The gaming industry in the North of England is preparing to celebrate its brightest talents with the Game Republic Industry Awards 2025 ceremony, which this year takes on particular significance due to the introduction of a new award dedicated to the memory of a key figure in the sector. Over one hundred nominations distributed across twelve categories testify to the liveliness of a sector that continues to grow and stand out in the British panorama. The event is set for November 13th at Tileyard North in Wakefield, as part of the GaMaYo event which should attract more than 400 developers.
The Martyn Brown Rising Star Award represents the most significant innovation of this edition. The award honors the memory of the co-founder of Team17 and Game Republic, who passed away last December, and will be awarded to young emerging talents in the sector. Nominees include professionals such as Revolution’s Harry Flanagan, Chokepoint Creative’s Jess Whall and Radical Forge’s Ryan Smith, along with studios such as Northwave and Maximalist.
The evaluation of the applications is entrusted to Game Republic, its sponsors and a main judge who this year is Keith Stuart, journalist for the Guardian. An exception is the Best Indie Game in The North category, where the decision lies directly with the public through a popular vote. Jamie Sefton, director general of Game Republic, highlighted how the growing number of nominations represents a concrete testimony to the quality work produced in the North of England.
Among the independent games in competition, titles that cover diversified genres stand out: from Siege and The Sandfox by Cardboard Sword to Starship Troopers Continuum by XR Games, passing through smaller productions such as Raccoon Saloon by Theo Clarke and Platypus Reclayed by Claymatic Games. The small studios category sees companies such as Dink, Observer Interactive and BetaJester Ltd competing, while medium-sized studios include Radical Forge, Red Kite Games and Atomhawk.
Industry giants compete in the large studio category, with notable names such as Team17, Sumo Digital, Cloud Imperium and Firesprite. The breadth of categories reflects the diversity of the region’s gaming ecosystem, including recognition for inclusiveness, technological innovation and online community management.
The Most Innovative Use of Technology category appears particularly interesting, sponsored by HP and AMD with Escape Technology, which sees projects such as those of Cooperative Innovations, Northwave and Reflex Arc competing. The attention to innovation is accompanied by the recognition of social commitment, with the Inclusivity Award which includes BetaJester Ltd, Radical Forge and Safe in our world among the candidates.
The academic world finds space through two dedicated categories: the Inspiring Course Leader Award, sponsored by Double Eleven, rewards teachers who train new generations of developers at institutions such as Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Huddersfield. The Best Game-Related Research category instead recognizes the value of research applied to the sector, with projects ranging from psychology applied to video games to initiatives such as TriageStory Team of Sheffield Hallam University.
The Studio Hero Award, sponsored by Plus Accounting, celebrates professionals who have made a difference within their respective organizations. Among the fifteen candidates appear figures such as Niall Curran of Dink, Adam Roley of Team17 and Natasha Vincent of EA Playdemic. The community manager recognition highlights the growing importance of player relationship management, with nominees coming from studios such as Panda Cat Games, Double Eleven and Curve Games.
The Games Legend category, sponsored by Red Kite Games, closes the show by paying homage to the industry veterans who helped build the British gaming industry. Among the nominees are Matt Shepcar of Red Kite Games, Shaun Southern of Playdemic and Ian Stewart, the historic name of Gremlin Graphics. These are professionals who have lived through different technological eras, helping to shape the current gaming landscape with their experience and vision.
