Develop Awards 2015: How To Enter

The prestigious Develop Awards will once again celebrate the best industry innovators from the UK and Europe this July – and are now open to enter

There are 20 categories this year, including the new Outsourcer award – aimed at creative contributors and work-for-hire studios – and our two special awards: Studio of the Year and Development Legend.

Send us your suggestions for which of your friends, your peers, your rivals or even yourselves deserve a Develop Award for your work over the past year. Read through our extensive guide below to find out which categories you are eligible for.

The Develop Awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, July 15th at the Brighton Hilton Metropole Hotel. The Develop Awards 2015 are supported by Gold Partners UKIE, Amiqus and Unity, Table Gift Partner OPM and Event Partner Aardvark Swift. Unity is also partner for Micro Studio Award.

The deadline for lobbying is Tuesday, April 21st. Find out more about the lobbying process below and send in your suggestions – a 350 word pitch with five bullet points – to developawards@nbmedia.com. 

To book your place at the event emailkhumphrey@nbmedia.com. Contact aboucher@nbmedia.com or cnangle@nbmedia.com to find out about the opportunities available, both at the event and in editorial coverage before, during and after the Awards.

THE CATEGORIES

CREATIVITY

• New Games IP

• Use of a Licence or IP

• Visual Arts

• Audio Accomplishment

• Use of Narrative

TECH& SERVICES

• Innovation

• Tools Provider – Design & Creativity

• Tools Provider – Production

• Engine

• Technical Services

• QA & Localisation

• [New] Outsourcer

• Recruiter

STUDIO

• Publishing Hero

• Micro Studio

• Independent Studio

• In-House Studio

• New Studio

SPECIALAWARD

• Studio of the Year

• Development Legend

FOUR STEPS TO WINNING A DEVELOP AWARD

Step One: Make sure you are eligible

• The games in question must be released somewhere in the world between May 1st, 2014 and April 30th, 2015. And yes, commercial public beta phases are also eligible.
• Is your business based in Europe or the UK? If so, you are eligible – even if you have worked on games developed outside of the region.
• If you’re based outside Europe, can you prove worthwhile support or collaboration with studios in the region over the past year? If so, you’re eligible for selected categories (check the award description for details). 

Step Two: Prepare your entry

• Write a short pitch of 350 words
• Provide five bullet points highlighting any relevant features or accomplishments.
• Add a list of links to any videos, images, music, websites and so on that support your nomination. 

Step Three: Send it in

• Email your nominations to developawards@nbmedia.com before 5pm GMT on Tuesday, April 21st.

Step Four: Sit back and wait

When all nominations are in, they are each carefully appraised by the Develop editorial team. A shortlist for each award is drawn up based on the entry documents and industry standing. 

Profiles of the shortlisted devs are then sent out to a panel made up of 100 industry judges hand-picked by the Develop team, who confidentially disclose their choices. The nominees with the most votes win in their award category. The names of the judges are only named after the event.

DEVELOP AWARD 2015: HOW TO ENTER

CREATIVITY

New Games IP

Who’s eligible?

Any UK or European studio-made IP released for the first time in the last year, either as a boxed or downloadable product. New IPs should have introduced an original brand plus new gameplay aspects and/or original characters to consoles, portable devices or PC.

Previous Winners

2014: Tearaway (Media Molecule)
2013: Clash of Clans (Supercell)
2012: Frozen Synapse (Mode 7 Games)
2011: Enslaved (Ninja Theory)
2010: Heavy Rain (Quantic Dream)
2009: LittleBigPlanet (Media Molecule)
2008: Lost Winds (Frontier Developments)

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Use of a Licence or IP

Who’s eligible?

Any game released in the previous 12 months by a UK or European studio that is a proven quality title, but is based on an external property (licensed or otherwise) not owned or created by its developer.

Previous Winners

2014:LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (Traveller’s Tales)
2013: Angry Birds Star Wars (Rovio)
2012: Batman: Arkham City (RocksteadyStudios)
2011: F1 2010 (CodemastersBirmingham)
2010: Batman: Arkham Asylum (RocksteadyStudios)
2009: LEGO Batman (Traveller’sTales)
2008: LEGO Indiana Jones (Traveller’s Tales)
2007: LEGO Star Wars II (Traveller’sTales)

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Visual Arts

Who’s eligible?

Any UK or European studio that has demonstrated impressive graphical and/or distinct, iconic design work in the games or gaming content it has produced and released during the past year. 

Previous Winners

2014: Rockstar North (Grand Theft Auto V)
2013: Crytek (Crysis3)
2012: Ubisoft Montpellier (RaymanOrigins)
2011: Playdead (Limbo)
2010: Black Rock Studio (Split/Second)
2009: Media Molecule(LittleBigPlanet) [For BestAudio&Art]2008: Rockstar North (GTA IV) [For Best Audio & Art]2007: Rare (Viva Piñata) [For Best Audio & Art]

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Audio Accomplishment

Who’s eligible?

Any UK or European studio that has demonstrated
pitch-perfect audio design, sound, or music creation in its games released during the past year. This refers to the audio design of the whole game. Use of licensed and original tracks can be taken into account.

PreviousWinners

2014: EA DICE (Battlefield 4)
2013: Sony London Studio (Wonderbook: Book of Spells)
2012: EA DICE (Battlefield 3)
2011: Somethin’ Else (Papa Sangre)
2010: FreeStyleGames (DJ Hero)
2009: Lionhead?Studios (Fable II)
2008: Rockstar North (Grand Theft Auto IV)

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Use of Narrative

Who’s eligible?

Any game that has made clear efforts to balance storytelling and gameplay design, or experiment with how they are combined. Finalists will be those games that have successfully mixed narrative into the interactive experience. A project’s specific writers will be credited where possible.

Previous Winners

2014: Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (Starbreeze Studios)
2013: Thomas Was Alone (Mike Bithell)
2012: Dear Esther (The Chinese Room)

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TECH & SERVICES 

Innovation

Who’s eligible?

Any studio or company that has demonstrated impressive technical innovation in any aspect of games development or design. The award can be given to a specific tech, title or studio – provided it has been active/released as a new product in the last 12 months.

Previous Winners

2014: Oculus VR (Oculus Rift DK2)
2013: Oculus VR (Oculus Rift)
2012: Geomerics (Enlighten)
2011: Microsoft Research Cambridge (Kinect)
2010: Unity Technologies (Unity 3D)
2009: Media Molecule (LittleBigPlanet)
2008: NaturalMotion/Image Metrics (GTA IV)

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Tools Provider – Design & Creativity

Who’seligible?

Any company, of any nationality, that has released middleware or tools that have enhanced or supported the work of UK or European games development teams in the past year. This award focuses on graphical, audio and other creative toolsets. 

PreviousWinners

2014: Maya LT (Autodesk)

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Tools Provider – Production

Who’seligible?

Any company, of any nationality, that has released middleware or tools that has helped any UK or European games teams improve the efficiency and development in the past year. This award focuses on tools that aid with project management and releasing games on multiple platforms.

PreviousWinners

2014: Perforce Software (Perforce)

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Engine

Who’seligible?

This is an award for the best third-party engines. It’s open to any engines, regardless of where it is made, that has enhanced the work of UK or European games development teams in the past year. Weight is given to new versions or significant upgrades.

PreviousWinners

2014: Unity (Unity Technologies)
2013: Unreal Engine (Epic Games)
2012: Unity 3.5 (Unity Technologies)
2011: Unreal Engine 3 (Epic Games)
2010: Unreal Engine 3 (Epic Games)
2009: Unreal Engine 3 (Epic Games)

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Technical Services

Who’seligible?

Any specialised external studio or company that has aided UK or European games development in a significant way. The award can be given to any firm that has helped with the production, monetisation or other aspect of the development process – providing the project in question has been active/released as a new product in the last 12 months.

PreviousWinners

2014: Player Research
2013: Audiomotion
2012: VMC Game Labs
2011: Audiomotion
2010: Testology

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QA & Localisation

Who’seligible?

This award, introduced last year, is open to any company that has contributed significantly to usability, test and translation of UK or European games and gaming content, providing these have been released or actively developed in the past 12 months.

PreviousWinners

2014: Testology

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[New] Outsourcer

Who’seligible?

Any creative outsourcer or work-for-hire studio that has provided assets for an individual project. This applies to businesses or individual external contractors that have helped produce, manage or directly generate the audio or visual material for games released in the last 12 months, or contributed to the game’s development, e.g. porting or creating select sections of the game.

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Recruiter

Who’s eligible?

Any UK or European company working in the field of recruitment and human resources that has demonstrably served the needs and demands of the UK and/or European development community during the last 12 months.

PreviousWinners

2014: OPM
2013: Amiqus
2012: Amiqus
2011: Specialmove
2010: Amiqus
2009: Amiqus
2008: OPM

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STUDIO 

Publishing Hero

Who’s eligible?

Any games publisher, developer, hardware manufacturer, platform holder or investor – from any country – that has supported UK and European games developers during the past year via the publishing, funding, distribution and/or co-development of new games.

PreviousWinners

2014: SCE Strategic Content
2013: Kickstarter UK
2012: Valve
2011: Valve
2010: Channel 4
2009: Apple
2008: Nintendo

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Micro Studio

Who’seligible?

Any UK or European games developer – consisting of an individual or small collective of people up to a maximum of ten at the time of nomination – who have had significant original output in the past year.

PreviousWinners

2014: Vlambeer
2013: Fireproof Games
2012: The Chinese Room
2011: Mojang Specifications
2010: Hello Games

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Independent Studio

Who’seligible?

Any UK or European games development company, staffed by 11 people or more, and which is not owned or managed by a publisher working on any available game platform. Applying studios should have had some significant output
in the last year.

PreviousWinners

2014: Bohemia Interactive
2013: Supercell
2012: CCP
2011: Crytek
2010: Quantic Dream
2009: Media Molecule
2008: Splash Damage

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In-House Studio

Who’seligible?

Any UK or European publisher-owned games development company or in-house games development resource – including those acquired recently – with title(s) released for any games platform in the past year.

PreviousWinners

2014: Rockstar North
2013: Boss Alien
2012: Creative Assembly
2011: Media Molecule
2010: Rocksteady Studios
2009: Rockstar North
2008: Rockstar North
2007: Ubisoft France

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New Studio

Who’seligible?

Any new UK or European studio that has had its first game commercially released – either via retail or digital distribution – during the past 12 months. Companies do not need to have been founded during that period to qualify.

PreviousWinners

2014: Space Ape Games
2013: Playground Games
2012: Bossa Studios
2011: Mojang Specifications
2010: Hello Games
2009: Media Molecule
2008: Doublesix
2007: Realtime Worlds

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SPECIAL AWARDS

Studio of the Year

Who’s eligible?

This special award gives singular recognition to a studio that has produced outstanding work in the past 12 months, primarily though any retail or download games that have been released commercially in the past 12 months. It is open to any UK or European games development studio to enter and the winner will be selected by the Develop team. 

Previous Winners

2014: Rockstar North

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Development Legend

Who’seligible?

The winner of this award, especially chosen by the Develop team, is an individual who has made a significant impact on games development – in a commercial, creative or technological sense – during their lifetime and career. This award is open to games sector icons from around the world.

PreviousWinners

2014: Mark Cerny
2013: Tim Sweeney & Mark Rein, Epic Games
2012: David Perry
2011: Ian Livingstone
2010: The Gower Brothers (Jagex)
2009: Phil Harrison

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HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN ANYTHING?

Have you lobbied?

No? Then follow our easy four-step process detailed above. Send your nominations to developawards@nbmedia.com.

Are you free on Wednesday, July 15th? 

If so, come on down: the Develop Awards will be held in the evening at the Brighton Hilton Metropole, during Develop: Brighton 2015.

Have you booked your place yet?

We continue to ensure the Develop Awards is an affordable way to attend a key industry event, honour your peers and network with some of the finest in the global games industry.

Single seat ticket prices are the same as last year, full prices after the early bird remain the same – or even cheaper in the case of the Gold Table deal.

Early bird prices, for those tickets or tables booked on or before Friday, June 12th, are:

• Gold Table of ten: £2,275 + VAT
• Standard Table of ten: £1,975 + VAT
• Single Seats: £199 + VAT

From Friday, June 12th the prices change to: 

• Gold Table of 10: £2,675 + VAT
• Standard Table of 10: £2,375 + VAT
• Single Seats: £239 + VAT

Book your place? 

To book your place at the event email khumphrey@nbmedia.com

Do you want to sponsor the Awards? 

Contact aboucher@nbmedia.com or cnangle@nbmedia.com to find out about the opportunities available, both at the event and in editorial coverage before, during and after the Awards.