Ukie

🎮 The annual Guildford Games Festival and brand-new Guildford Games Developer Summit, taking place on 14 March are now both sold out. Two hundred attendees will be coming to the Developer Summit to hear from speakers about studio culture and funding, whilst getting access to a raft of industry experts throughout the day. The Festival, taking place at G Live, will feature over 50 games companies in the expo, portfolio workshops and three tracks of industry speakers. Attendees in 2024 surpassed 4,000 people and we’re expecting a similar turnout this year. The Festival is accompanied by a sale on STEAM for the region’s studios. Managed by local hero, Fireblade Software, over 60 games will be featured for the weeklong event, starting on February 10th. https://zurl.co/UfUWo

🏆 The second shortlist is in! We’re pleased to announce the fantastic games businesses that have been shortlisted for the second five categories of the Ukie Video Game Awards. These outstanding nominees showcase the best of the UK games industry - breaking new ground, inspiring players, and driving innovation forward. A big congratulations to everyone who made the shortlist! 📱 Best UK mobile game Maid of Sker (Wales Interactive) Monument Valley 3 (ustwo games) Paper Trail (Newfangled Games) 💻 Best UK PC game Still Wakes the Deep (The Chinese Room) Thank Goodness You're Here (Coal Supper) Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged (Revolution Software) 🎮 Best UK console game LEGO Horizon Adventures (Studio Gobo) Still Wakes the Deep (The Chinese Room) Thank Goodness You're Here (Coal Supper) 🕶️ Best UK mixed reality game (VR, AR, XR) Arcade Paradise VR (Nosebleed Interactive) Just Dance VR (Soul Assembly) Metal: Hellsinger VR (Lab42) 🏆 UK Game of the Year Planet Coaster 2 (Frontier Developments) Still Wakes the Deep (Sumo Digital) Thank Goodness You're Here (Coal Supper) Join us in celebrating their achievements at the Ukie Video Game Awards and show your support for the finalists as we count down to the ceremony on 4th March! #UkieVideoGameAwards #UKGamesIndustry #GameChangers #Supercharged

🏆 The first shortlist is in! We’re thrilled to announce the incredible games businesses that have been shortlisted for the first five categories of the Ukie Video Game Awards. These nominees represent the very best of the UK games industry - pushing boundaries, inspiring players, and driving innovation. A huge congratulations to all those who made the shortlist! 📈 Best UK developer FuturLab Sumo Digital ustwo games 📣 Best UK publisher Chucklefish Playstack Secret Mode ⭐ Rising Star Coal Supper Spilt Milk Studios Tanglewood Games 💚 Sustainability champion Jennifer Estaris (ustwo games) Playground Games Trailmix Games 🫂 Diversity and inclusion champion Code Coven Liz Prince Women in Games Show your support for the finalists at the Ukie Video Game Awards and stay tuned as we celebrate their achievements at the awards ceremony on 4th March. #UkieVideoGameAwards #UKGamesIndustry #GameChangers #Supercharged

🎮 James Bradley, founder of Rocket Flair Studio, is on a mission to transform his passion for city-building games into a self-sustained studio. But as he works to create and publish his own titles, he faces a challenge: building a loyal, engaged community of players for his Dynasty of Sands game, set in Ancient Egypt. In the latest episode of the Ukie and Tencent Games Video Games Growth Programme, James pitches his vision to Nick Poole (CEO, Ukie) and Teddy Keefe (Senior Business Development Manager, Tencent). As James taps into the growing niche of historical city-building games, the judges question how he plans to keep players coming back, with fresh content and a strong monetisation strategy. Will James’s deep connection with his community and unique approach to game design be enough to convince the panel to support his ambitious plans for the future? #Ukie #Tencent #Supercharged #VideoGamesGrowthProgramme

📢 Important update: Video Games Ambassadors Programme Paused After much consideration, Ukie has made the difficult decision to pause the Video Games Ambassadors (VGA) programme for 2025. By pausing the programme, we aim to re-evaluate the programme’s goals and its alignment with Ukie’s broader initiatives, including our Supercharged strategy, as well as ensure the VGA programme is positioned to meet the needs of educators while delivering maximum impact. We also intend to explore funding opportunities and new ways to deliver the programme sustainably in the future. We are optimistic about what lies ahead and thank Into Games as well as all those who have supported the VGA programme. We look forward to sharing updates on the future of the programme later this year. Read our full statement: https://lnkd.in/eJKWXanf

The countdown is officially ON! In just one month, we’ll be rolling out the red carpet at the Ukie Video Game Awards 2025 - sponsored by Green Man Gaming, celebrating the absolute best of the UK games industry. 📅 When: 4th March 2025 📍 Where: Museum of London This year, it’s not just about the awards (though they’re pretty epic!). We’ll also be inducting the newest members into the prestigious UK Games Industry Hall of Fame, honouring the trailblazers who’ve shaped our industry into what it is today. From jaw-dropping nominations to an evening filled with inspiration, camaraderie, and a toast (or two) to the creativity that makes the UK games sector world-class, this is a night you won’t want to miss. Ready to celebrate? Get your tickets today by emailing sam@ukie.org.uk.

The Ukie Student Game Jam returns on 13th-14th March 2025! Are you ready to put your game development skills to the test? Join us for two days of creativity, teamwork, and innovation as student teams from across the UK compete to build an incredible game. With industry mentors, exciting prizes, and a chance to showcase your talent, this is an unmissable opportunity for aspiring game devs! 🗓️ Dates: 13th-14th March 2025 🎯 Who can enter? Teams from Ukie Student Member institutions 🏆 Why join? Gain industry insight, build your portfolio & compete for great prizes! Don't miss out - sign up now and let the game-making begin. https://zurl.co/6qN2f #UkieStudentGameJam #GameJam2025 #StudentDevelopers #IndieDev #GameDev

One month to go until Members Day! We’re excited to invite all Ukie members to this year’s Members Day, a free-to-attend event designed exclusively for our vibrant community of games businesses. This is your chance to gain fresh insights, engage with industry peers, and help shape Ukie's ongoing projects. 🗓 Date: 4th March 2025 📍 Location: Museum of London During the day we'll have a series of different talks, panels, and sessions that cover Ukie's three core campaigns: Elevating games, empowering talent, and energising industry. Sign up and find out how we're supercharging the future of the video games industry: https://zurl.co/6jpHY #Supercharged #MembersDay #VideoGames

🎮 The latest Ukie Download is here! This week we discuss the Chancellor's speech on growth, and why we believe she can press start on growth by enhancing the Video Games Expenditure Credit. There is plenty happening across the industry too, so read on for all the updates and opportunities 👇

🎮Northern Ireland regional kicks off🎮 The Digital Schoolhouse Splatoon 3 tournament with Nintendo Switch regionals has started in Ballymena! Pupils are competing at esports as well as commentating and directing the Twitch stream which can be found @dsh_tv. Drop in and have a look 👀 #esports #digitalfutures #splatoon3 #nintendoswitch