TIGA Awards success for Abertay University
Abertay University won the Best Educational Institute at the glittering TIGA Games Industry Awards last night, held at Pinewood Studios.
Abertay students also took the Best Student Game award for Wee Paper Planes (by Pixel Blimp), while Mr Shingu’s Paper Zoo (by Stormcloud Games) – a game supported by the Abertay University Prototype Fund – won Best Casual Game (Small Studio).
The sold-out ceremony celebrated excellence in the UK games industry, with categories covering design, originality and the business of games.
The public category of TIGA Game of The Year Award saw 10,500 votes cast, with Hungry Shark Evolution by Future Games of London taking the award.
Professor Louis Natanson, who leads computer games education at Abertay University, said:
“Winning the TIGA Award for Best Educational Institute is a huge honour for Abertay University, and one that recognises the hard work of all of my teaching and research colleagues.
“Abertay is very focused on the delivery of excellence in industry-relevant education for our students, so they can step into a games company and be a productive, creative member of staff from day one.
“Increasingly, we see these students starting their own businesses, many right here in Dundee, and that is a major sign that our focus, and their hard work, is paying off. Young companies like Pixel Blimp and Stormcloud Games are creating incredible games, and both richly deserve their TIGA Awards.
“I’d like to thank TIGA and the award judges for their support, and once again congratulate all the games staff at Abertay who share this award.”
Dr Richard Wilson, TIGA CEO, commented:
“This year has seen the best TIGA Games Industry Awards yet, which is particularly encouraging given the TIGA Awards are especially designed to celebrate the best in creativity, technological innovation and games business at all levels and in all sectors of the UK games industry.
“We wanted to reward the achievements of everyone that contributes to the UK’s games business. Given the incredibly high standards of all this year’s entries, especially the finalists, meant picking winners was harder than ever for our judges.”
Abertay University created the world’s first Computer Games Technology degree in 1997 and today holds the most Creative Skillset accreditation for computer games courses in the UK, a major industry recognition of our educational approach.