The nominees for the 2023 Scottish Games Awards have been released, with the largest and most diverse range of entries yet received in the competition.
Over 110 entries were received across the 15 categories, recognising and celebrating the achievement and success of individuals, organisations and games from across the whole Scottish Ecosystem.
The competition’s new categories including Rising Star, which recognises new talent, Spirit Of Scotland, which rewards games which feature Scottish history, culture or language and Pure Quality, which highlights success outside the commercial realm, all received a large number of entries.
The importance of Scotland’s talent pipeline across colleges, and universities and the value of new talent in the industry was demonstrated by Rising Star category which received over 20 entries, with several nominees receiving multiple nominations, followed by Educator Of The Year category, with over a dozen much-loved teachers, lecturers and heads of course all receiving multiple nominations.
The nominees will go forward to the Scottish Games Awards judges, who will play the games, debate the merits and discuss the nominations to produce a short list of candidates for each category.
The winners will be announced at the Scottish Games Awards ceremony, which will be opened by Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf on Thursday 2nd of November.
Brian Baglow, the director of Scottish Games Week, said: “I am lucky enough to see the games and speak to the people working in Scotland’s games sector on a daily basis. I know how many technically and creatively gifted people we have working across the country – and how incredible the games we are producing can be.
“Not everybody gets that chance, which is why the Scottish Games Awards are so important. It gives us a chance to share the great work we’re producing with the world – and celebrate the people and organisations behind it.
I’m thrilled that we received so many entries this year and very happy that the new categories got so much love. We cannot wait to announce the winners at this year’s awards ceremony. The very best of luck to all of the nominees.”
Games journalist and author Chris Scullion, who chairs the judging panel this year, said: “The quality of entrants is impressively high this year, perfectly demonstrating the games industry talent that can be found around Scotland.
“Picking winners from these nominees is going to be far from easy, but I’m delighted to be involved in an event that celebrates Scotland’s part in this wonderful industry.”
The full list of nominees for the 2023 Scottish Games Awards are:
Art and Animation
- Super Stretchy Chicken Legs – Ping Creates
- Skye Tales – Puny Astronaut
- Tray Racers – Bitloom
- Subway Surfers Blast – Outplay
Audio
- Agatha Christie: Hercule Poirot – The London Case – Blazing Griffin/Calum Robb
- Skye Tales – Puny Astronaut/Ged Grimes/Chris D’Arcey
- Eschaton – Jabuga
Best Educational Programme
- Online Diploma Programme (Game Design) – Robert Gordon College
- Computer Games Development Programme – The University of the West of Scotland
- Tinderbox Games Club – Tinderbox Collective
- BSc (Hons) Games Development – Glasgow Caledonian University
- Angus Esports Interdisciplinary Learning Project – Angus Council
- Games Development Programmes – City of Glasgow College
- CodeCraft – NESCOL
Best Educator
- Dr Thomas Hainey – University of the West of Scotland
- Hamid Homatash – Glasgow Caledonian University
- Nick Bell – Edinburgh College
- Mona Bozdog – Abertay University
- Sarah Herzog – Fife College
- Tom Methven – Heriot-Watt University
Best Large-Budget Game
- Super Stretchy Chicken Legs – Ping Creates
- Tray Racers – Bitloom
- Skye Tales – Puny Astronaut
- Agatha Christie: Hercule Poirot – The London Case – Blazing Griffin
- Scathe – Damage State
Best Small-Budget Game
- Rotaboxes – Peter Trizuliak
- Operation: Pinkeye – Stormplay
- Nugget Run – Ping Creates
- The Longest Walk – Alexander Tarvet
- Beerman – VS1 Studio
Creativity
- Voyage of a Lifetime (Sea of Thieves) – Disk Two/Production Attic
- Agatha Christie: Hercule Poirot – The London Case – Blazing Griffin
- Super Stretchy Chicken Legs – Ping Creates
- Marion’s Journey – Chimera Tales
- Skye Tales – Puny Astronaut
Diversity Champion
- Cari Watterton – Rebellion
- Jon Mortimer – Napier University
- Alexander Horowitz – Glasgow School of Art
- Searra Leishman – Hyper Luminal Games
- Professor Ruth Falconer – Abertay University
Lifetime Achievement
- Paul Farley
- Richard Scott, Dana Dorian & Stuart Aitken
- Chris Sawyer
- Mike Dailly
Community Spirit Award (Stewart Gilray)
- Johnny Boyle
- Fergus Coyne
- Neon Hive
- Luci Holland
- Dr Amanda Ford
Technical Achievement
- Venture’s Gauntlet – Bearhammer Games
- Talenoko (Tilt 5) – Blazing Griffin
- Viewfinder – Sad Owl Studios
- Scathe – Damage State
Tools and Technology
- CaptionAssist3D – Arboreta Games
- LisNav – 3finery
- PURE4D – DI4D
- AdInMo – AdInMo
- Game Maker Studio 2 – Opera
Rising Star
- Matthew Aston – Firebolt Games
- Briony Mckelvie – Blazing Griffin
- Ruth Carnegie – Snap Finger Click
- James Paton – Ant Workshop
- Melissa Cocker – Hyper Luminal Games
- Jamie Ferguson – Arboreta Games
- Rach Macpherson – Neon Hive
- Ruari McGhee – Blazing Griffin
- Kayla Wallace – Puny Astronaut
- Dominic Crofts – Ninja Kiwi
- Brodie Templeton – Hyper Luminal Games
- Phoebe Anderson – Hyper Luminal Games
- Dominik Gawron – Cognitive Games
- Charlotte Pang – Chirashi Games
- Richard Wilson – Blackadders LLP
Spirit Of Scotland
- Operation Pinkeye – Stormplay
- Red Rampant – Eclectic Synthesis
- Aonar – Glasgow School of Art
- SEvEN: Seven Voices, One Future – Glasgow University
- Skye Tales – Puny Astronaut
- Nae Danger VR – Pocket Sized Hands
Pure Quality
- The Longest Walk – Alexander Tarvet
- Beat Blocks – Playable Tech
- Bloons TD5 – Ninja Kiwi
- BLINNK and the Vacuum of Space – Changing Day
- Scathe – Damage State