Gaming
The TIGA Games Industry Award Winners 2022 are revealed!
The great and the good of the games industry were celebrated at the TIGA Games Industry Awards 2022 last night at the historic Church House Westminster in London.
It was the first in-person awards for TIGA since the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 300 games industry VIPs attending to cheer the games, the studios, the universities and the vital service support companies that have excelled over the past year.
Supermassive Games picked up the prestigious Game of the Year award for The Quarry, with the game also winning Best Audio Design. The studio also snapped up a third award – Creativity in Games – for The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes.
ustwo Games stepped on stage twice, winning Best Small Studio, as well as Best Casual Game for Alba: A Wildlife Adventure.
Rebellion was named Best Large Studio, while Kwalee claimed the award for Best Publisher, and Sumo Group was awarded Outstanding Employer of the Year.
A new category – Commitment to CSR – was introduced for 2022, with PlayStation London Studio the first winner of this important award.
Two individuals were presented with awards during the evening. Karen McLoughlin, Group Director of HR at Sumo Group was presented with the Outstanding Leadership Award. Meanwhile, Dovetail Games’ CEO Jon Rissik was named Outstanding Individual of the Year.
The full list of TIGA Games Industry Awards 2022 winners are:
BEST ACTION & ADVENTURE GAME 2022
Sony Interactive Entertainment/Guerrilla Games
Horizon Forbidden West
BEST ARCADE GAME 2022
Space Ape Games
Beatstar – Touch Your Music
BEST CASUAL GAME 2022
ustwo Games
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure
BEST AUDIO DESIGN 2022
Supermassive Games
The Quarry
CREATIVITY IN GAMES 2022
Supermassive Games
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
DIVERSITY 2022
Women in Games
BEST EDUCATIONAL, SERIOUS OR SIMULATION GAME 2022
BBC/Playerthree
Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade
HERITAGE IN GAMES 2022
Antstream
Antstream Arcade
BEST PUZZLE GAME 2022
Cosmonaut Studios
Eternal Threads
BEST SOCIAL GAME 2022
Fireshine Games
Core Keeper
BEST STRATEGY GAME 2022
Creative Assembly
Total War: WARHAMMER III
BEST VISUAL DESIGN 2022
Roll7
OlliOlli World
BEST VR/AR GAME 2022
nDreams
Fracked
BEST ART, ANIMATION OR TRAILER SUPPLIER 2022
Liquid Crimson
BEST AUDIO SERVICES 2022
Soundcuts
BEST EDUCATION INITIATIVE 2022
Staffordshire University
BEST EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION 2022
Birmingham City University
BEST QA PROVIDER 2022
Universally Speaking
BEST TAX & ACCOUNTANCY COMPANY 2022
RSM UK
BEST RECRUITMENT AGENCY 2022
Amiqus
BEST TOOLS, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION 2022
Speech Graphics
BEST LEGAL SERVICES 2022
Eaton Smith LLP
BEST SERVICES PROVIDER 2022
PTW Family of Brands
BEST SMALL STUDIO 2022
ustwo Games
BEST LARGE STUDIO 2022
Rebellion
COMMITMENT TO CSR 2022
PlayStation London Studio
EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR 2022
Sumo Group
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP 2022
Karen McLoughlin, Group Director of HR, Sumo Group
PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR 2022
Kwalee
OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL OF THE YEAR 2022
Jon Rissik, CEO, Dovetail Games
GAME OF THE YEAR 2022
Supermassive Games
The Quarry
Dr Richard Wilson OBE, CEO of TIGA, said: “A huge and hearty congratulations to all the winners of the TIGA Games Industry Awards 2022. They are all worthy winners and it was wonderful to once again celebrate, in-person, the fantastic achievements of the games industry. I would like to thank everyone who entered the Awards. Thank you also 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 and recognise 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 the not-for-profit organisation. Sponsors included (Gold Sponsors) Amiqus, Sumo Group, Supermassive Games and Ubisoft; (Silver Sponsors) Abertay University, Airship, Dovetail Games, Games Jobs Direct, Hangar 13, Liquid Crimson, Pearson, Space Ape Games, Staffordshire University, Universally Speaking and the University of Portsmouth; (Bronze Sponsors) Antstream, Avatar Games, Birmingham City University, Bournemouth University, CCP Games, Creative Wales, Eaton Smith LLP, Hot House Music, Invest Newcastle, MMP Tax, Outplay, Payload Studios, PTW, RSM, S-Tech Insurance Services, Stevens & Bolton, Tazman Audio, Testronic and Worldmakers; plus (Drinks Sponsor) Kwalee.
Gaming
4Players and ODIN deliver cutting-edge voice chat for Gray Zone Warfare
The globally operating software company 4Players GmbH announces its partnership with MADFINGER Games, the developer behind the highly anticipated tactical first-person shooter Gray Zone Warfare. The collaboration aims to level up in-game communication by integrating 4Players’ next generation Voice Chat SDK, ODIN, into MADFINGER Games’ upcoming title.
MADFINGER Games’ goal is to create a complex and realistic gaming experience that allows players to embark on an adventure alone or in a team. To ensure excellent communication during tactical approaches, ODIN was the best choice for MADFINGER Games’ Technical Director Johanny Clerc-Renaud:
“Selecting ODIN as the voice chat in our upcoming title, Gray Zone Warfare, was a pivotal decision driven by both technical and business considerations. Technically, ODIN ticks a lot of our criteria with its support for spatial audio, a ready-to-deploy Unreal Engine 5 plugin and the ability to meet any player load thanks to their cloud hosting.
From a business perspective, the agility and openness of partnering with a company like 4Players meant we could work hand-in-hand to tailor the solution to our specific needs. This includes a seamless integration with Wwise, allowing us to modulate voice data for a more immersive and engaging player experience. Together, these factors made ODIN the undeniable choice for Gray Zone Warfare, enabling us to make our game even more memorable.”
By natively integrating ODIN Voice Chat into Unreal Engine 5, MADFINGER Games’ developers could focus on creating ultra-realistic game content instead of managing complex data sets. By leveraging ODIN’s scalable cloud hosting, MADFINGER Games can also ensure seamless service delivery to players worldwide, improving accessibility and the gaming experience.
With features such as real-time 3D spatial audio – including audio occlusion and ambient effects – for the global voice chat as well as full-volume radio communication, ODIN sets a new standard for multiplayer engagement and promotes immersive and crystal-clear interactions between players. This level of immersive communication not only enhances gameplay, but also strengthens the social fabric in the gaming community.
“ODIN represents the future of in-game communication. We combine cutting-edge technology with decades of expertise in the gaming industry to create a product that is fun and designed to improve gamers’ communication,” says Phillip Schuster, CEO at 4Players GmbH. “We are excited to be working with MADFINGER Games to further optimize the immersion of Gray Zone Warfare. The partnership highlights our shared goal of driving social interaction and creating a unique gaming experience.”With the release of Gray Zone Warfare for Early Access on 30th April 2024, players will experience unparalleled realistic gaming communication with ODIN.
The post 4Players and ODIN deliver cutting-edge voice chat for Gray Zone Warfare appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Gaming
Phoenix Games acquires PopReach Games along with its impressive games portfolio and over 100 employees
Phoenix Games, a global gaming enterprise specializing in the acquisition and enhancement of game studios, is thrilled to announce the acquisition of PopReach Games, a live operations studio based in Bengaluru, India, from Ionik for a total aggregate purchase price of up to US$9.8 million, financed from cash reserves. Together with the studio, Phoenix takes over a broad portfolio of free-to-play games that boasts more than 420 million lifetime downloads.
This transaction substantially diversifies the Phoenix portfolio by including globally recognized IPs and beloved free-to-play titles on different platforms, such as Smurf’s Village, Smurf’s Magic Match, Gardens of Time, Kitchen Scramble games, Kingdoms of Camelot, and War of Nations as well as the Brain Training app Peak..
The acquisition of PopReach Games India strengthens Phoenix Games’ global presence and adds a dedicated workforce of more than 100 employees from the Indian studio.
“The acquisition of PopReach Games signifies a remarkable enhancement of our portfolio, introducing not just a team of 100 passionate professionals but also a suite of globally acclaimed IPs and games that continue to captivate millions,” states Klaas Kersting, CEO of Phoenix Games. “We look forward to elevating these games to new heights with our proprietary Uplift platform and exciting new game experiences that we can craft around them.
Echoing this sentiment, Jairaj NS, General Manager at PopReach Games India, shares, “I am excited about joining forces with the stellar team at Phoenix Games. This marks the beginning of an exciting journey we can’t wait to embark on with Phoenix as our new home. This is great news for all the stakeholders, especially for the millions of our loyal players across the globe. I am happy we have found a new ideal home for our globally acclaimed games. This partnership enables us to continue pouring our hearts and souls into creating unforgettable experiences for our players worldwide and create value for stakeholders.”
Ted Hastings, CEO of Ionik, adds: “It’s truly remarkable that we’ve discovered the perfect home for our former games division, PopReach Games India, with Phoenix Games, ensuring a promising and successful path ahead. This strategic move enables us to turn our full attention to our core responsibilities”.
Based in Karlsruhe, Germany, Phoenix Games boasts an impressive lineup of studios, including Upright Games, Sixteen Tons Entertainment, Well Played Games, Smileygamer, and the recent addition of Canadian developer Sad Panda Studios in November 2023.
Utilizing its proprietary Uplift platform, Phoenix Games enhances the financial performance and reach of the titles of acquired game studios, providing their expertise in user acquisition, ad monetization, and live operations to ensure an economic upswing.
The post Phoenix Games acquires PopReach Games along with its impressive games portfolio and over 100 employees appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Gaming
Midjiwan Supports Reforestation Efforts With New Elyrion Tribe Skin In The Battle Of Polytopia
Midjiwan, the award-winning independent studio behind The Battle of Polytopia, is celebrating Elyrion (∑∫ỹriȱŋ) Tribe Week with a brand-new Midnight (₼idŋighţ) skin and donations to support reforestation.
Tapping into the Elyrion Tribe’s nature magic abilities, every purchase of an Elyrion item in the game will plant one real-world tree from April 22-28 2024. Midjiwan has teamed up with The Canopy Project, an organisation that works with global partners to reforest areas in urgent need of rehabilitation, combining The Battle Of Polytopia’s themes with a desire to make real change in the world. Previous years of Elyrion Tribe Week have resulted in the planting of over 12,000 trees.
The Elyrion Tribe is a mysterious group of elves, dedicated to defending their woodland home with their unique magic and connection with nature. Players using the Elyrion tribe have the ability to enchant animals into Polytaurs and summon powerful Fire Dragons.
Christian Lövstedt, General Manager at Midjiwan, commented:
“This is a hugely exciting partnership, allowing players to support the planet and contribute to reforestation whilst also accessing brilliant new content to use in The Battle Of Polytopia.”
Alongside donating to The Canopy Project, The Battle Of Polytopia also boasts a brand-new skin for the Elyrion Tribe! The Midnight skin allows players to create graves, build crypts, and summon demons in dark forests, all in service of the mysterious Shard of D’Naeh.
The Midnight skin re-skins the entire Elyrion Tribe as the Midnight Cult. Everything the Elyrion Tribe is all about – nature, enchantment, and sanctuary – is turned on its head, corrupted into a dark, twisted dystopia of itself.
Midjiwan has already invested €250,000 in solar power projects in rural areas around Africa, and other charitable projects. The studio continues to seek opportunities to combine its in-game creativity with real-world benefits. The Battle of Polytopia is available on Nintendo Switch, the App Store, Google Play, PC, and Tesla cars.
The post Midjiwan Supports Reforestation Efforts With New Elyrion Tribe Skin In The Battle Of Polytopia appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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