.
The nominees for the Develop:Star Awards 2021 are:
Best Visual Art
Before I Forget – 3-Fold Games
Little Orpheus – The Chinese Room, Sumo Digital
Mundaun – Hidden Fields, MWM Interactive
Returnal – Housemarque, Sony Interactive Entertainment
South of the Circle – State of Play
The Last Campfire – Hello Games
Best Narrative
Little Orpheus – The Chinese Room, Sumo Digital
Orwell’s Animal Farm – Nerial, The Dairymen
Returnal – Housemarque, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Röki – Polygon Treehouse, United Label
South of the Circle – State of Play
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope – Supermassive Games, Bandai Namco
Best Game Design
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout – Mediatonic, Epic Games
Lost Words: Beyond the Page – Sketchbook Games, Modus Games
Magic: The Gathering Arena (Mobile) – Wizards of the Coast
Returnal – Housemarque, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sackboy: A Big Adventure – Sumo Sheffield, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Weaving Tides – Follow the Feathers, Crytivo
Best Audio
A Total War Saga: Troy – Creative Assembly, SEGA
DIRT 5 – Codemasters
Little Orpheus – The Chinese Room, Sumo Digital
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales – Insomniac Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Returnal – Housemarque, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sackboy: A Big Adventure – Sumo Sheffield, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Best Original IP
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure- ustwo games
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout – Mediatonic, Epic Games
Little Orpheus – The Chinese Room, Sumo Digital
PowerWash Simulator – Futurlab, Square Enix
Returnal – Housemarque, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Rogue Company – First Watch, Hi-Rez Studios
Best Innovation
Before I Forget – 3-Fold Games
Hardspace: Shipbreaker – Blackbird Interactive, Focus Home Interactive
Lost Words: Beyond the Page – Sketchbook Games, Modus Games
South of the Circle – State of Play
The Oeuvre – 89o
Watch Dogs: Legion – Ubisoft
Diversity Star
Anisa Sanusi – Limit Break
Cinzia Musio – Splash Damage
Dan Bernado – Playtra
Rebecca Sampson – Hangar 13
Robin Gray – Gayming Mag
Tentacle Zone Incubator – Payload Studios
Best QA & Localisation
Keywords Studios
Localsoft
Player Research
PTW
Testronic
Universally Speaking
Best Creative Provider
Atomhawk
Keywords Studios
Liquid Crimson
Pitstop Productions
PlayStation Studios Creative Arts
SIDE UK
Best Technology Provider
GameMaker Studio 2
Genba Digital
Keywords Studio
Unity
Unreal Engine
Utopia Analytics
Tomorrow’s Star
Dominic Shaw – Ukie
Joshua Brown – Futurlab
Julia Kenny – SEGA
Julian Mair-MacFarlane – Mediatonic
Melissa Chaplin – Robot Teddy
Reema Ishaque – Splash Damage
Recruitment Star
Aardvark Swift
Amiqus Recruitment
Datascope Recruitment
OPMjobs
Skillsearch Limited
Sumo Group
Publishing Star
Curve Digital
Kwalee
No More Robots
Team17
Wales Interactive
Wired Productions
Best Mobile Game
A Monster’s Expedition – Draknek & Friends
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure – ustwo games
Little Orpheus – The Chinese Room. Sumo Digital
Magic: The Gathering Arena (Mobile) – Wizards of the Coast
Orwell’s Animal Farm – Nerial, The Dairymen
South of the Circle – State of Play
Game of the Year
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout – Mediatonic, Epic Games
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales – Insomniac Games, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Returnal – Housemarque, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sackboy: A Big Adventure – Sumo Sheffield, Sony Interactive Entertainment
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope – Supermassive Games, Bandai Namco
The Last Campfire – Hello Games
Best Micro Studio
Denki
Hidden Fields
inkle
Perchang
Polygon Treehouse
Best Studio
Creative Assembly
FuturLab
Housemarque
Mediatonic
nDreams
Sumo Digital
ustwo games
