The Scottish Games Awards have unveiled its final list of nominees, with over 110 entries received across 15 categories. According to the organisers, this year’s cohort was the most diverse range of entries ever received for the competition. 

The nominees will now advance to the judging panel to undergo evaluation. The panel plays the games, deliberates over their merits, and discusses the final shortlist of candidates for each category. 

“The quality of entrants is impressively high this year, perfectly demonstrating the games industry talent that can be found around Scotland,” said games journalist and author Chris Scullion, who chairs the judging panel this year.

“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.”

This year’s event has introduced new award categories, with the ‘rising star’ category emerging as a favourite. Additionally, a ‘spirit of Scotland’ award, which incorporates elements  of Scottish history, culture, or language, received enthusiastic participation, along with the ‘pure quality’ award which  acknowledges success outside the commercial realm.

The ‘rising star’ category emphasises the importance of nurturing talent pipelines across colleges and universities, according to the organisers. Impressively, the category had over 20 entries, and many nominees in the category received multiple nominations.

Brian Baglow, 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.”

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The full list of nominees for the 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

•   Rotoboxes – Noon
•   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

•   Carri 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 – Matt Stark
•   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