Recognising talent lifts the whole industry, which is why we are proud to step on-stage this year as headline sponsor of the 2025 MCV/DEVELOP Awards. From recruitment specialists to breakthrough games, the ceremony (19 June, Royal Lancaster London) remains a staple on the UK calendar. We are thrilled to help celebrate the people who keep our sector thriving.
The Scorecard Challenge—A Little Extra Sparkle
To keep the evening lively, every table will find a scorecard. Simply mark who you think will win each category; the guest with the most correct predictions walks away with prosecco for the whole table. Quick, fun, and perfectly sized for that pre-starter debate. (Pens and bragging rights supplied.)
2025 Shortlist—Good Luck to All!
DEVELOPMENT ESSENTIALS
- Recruitment Agency: Aardvark Swift, Amiqus, Big Planet, Datascope, Skillsearch
- Creative Partner: Big Farmer, Fire Without Smoke, Fluid, Liquid Crimson, Portal, Project N, Room 8 Group, We Are Reach
- Service Partner: 1minus1, Airship Interactive, Code Wizards, Eaton Smith LLP, Keywords Studios, Pingle Studio, PressEngine, Testronic
- Strategic Partner: Bastion, GG Insurance Services, Heaven Media, Mishcon de Reya LLP, RSM UK, Urban Ledgers LTD, Xsolla
STUDIOS & PUBLISHING
- Major Studio: Auroch Digital, Codemasters, Frontier Developments, Larian Studios, Ninja Theory, Rebellion
- Indie Studio: Balloon Studios, BetaJester, Dlala Studios, FuturLab, Gameloft, Nosebleed Interactive, Radical Forge, Snap Finger Click, Team Junkfish, ustwo Games
- Co-Development Studio: Auroch Digital, Electric Square & Lively Group, Flix Interactive, Huey Games, Side, Tanglewood Games, Third Kind Games
- Major Publisher: Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, Nintendo, Outright Games, Rebellion, SEGA, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Xbox Game Studios
- Indie Publisher: Fireshine Games, Playtonic Friends, Secret Mode, Slitherine, Wired Productions
DISTRIBUTION & RETAIL
- Distributor: Click Entertainment Ltd, Exertis Ztorm, Game Outlet Europe, GENBA DIGITAL, Green Man Gaming, PLAION
- Retailer: Amazon, Argos, Currys, EE, Fanatical, Green Man Gaming, Smyths Toys
INNOVATION IN GAMES
- Hardware: Evercade Alpha Bartop Arcade Machine, Gioteck FR5 Racing Wheel, Turtle Beach Stealth Pivot Controller, Victrix Pro Leverless Fight Stick
- Visual: Botany Manor, LEGO Horizon Adventures, Loco Motive, Songs of Silence, Thank Goodness You’re Here!, The Plucky Squire
- Audio: Botany Manor, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Still Wakes the Deep, Thank Goodness You’re Here!
- Accessibility: Botany Manor, Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars, LEGO Horizon Adventures, Paper Trail, Sea of Thieves, Sensua’s Saga: Hellblade II
- Narrative: Farewell North, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, KARMA: The Dark World, Sensua’s Saga: Hellblade II, Still Wakes the Deep, Thank Goodness You’re Here!
- Gameplay: Botany Manor, DeathSprint 66, Paper Trail, Parcel Corps, Thank Goodness You’re Here!, The Plucky Squire
- Ongoing Innovation: Frontier Developments- Elite Dangerous, Futurlab- PowerWash Simulator, Hello Games- No Man’s Sky, Jagex- RuneScape, Rare- Sea of Thieves
REACHING AUDIENCES
- Media Brand: A Profound Waste of Time, EDGE, Lost in Cult, Press X To Continue Podcast, Debug, VG247, Video Games Chronicle
- PR Agency: 71 Consulting, Bastion, Big Games Machine, Heaven Media, Honest PR, Noisy Communications, Premier Comms, Renaissance PR, Swipe Right PR
- Campaign: Kingdom Come Deliverance II (PLAION/YRS TRULY); Make Green Moves (PlanetPlay); S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 (GSC/Renaissance PR); Still Wakes the Deep (Secret Mode/Guillotine/Chinese Room); Storage Hunter Simulator (Plan of Attack); Access-Ability Summer Showcase (Access-Ability)
- Event: 42nd Golden Joystick Awards, Bonus Stage: A Celebration of the Music of Video Games, Develop:Brighton, Game Dev Heroes, guildford.games Festival, London Games Festival, RuneFest
INTERNATIONAL
- Global Business Excellence: Aonic, Electric Square & Lively Group, Fireshine, Hasbro, Room 8 Group, Side, Virtuos, Xsolla
- Outstanding Association: Games London, guildford.games ltd, Hubworld Scotland, Into Games, Limit Break, Safe in our World, Women in Games
(Full shortlist at mcvdevelopawards.com)
Here’s to a Night of Industry Pride
Every finalist represents hard graft, late nights and boundless creativity. From all of us at Green Man Gaming: congratulations, good luck, and see you under the chandeliers. Don’t forget to fill in your scorecard—your table’s celebratory bubbles might depend on it!
