Gaming
The TIGA Games Industry Award Winners 2022 are revealed!
The great and the good of the games industry were celebrated at the TIGA Games Industry Awards 2022 last night at the historic Church House Westminster in London.
It was the first in-person awards for TIGA since the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 300 games industry VIPs attending to cheer the games, the studios, the universities and the vital service support companies that have excelled over the past year.
Supermassive Games picked up the prestigious Game of the Year award for The Quarry, with the game also winning Best Audio Design. The studio also snapped up a third award – Creativity in Games – for The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes.
ustwo Games stepped on stage twice, winning Best Small Studio, as well as Best Casual Game for Alba: A Wildlife Adventure.
Rebellion was named Best Large Studio, while Kwalee claimed the award for Best Publisher, and Sumo Group was awarded Outstanding Employer of the Year.
A new category – Commitment to CSR – was introduced for 2022, with PlayStation London Studio the first winner of this important award.
Two individuals were presented with awards during the evening. Karen McLoughlin, Group Director of HR at Sumo Group was presented with the Outstanding Leadership Award. Meanwhile, Dovetail Games’ CEO Jon Rissik was named Outstanding Individual of the Year.
The full list of TIGA Games Industry Awards 2022 winners are:
BEST ACTION & ADVENTURE GAME 2022
Sony Interactive Entertainment/Guerrilla Games
Horizon Forbidden West
BEST ARCADE GAME 2022
Space Ape Games
Beatstar – Touch Your Music
BEST CASUAL GAME 2022
ustwo Games
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure
BEST AUDIO DESIGN 2022
Supermassive Games
The Quarry
CREATIVITY IN GAMES 2022
Supermassive Games
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
DIVERSITY 2022
Women in Games
BEST EDUCATIONAL, SERIOUS OR SIMULATION GAME 2022
BBC/Playerthree
Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade
HERITAGE IN GAMES 2022
Antstream
Antstream Arcade
BEST PUZZLE GAME 2022
Cosmonaut Studios
Eternal Threads
BEST SOCIAL GAME 2022
Fireshine Games
Core Keeper
BEST STRATEGY GAME 2022
Creative Assembly
Total War: WARHAMMER III
BEST VISUAL DESIGN 2022
Roll7
OlliOlli World
BEST VR/AR GAME 2022
nDreams
Fracked
BEST ART, ANIMATION OR TRAILER SUPPLIER 2022
Liquid Crimson
BEST AUDIO SERVICES 2022
Soundcuts
BEST EDUCATION INITIATIVE 2022
Staffordshire University
BEST EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION 2022
Birmingham City University
BEST QA PROVIDER 2022
Universally Speaking
BEST TAX & ACCOUNTANCY COMPANY 2022
RSM UK
BEST RECRUITMENT AGENCY 2022
Amiqus
BEST TOOLS, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION 2022
Speech Graphics
BEST LEGAL SERVICES 2022
Eaton Smith LLP
BEST SERVICES PROVIDER 2022
PTW Family of Brands
BEST SMALL STUDIO 2022
ustwo Games
BEST LARGE STUDIO 2022
Rebellion
COMMITMENT TO CSR 2022
PlayStation London Studio
EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR 2022
Sumo Group
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP 2022
Karen McLoughlin, Group Director of HR, Sumo Group
PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR 2022
Kwalee
OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL OF THE YEAR 2022
Jon Rissik, CEO, Dovetail Games
GAME OF THE YEAR 2022
Supermassive Games
The Quarry
Dr Richard Wilson OBE, CEO of TIGA, said: “A huge and hearty congratulations to all the winners of the TIGA Games Industry Awards 2022. They are all worthy winners and it was wonderful to once again celebrate, in-person, the fantastic achievements of the games industry. I would like to thank everyone who entered the Awards. Thank you also to our finalists, judges and to all who joined us on the night. Finally, thank you to the TIGA team and to all our generous sponsors for enabling TIGA to promote and recognise excellence through our Awards.”
SpecialEffect was the Charity Partner for the TIGA Awards. This inspirational organisation transforms the lives of physically disabled people right across the world through the innovative use of technology.
The TIGA Awards were made possible thanks to supporters of the not-for-profit organisation. Sponsors included (Gold Sponsors) Amiqus, Sumo Group, Supermassive Games and Ubisoft; (Silver Sponsors) Abertay University, Airship, Dovetail Games, Games Jobs Direct, Hangar 13, Liquid Crimson, Pearson, Space Ape Games, Staffordshire University, Universally Speaking and the University of Portsmouth; (Bronze Sponsors) Antstream, Avatar Games, Birmingham City University, Bournemouth University, CCP Games, Creative Wales, Eaton Smith LLP, Hot House Music, Invest Newcastle, MMP Tax, Outplay, Payload Studios, PTW, RSM, S-Tech Insurance Services, Stevens & Bolton, Tazman Audio, Testronic and Worldmakers; plus (Drinks Sponsor) Kwalee.
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eSports
Study: 400m Gen Z esports fans say brand activations drive purchases
EFG, Hero Esports and Niko Partners survey 8,000 fans across eight markets; 74% report ads and brand presence influence buying.
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), Hero Esports and Niko Partners have released a multi-country Gen Z esports study claiming around 400 million Gen Z consumers (20%) regularly engage with esports. The findings were published on 25th June 2026 in Cannes, France, in a white paper titled The Esports Generation: Who They Are & Why They Spend.
The report is based on survey data from 8,000 Gen Z esports fans aged 13-30 across eight markets. It positions esports as a high-attention channel for brands: 85% of respondents said they notice branding in esports, while 74% self-reported that advertising and brand participation in gaming spaces influences their purchasing behaviour. The study also reports that 66% have bought a product following a collaboration or co-branding partnership with an esports team, game or player.
On consumption and fandom touchpoints, the study found 71% regularly watch gaming content, including 66% who watch gaming livestreams and 33% who watch or listen to gaming podcasts. It also points to offline reach: 21% said they regularly attend gaming conventions and esports events, with the average respondent attending at least one in-person event in the past nine months.
The white paper also breaks out claimed purchase categories linked to esports collaborations over the past year, led by food and beverage (33%), electronics (33%) and fashion (32%). Beyond core categories, it reports 28% bought esports-related collectibles, 17% purchased makeup, beauty, or skincare products, and 10% bought from partnered brands in other categories.
Niccolo Maisto, CEO at ESL FACEIT Group said: “Esports has evolved into one of the most effective channels for companies looking to connect with Gen Z audiences at scale. What makes it unique is not just its reach, but the depth of engagement and trust that exists between fans, players, teams, and events. This research shows that esports fans are highly invested participants, not passive viewers, creating an opportunity for brands that show up authentically and build meaningful and lasting connections with this key audience.”
Danny Tang, Co-Founder and CEO of Hero Esports said: “This whitepaper confirms what we at Hero Esports have long believed: esports has evolved into a global cultural and economic force. The data shows an audience that is young, diverse, and deeply engaged. For brands, the message is clear—esports is no longer a niche market; it is the premier platform to connect with the next generation of consumers. We are proud to partner with Niko Partners and EFG to provide this blueprint for understanding and succeeding in this dynamic industry.”
Lisa Hanson, CEO at Niko Partners said: “Our data shows that, much like fans of other sports, Gen Z esports fans are incredibly passionate and have formed strong bonds within their communities. However, their media and consumer affinities extend well beyond gaming and esports, with our research revealing naturally connected interest areas that create valuable overlapping opportunities for brands and partners that show up authentically in this ecosystem.”
The post Study: 400m Gen Z esports fans say brand activations drive purchases appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Compliance
HIPTHER Launches HALLO: The Standard in Compliance Expertise
HIPTHER has launched HALLO (Highly Aligned Leaders in Legal Operations), a new platform designed to help organizations find and engage compliance professionals, legal operations experts and industry vendors. The company announced the launch in Europe.
HIPTHER said HALLO brings together a professional directory, industry intelligence hub, community platform and visibility tools aimed at sectors including gaming, fintech, payments, AI, cybersecurity, digital identity, AML and blockchain. The platform includes an Individual Professional Membership and an Enterprise Membership, with HIPTHER stating that all memberships include a 14-day free trial.
Alongside membership options, HIPTHER said compliance professionals can create free, publicly visible “Expert” profiles outlining experience and areas of specialization, with additional premium visibility opportunities available. The company positioned the platform as a way for organizations to discover and evaluate qualified compliance and legal operations expertise.
A core feature at launch is “HALLO Resources,” which HIPTHER described as an open-access compliance intelligence section that aggregates more than 17,000 regulatory and compliance-focused articles from the HIPTHER media network. HIPTHER said the section is updated daily, includes search by topic, jurisdiction and keyword, and covers areas such as gaming, fintech, AI, payments, AML, digital policy, cybersecurity and regulatory affairs.
Zoltan Tuendik, Co-Founder & Head of Business at HIPTHER, said: “Navigating the modern regulatory landscape requires more than just standard legal advice; it demands highly specialized, agile compliance expertise. With the launch of HALLO, we are bridging the critical gap between organizations facing complex global standards and the elite professionals who can guide them through. By combining an active directory with a massive intelligence hub, we are setting a new standard for compliance collaboration and empowering businesses to move forward with absolute confidence.”
HIPTHER also linked HALLO to its conference and media activities, including advertising and thought leadership opportunities through the Wayseers Booklet, an annual handbook it said is distributed at HIPTHER conferences in Europe and reaches more than 1,500 professionals across gaming, fintech, AI, compliance and regulatory sectors.
The post HIPTHER Launches HALLO: The Standard in Compliance Expertise appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
1xBet
HLTV Awards returns to Belgrade on January 9, 2027, adding Lifetime Achievement honor
HLTV will stage the HLTV Awards presented by 1xBet in Belgrade, Serbia on January 9, 2027, returning to the Sava Center. The company said more than 1,000 players, industry professionals, creators, and fans are expected to attend.
HLTV also confirmed Dust2 creator David Johnston will feature as an award announcer. HLTV linked the booking to the 25th anniversary of Dust2.
For 2026, HLTV is updating its Hall of Fame process and eligibility rules. Four players will be inducted again, with “at least two and up to three” slots reserved for players from the Counter-Strike 1.6 and early eras. HLTV also removed the former “neo rule,” allowing players to be inducted for their playing careers even if they remain active in other roles such as coaching.
HLTV is adding a Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be decided by the Hall of Fame Board. The ceremony will also move Community Awards onto the main stage show for the first time, rather than the pre-show segment.
Separately, HLTV will kick off the 2027 Awards season with an invite-only “HLTV Awards by 1xBet Launch Party x GRID” in Cologne during the Major. HLTV said industry members can apply for an invite to the ceremony via its awards page.
The post HLTV Awards returns to Belgrade on January 9, 2027, adding Lifetime Achievement honor appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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