Emerging names dominate Develop Awards

Wide range of winners reflect changes within creative sector

00:35 Thursday 15th July: Innovation was the theme last night, as a batch of rising stars succeeded at a sold-out Develop Awards

Unity Technologies took home the Grand Prix and Technical Innovation prizes, acknowledging the firm's recent influence in an evolving development landscape .

Rovio, the Helsinki developer of much-loved iPhone game Angry Birds, took home Best New Download IP, whilst Guilford-based Hello Games won Best New Studio and Micro Studio.

Elsewhere, Andrew and Paul Gower, founders of the successful Cambridge studio Jagex, received the Development Legends award for their extended and outstanding contribution to the UK's independent development industry over the last 15 years.

Quantic Dream and Rocksteady Studios also took two big awards each; Quantic Dream triumphing in the Independent Studio award and Best New IP for Heavy Rain, and Rocksteady Studios taking the In-House Studio award and Best use of a Licence or IP for Batman: Arkham Asylum.

Channel 4 received the Publishing Hero award for its massive investments in the UK indie development industry.

Over 500 games industry creatives gathered at the Hilton Metropole in Brighton to honour their peers, as Rufus Hound hosted a star-studded evening celebrating the very best in the European development industry.

Now in their eigth year, the Develop Industry Excellence Awards are the only dedicated awards evening for European games developers.

Voted for by a panel of industry experts pooled from the website and magazine's influential and knowledgeable readership, the Develop Awards are a reminder of the skill, creativity and influence of the European development industry.

"This year's role-call of winners is truly impressive," said Michael French, editor, Develop. "Despite the challenges and changes currently making things very tough for the development sector across the globe, those who have taken home awards tonight have demonstrated the resilience and talent that continues to thrive in the UK and Europe.

"The 2010 list of nominees was incredibly strong, making the accomplishments of these companies and individuals even more impressive. We'd like to offer our congratulations to all the winners and the other finalists."

The Develop Awards winners in full:

CREATIVITY

Best New IP
Heavy Rain (Quantic Dream)

Best New Download IP
Angry Birds (Rovio)

Best Use of a Licence or IP
Batman: Arkham Asylum (Rocksteady Studios)

Visual Arts
Split/Second (Black Rock Studio)

Audio Accomplishment
DJ Hero (FreeStyleGames)

Publishing Hero
Channel 4

TECHNOLOGY & SERVICES

Technical Innovation
Unity Engine (Unity Technologies)

Tools Provider
Hansoft

Engine
Unreal Engine 3

Services
Testology

Audio Outsourcer
Side

Visual Outsourcer
Axis Animation

Recruitment Company
Amiqus

STUDIOS

Best New Studio
Hello Games

Micro Studio
Hello Games

Handheld Studio
SCE Cambridge

Business Development
Sony XDev

In-House Studio
Rocksteady Studios

Independent Studio
Quantic Dream

SPECIAL AWARDS

Development Legend
Andrew Gower & Paul Gower (Jagex)

Grand Prix
Unity Technologies

Develop magazine is in a unique position at the games industry's heart, detailing the latest business, coding, art, sound and game design trends, and featuring interviews with the creative and commercial leaders in the field. The magazine is a community brand that allows people at all levels of the business to participate, from QA staff and would-be developers through to studio leaders and those in charge of the global development operations run by the world's biggest publishers.