Develop Awards 2016: How To Enter

The Develop Awards are now open for nominations, so be sure to submit your work if you want to be in the running this July.

There are 20 categories this year, plus 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 13th at the Brighton Hilton Metropole Hotel. 

This year’s awards are supported by headline partner CV Bay, gold partners MoGI Group, Amiqus, Epic Games, Sumo Digital, Crytek, King, table gift partner OPM Jobs and event partner Tandem Events. Epic Games are also an award partner, as are Aardvark Swift.

The deadline for lobbying is Wednesday, April 13th. 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, email gblake@nbmedia.com. Contact jlane@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 – PC/Console
• New Games IP – Mobile
• Use of a Licence or IP
• Visual Arts
• Audio Accomplishment
• Use of Narrative 

TECH & SERVICES

• Technology Provider
• Design & Creativity Tool
• Production Tool
• Engine
• Services
• QA & Localisation
• Creative Outsourcer – Visual & Dev
• Creative Outsourcer – Audio
• Recruiter 

STUDIO

• Publishing Hero
• Micro Studio
• Independent Studio
• In-House Studio
• New Studio

SPECIAL AWARD

• Studio of the Year
• Development Legend

THREE STEPS TO WINNING A DEVELOP AWARD

1. Make sure you are eligible

The games in question must be released somewhere in the world between May 1st, 2015 and April 30th, 2016. 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. (This primarily applies to the Tech & Services awards – check the descriptions.)

2. Prepare your entry

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

3. Send it in 

Email your nominations to developawards@nbmedia.com before 5pm GMT on Wednesday, April 13th, 2016.

When all nominations have been received, they are each carefully appraised by the Develop editorial team.

A shortlist for each award is then drawn up based on the provided entry documents (See ‘Prepare Your Entry’) and industry standing. 

Following this, profiles of the shortlisted companies are sent out to a judging panel made up of more than 100 industry executives hand-picked by the Develop team.

The judges confidentially disclose their choices, and those nominees with the most votes win in their respective award category.

The names of the judges are only named after the event, and will be published in the next issue of Develop.

HOW TO ENTER THE DEVELOP AWARDS 2016

CREATIVITY 

New Games IP – PC/Console

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
2015: Life Is Strange (Dontnod Entertainment)
2014: Tearaway (Media Molecule) [As New Games IP]2012: Frozen Synapse (Mode 7 Games) [As New Games IP]2011: Enslaved (Ninja Theory) [As New Games IP] 
2010: Heavy Rain (Quantic Dream) [As New Games IP]2009: LittleBigPlanet (Media Molecule) [As New Games IP]2008: Lost Winds (Frontier Developments) [As New Games IP] 

New Games IP – Mobile

Who’s eligible?
Any UK or European studio-made IP released for the first time globally – as opposed to a limited soft launch – in the last year for mobile platforms. New IPs should have introduced an original brand, plus new gameplay aspects and/or original characters.

Previous Winners
2015: Plunder Pirates (Midoki)
2013: Clash of Clans (Supercell) [As New Games IP] 

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
2015: Alien: Isolation (Creative Assembly)
2014: LEGO Marvel Super Heroes (Traveller’s Tales)
2013: Angry Birds Star Wars (Rovio)
2012: Batman Arkham City (Rocksteady Studios)
2011: F1 2010 (Codemasters Birmingham)
2010: Batman Arkham Asylum (Rocksteady Studios)
2009: LEGO Batman (Traveller’s Tales)
2008: LEGO Indiana Jones (Traveller’s Tales)
2007: LEGO Star Wars II (Traveller’s Tales) 

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
2015: State of Play Games (Lumino City)
2014: Rockstar North (Grand Theft Auto V)
2013: Crytek (Crysis 3)
2012: Ubisoft Montpellier (Rayman Origins)
2011: Playdead (Limbo)
2010: Black Rock Studio (Split/Second)
2009: Media Molecule (LittleBigPlanet) [For Best Audio & Art]2008: Rockstar North (Grand Theft Auto IV) [For Best Audio & Art]2007: Rare (Viva Piñata) [For Best Audio & Art] 

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. 

Previous Winners
2015: Creative Assembly (Alien: Isolation)
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) 

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
2015: Dontnod Entertainment (Life is Strange)
2014: Starbreeze Studios (Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons)
2013: Mike Bithell (Thomas Was Alone)
2012: The Chinese Room (Dear Esther) 

TECH & SERVICES 

Technology Provider

Who’s eligible?
Introduced last year, this award is open to any company, of any nationality, that provides hardware and technological support to UK and European developers, whether in the form of motion capture tools and dev kits or microprocessors and server infrastructure.

Previous Winners

2015: Oculus VR

Design & Creativity Tool

Who’s eligible?
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. 

Previous Winners
2015: SpeedTree for Games (SpeedTree)
2014: Maya LT (Autodesk) 

Production tool

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

Previous Winners
2015: Perforce (Perforce Software)
2014: Perforce (Perforce Software) 

Engine

Who’s eligible?
This is an award for the best third-party engines. It’s open to any engine, 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.

Previous WInners
2015: Unity 5 (Unity Technologies)
2014: Unity Engine (Unity Technologies)
2013: Unreal Engines (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)

Services

Who’s eligible?
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. 

Previous Winners
2015: Audiomotion
2014: Player Research
2013: Audiomotion
2012: VMC Game Labs
2011: Audiomotion
2010: Testology 

QA & Localisation

Who’s eligible?
This award is open to any UK or European company that has contributed significantly to usability, testing and translation of games and gaming content, providing these have been released or actively developed in the past 12 months. 

Previous Winners
2015: Testology
2014: Testology 

Creative Outsourcer – Visual & Development

Who’s eligible?
Any creative outsourcer or studio – including individual external contractors – that has provided visual or game assets for an individual project released in the last 12 months, or contributed to the game’s development. For example, by porting or creating select sections of the game.

Previous Winners
2015: Speech Graphics (Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor)

Creative Outsourcer – Audio

Who’s eligible?
Any creative outsourcer or studio – including individual external contractors – that has provided audio assets for an individual project released in the last 12 months, or contributed to the game’s development. For example, with voice acting, music or sound effects.

Previous Winners
2015: Side (Alien: Isolation) 

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. 

Previous Winners
2015: Amiqus
2014: OPM
2013: Amiqus
2012: Amiqus
2011: Specialmove
2010: Amiqus
2009: Amiqus
2008: OPM 

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. 

Previous Winners
2015: Team17
2014: SCE Strategic Content
2013: Kickstarter UK
2012: Valve
2011: Valve
2010: Channel 4
2009: Apple
2008: Nintendo

Micro Studio

Who’s eligible?
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. 

Previous Winners
2015: Roll7
2014: Vlambeer
2013: Fireproof Games
2012: The Chinese Room
2011: Mojang Specifications
2010: Hello Games 

Independent Studio

Who’s eligible?
Any UK or European games development company, staffed by 11 people or more, 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. 

Previous Winners
2015: Space Ape Games
2014: Bohemia Interactive
2013: Supercell
2012: CCP
2011: Crytek
2010: Quantic Dream
2009: Media Molecule
2008: Splash Damage 

In-House Studio

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

Previous Winners
2015: Rockstar North
2014: Rockstar North
2013: Boss Alien
2012: Creative Assembly
2011: Media Molecule
2010: Rocksteady Studios
2009: Rockstar North
2008: Rockstar North
2007: Ubisoft France

New Studio

Who’s eligible?
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. 

Previous Winners
2015: Starship
2014: Space Ape Games
2013: Playground Games
2012: Bossa Studios
2011: Mojang Specifications
2010: Hello Games
2009: Media Molecule
2008: Doublesix
2007: Realtime Worlds 

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 during the last year. 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 

Development Legend

Who’s eligible?
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.

Previous Winners
2015: Tim and Chris Stamper
2014: Mark Cerny
2013: Tim Sweeny & Mark Rein (Epic Games)
2012: David Perry
2011: Ian Livingstone
2010: The Gower Brothers (Jagex)
2009: Phil Harrison

HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN ANYTHING?

Have you nominated?
No? Then follow our easy three-step process detailed at the top of the page.

Are you free on Wednesday, July 13th? 
If so, come on down: the Develop Awards will be held in the evening at the Brighton Hilton Metropole, during Develop: Brighton 2016.

Have you booked your place?
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 of the global games industry.

Single seat ticket prices remain the same as last year.

Early bird prices, for those tickets or tables booked on or before Friday, June 3rd, are: 

• Gold Table of 10 – £2,299 + VAT
• Standard Table of 10 – £1,999 + VAT
• Single Seats – £199 + VAT

From Friday, June 3rd, the prices change to:

• Gold Table of 10 – £2,699 + VAT
• Standard Table of 10 – £2,399 + VAT
• Single Seats – £239 + VAT

Fancy attending? 
Of course you do! For table enquiries and ticket sales call Georgia Blake on 020 7354 6010 or email gblake@nbmedia.com.

Interested in sponsorship?
Call Jennie Lane on 020 7354 6000 or email jlane@nbmedia.com.