{"id":2191,"date":"2026-10-03T22:41:24","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T22:41:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tcjsj.com\/?p=2191"},"modified":"2026-10-03T22:41:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T22:41:24","slug":"uk-gaming-industry-celebrates-workplace-excellence-at-2026-best-places-to-work-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tcjsj.com\/?p=2191","title":{"rendered":"UK Gaming Industry Celebrates Workplace Excellence at 2026 Best Places to Work Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"

The UK games industry gathered at the historic Royal Institution in London on October 1, 2026, to celebrate the companies and individuals setting the gold standard for workplace culture. The annual UK Best Places to Work Awards served as a significant industry barometer, highlighting twenty-five organizations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the welfare, development, and overall satisfaction of their employees.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s ceremony followed the high-level GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit, an event that drew 79 representatives from 41 distinct entities. The summit provided a vital platform for stakeholders\u2014ranging from AAA powerhouses and agile independent studios to specialized consultancy firms, training providers, and educational institutes\u2014to engage in transparent, high-level discussions about the challenges and opportunities facing the modern workforce.<\/p>\n

The awards themselves were determined through a rigorous, data-driven methodology. Winners were selected based on a comprehensive evaluation process where an internal employee survey accounted for 80% of the final score, while a detailed company survey provided the remaining 20%. This weighting ensures that the accolades are not merely representative of management\u2019s vision, but are deeply rooted in the lived experience of the staff on the ground.<\/p>\n

The evening was made possible through the support of key industry partners, including Amiqus, Playground Games, IO Interactive, Games London, and Special Effect. Their sponsorship underscored a shared industry-wide commitment to fostering environments where creative talent can thrive sustainably.<\/p>\n

\"Winners<\/figure>\n

Reflecting on the synergy between the summit and the awards, Liz Prince MBE, Business Manager at Amiqus, noted the importance of moving from dialogue to implementation. "What makes these events especially valuable is how well they complement each other," Prince observed. "The HR Summit creates space for honest discussions, shared learning, and new ideas, while the Best Places To Work Awards shine a spotlight on the studios and businesses that are turning those ideas into action. Bringing the industry together to both learn from each other and celebrate success helps raise standards for everyone, and we’re proud to play a part in that."<\/p>\n

The sentiments of the sponsors were echoed by Paul Evans, Director of HR and Recruitment at Playground Games. "We\u2019re proud to support GamesIndustry.biz in recognizing the UK\u2019s best mid-sized video game studios," Evans stated. "These are not only teams that are creating brilliant games, but studios who are also setting the standard for what a great place to work looks like in our industry."<\/p>\n

A standout moment of the evening was the presentation of the G Into Gaming award, which honors an individual who has made a significant impact on diversity and inclusion within the sector. This year, the honor was bestowed upon Jo Haslam, the current Design Director at Snap Finger Click. Haslam, whose illustrious career has included pivotal roles at the BBC, Relentless, and Mediatonic, was lauded by Liz Prince for her leadership style. Presenting the award, Prince described Haslam as "one of those rare people who leads with both empathy and action in perfect unison," calling her an "inspiring woman and a natural leader." <\/p>\n

It was a banner night for Snap Finger Click, which not only celebrated Haslam\u2019s personal achievement but also secured a Best Places to Work Award and the prestigious Diversity Award, cementing their reputation as a leader in creating an inclusive environment.<\/p>\n

\"Winners<\/figure>\n

Other special recognitions reflected the industry\u2019s growing focus on social and environmental responsibility. Rare once again secured the Environmental Award, a category sponsored by Games London that recognizes studios making tangible efforts to reduce their carbon footprint and promote sustainable practices. Meanwhile, the Middlesbrough-based independent studio Dink received the Education Award. Presented by IO Interactive\u2019s Chief Development Officer, Veronique Lallier, the award recognized the studio\u2019s efforts in fostering educational pathways and supporting talent development.<\/p>\n

The event served as a reminder that the health of the UK games industry is inextricably linked to the quality of life enjoyed by its creators. By acknowledging the twenty-five companies that excelled in small, mid-sized, and large categories, the 2026 awards provided a roadmap for other studios to follow. Whether through improved flexible working arrangements, robust mental health support, or proactive training initiatives, the winning companies have demonstrated that employee satisfaction is a critical component of commercial and creative success.<\/p>\n

As the industry continues to evolve, the demand for better working practices has become a central pillar of recruitment and retention strategies. The success of studios like Hangar 13, Jagex, NaturalMotion Games, and others recognized at the event, demonstrates that the industry is increasingly prioritizing long-term sustainability over short-term burnout. <\/p>\n

For those looking to understand the current state of workplace culture in the UK, the 2026 winners list serves as a definitive directory of organizations that are investing heavily in their most valuable asset: their people. By facilitating these conversations and celebrating these achievements, the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit and the Best Places to Work Awards continue to play a pivotal role in professionalizing and humanizing the sector. <\/p>\n

\"Winners<\/figure>\n

The organizers have encouraged the industry to review the full list of winners and engage with the resources provided to ensure that these standards of excellence are maintained and replicated across the wider development community. For those who were unable to attend the proceedings at the Royal Institution, a comprehensive gallery documenting the ceremony and the winners is available via the GamesIndustry.biz website, offering a visual testament to a night dedicated to progress, empathy, and professional excellence in gaming.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The UK games industry gathered at the historic Royal Institution in London on October 1, 2026, to celebrate the companies and individuals setting the gold standard for workplace culture. The annual UK Best Places to Work Awards served as a significant industry barometer, highlighting twenty-five organizations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the welfare, development, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":2190,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[304],"tags":[1140,232,2262,308,307,3547,305,685,3549,306,414,1707],"class_list":["post-2191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gaming","tag-awards","tag-best","tag-celebrates","tag-consoles","tag-esports","tag-excellence","tag-gaming","tag-industry","tag-places","tag-video-games","tag-work","tag-workplace"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tcjsj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tcjsj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tcjsj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tcjsj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tcjsj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2191"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tcjsj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2191\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tcjsj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2190"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tcjsj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tcjsj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tcjsj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}