Categories

This year’s categories have been expertly curated to ensure that whatever it is that you do best, you have an opportunity to shine.

Click the relevant category below for full criteria. If you have any queries about the suitability of your nominee and the appropriate category for them,
please get in touch with the team.

Creative Impact 2023

This award recognises creative achievements in games development over the last year – including (but not limited to) art & animation, music & sound design, game & level design, plus writing & narrative design. This award is for an individual who has been working in games development for more than four years. 

Entry Criteria:

Please provide examples of creative success over the last year:

  • Include details of projects, or areas of projects, that the nominee has led or contributed to
  • Illustrate how this person’s involvement helped titles achieve critical or commercial success 
  • Demonstrate how this person has supported their colleagues and helped others in the team fulfil their potential

 

Technical Innovation 2023

This award recognises technical achievements in games development over the last 12 months – including (but not limited to) programming, live ops, IT support, appropriate VFX and those working on development tools – either internally or for commercial use. This award is for an individual who has been working in games development for more than four years. 

Entry Criteria:

Please provide examples of creative success over the last year:

  • Include details of projects, or areas of projects, that the nominee has led or contributed to
  • Illustrate how this person’s involvement helped titles achieve critical or commercial success 
  • Demonstrate how this person has supported their colleagues and helped others in the team fulfil their potential
Comms Impact 2023

This award recognises an individual’s achievements in bringing games to the public over the last year, including those working in marketing, PR, events, esports, influencer and creative agencies, plus any other communications-related roles. Nominees must have been working in the games industry for more than four years.

Entry criteria:

Please provide a summary of achievements including, but not limited to:

  • Examples of how this person has achieved success over the past year, with details of any practices, policies and projects they have spearheaded 
  • Examples of creative thinking in designing, developing or implementing campaigns or events
  • Where possible, figures showing the resulting impact of the activity. These will remain confidential to the MCV/DEVELOP team and Women in Games judging panel

 

In-House HR and Recruitment Impact 2023

This award recognises the achievements of someone who manages gaming’s greatest resource – its people. The winner will have worked in gaming recruitment or HR for at least four years, consistently finding the right person for the right role, or helping to establish teams and practises that encourage greater equality, diversity, accessibility, creativity, and teamwork. 

Entry Criteria:

Please provide a summary of achievements including, but not limited to:

  • Examples of how this person has established or advanced best practices for a healthy and productive working environment 
  • Examples of where successful candidates have thrived in their new roles, thanks to this person’s determined recommendation over the last year
Development Impact 2023

This award recognises exceptional talent in games development and design over the last 12 months. This award is for an individual who has been working in games development for at least four years.

Entry Criteria:

Please provide a summary of achievements in the games development sector, including but not limited to:

  • Ideas this person has spearheaded
  • Technical skills this person has acquired
  • Examples of how these skills and ideas have been successfully implemented in the development of a game
Esports impact 2023

This award aims to recognise those working in esports that have been pivotal in driving forward the sustainable success of teams, competitions, or across esports as a whole. This award is for an individual who has been involved in esports for more than four years.

Entry Criteria:

Please provide a summary of achievements including, but not limited to:

  • Details of how this person has made a difference to an esports organisation, whether in terms of its commercial or sporting success

  • Examples of where this person has supported and directly influenced esports during the last year

Business Impact 2023

This award recognises an executive working in the business/commercial side of the games industry.They will have had a stellar 12 months in terms of driving a company forward or generating significant revenues. This award is for an individual who is working in any (non-development) role. Nominees must have been working in the games industry for more than four years.

Entry criteria:

Please provide a summary of achievements, including but not limited to:

 

  • Examples of exceptional achievements as part of this person’s role.
  • Examples of how this person has achieved commercial success over the past year, with details of any practices, policies and projects they have spearheaded
  • Details of this person’s management style, and,  where possible, include testimonials from colleagues and clients in regards to their leadership talents and business acumen
  • Details of projects the nominee has contributed to, with examples of how their input affected the success of the project
  • Examples of skills and experience they have gained to date
Journalism Impact 2023

Whether you work in print, online, in video, or any other format, if you have something to say and an audience who listens and trusts you then this award recognises your contribution to the industry. This award will highlight an individual who is using their voice to positively build the industry as well as hold it to account when needed. Their work should be inspirational and sometimes ground breaking in its approach, tone and focus. 

Entry criteria:

Please provide a summary of achievements including, but not limited to:

  • Examples of work – the focus can be reportage, investigation, comment or criticism. The work could show evidence of bringing newsworthy information to light, bring a new perspective to a community, or change the perception of the industry in a positive way 
  • Evidence of strong engagement across the nominees platforms of choice
  • 1-3 testimonials from individuals within the industry as to this person’s professionalism, impact and relationships within the industry

 

Career Mentor 2023

This award recognises an individual who is dedicated to encouraging and mentoring others in the games industry. Be that internally as part of a studio, working in formal education, or through running events or meetups.

Entry criteria:

Please provide a summary of achievements including, but not limited to:

  • Details of how this person has made a difference to the careers and aspirations of others
  • Examples of circumstances in which this person has supported and directly influenced the achievements of someone else

 

Games Campaigner 2023

This award recognises women working who are actively campaigning for greater diversity in the games industry or who are using games to speak out on broader social issues affecting women. Nominees will successfully occupy the space between the industry and the consumer, influencing the perception of the video games industry by the rest of the world. 

In particular, nominations should include details regarding:

  • Positive promotion of video games – the nominee’s involvement in positively promoting the video games industry in the mainstream media via multiple channels and mediums
  • Force for change – evidence of the contribution of the nominee’s efforts to use video games as a force for change, inclusion, education or improvement 
  • Nominations should include case studies/examples of the above, and if possible, testimonials from colleagues and/or clients in support of the nomination.

 

Outstanding Contribution 2023

This award reflects upon the life of someone who has had a lengthy and successful career in the games industry. Winners will have consistently made positive contributions to the games industry, commercially or creatively, while enabling and inspiring others in the industry to succeed. 

Entry criteria:

Please include examples of this person’s long term impact on the games industry. This could be demonstrated by some of the following:

  • Financial success in terms of products and the fortunes of a company
  • Exceptional creative impact in the world of development
  • Leadership within their team, organisation and/or the wider industry
  • Assisting with industry charity efforts
  • Evangelism for the games industry to the wider world, including television spots and political debates
Educational Impact 2023

This award aims to recognise those working in education that strive to make their class or department a centre of excellence, either by providing guidance or mentoring, by developing a top-class curriculum, or by securing the best facilities possible. This award is for an individual who has been working in games education for more than four years.

Entry criteria:

Please provide a summary of achievements including, but not limited to:

  • Details of how this person has made a difference to the learning and career potential of students

  • Examples of circumstances in which this person has supported and directly influenced the learning achievements of students, especially from less privileged backgrounds or with challenging conditions

Rising Star 2023

This award recognises an exceptional new talent; someone who has made an immediate impact since joining the games industry less than four years ago, and who is clearly destined for even greater things in the years ahead.

Entry Criteria:

Please provide a summary of achievements, including but not limited to:

 

  • Examples of exceptional achievements as part of this person’s role.
  • Details of projects the nominee has contributed to, with examples of how their input affected the success of the project
  • Examples of skills and experience they have gained to date

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