The 2026 edition of the UK Best Places to Work Awards was staged at the historic Royal Institution in London on the 1st of October. The evening celebrated a selection of studios and companies that have demonstrated a genuine commitment to their people, with special recognitions handed out to Dink, Hangar 13, Jagex: The RuneScape Company, NaturalMotion Games, Rare and Snap Finger Click. The awards ceremony followed the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit, an event that attracted 79 delegates representing 41 organisations across the sector. Attendees included representatives from AAA publishers, mid‑tier and independent studios, as well as HR consultancies, training providers and academic institutions.
The summit provided a platform for candid discussion about workplace culture, talent development and the challenges facing the games industry in a rapidly evolving market. The core Best Places to Work Awards honoured a total of 25 companies, divided into three size‑based categories – small, mid‑size and large enterprises.
Winners were selected on the basis of a dual‑survey methodology: an employee‑focused questionnaire contributed 80 % of the final score, while a separate company‑completed survey accounted for the remaining 20 %. This balanced approach ensured that both staff perception and organisational policy were reflected in the results.
Sponsorship for the 2026 awards came from a range of industry leaders, including Amiqus, Playground Games, IO Interactive, Games London and Special Effect. Their support underscored the importance of recognising workplaces that not only produce great games but also foster environments where staff can thrive.
Liz Prince MBE, Business Manager at Amiqus, highlighted the synergy between the HR Summit and the awards ceremony: “What makes these events especially valuable is how well they complement each other. 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.” Paul Evans, Director of HR & Recruitment at Playground Games, echoed this sentiment, saying, “We’re proud to support GI.Biz in recognising the UK’s best mid‑sized video game studios. 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.” Among the individual accolades, the G Into Gaming award was presented to Jo Haslam, Design Director at Snap Finger Click. Haslam’s career spans notable roles at Mediatonic, Relentless and the BBC, and she was praised by Liz Prince MBE as “one of those rare people who leads with both empathy and action in perfect unison” and “an inspiring woman and a natural leader.” Snap Finger Click also secured a Best Places to Work Award and the Diversity Award for the year, reinforcing its reputation as an inclusive and forward‑thinking studio.
Rare once again claimed the Environmental Award, a category sponsored by Games London, reflecting the studio’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and eco‑friendly practices within game development. Meanwhile, the education‑focused award was won by Middlesbrough indie Dink, presented by Veronique Lallier, Chief Development Officer at IO Interactive, recognizing the studio’s contributions to learning and talent development in the region. The complete roster of winners spans a diverse mix of developers and publishers: - Fireshine Games - Lively - MLC Studio - Playstack - Silent Games - Snap Finger Click - Stellar Entertainment Software - Swipe Right - Tanglewood Games - Uplift Games - Behaviour Interactive UK - Electric Square - Expression Games - Fenris Creations - Hangar 13 - HundredStar Games - Kinetic Games - Maverick Games - Rare - Studio Gobo - Wushu Studios - Frontier Developments - Jagex: The RuneScape Company - Playground Games - TT Games - Jo Haslam, Snap Finger Click - Jagex: The RuneScape Company (winner) - NaturalMotion Games - Playground Games - Rocksteady Studios - Wushu Studios - Maverick Games - NaturalMotion Games - Rare - Snap Finger Click (winner) - Dink (winner) - Electric Square - Jagex: The RuneScape Company - Rocksteady Studios - Two Point Studios - NaturalMotion Games - Playground Games - Rare (winner) - Rocksteady Studios - Behaviour Interactive UK - Hangar 13 (winner) - NaturalMotion Games - Rare - Rocksteady Studios - Behaviour Interactive UK - Jagex: The RuneScape Company - NaturalMotion Games (winner) - Playground Games - Yvonne Dawes, Frontier Developments - Tuoya Joe, HundredStar Games - Gary Martin, Jagex: The RuneScape Company - Carmen Martino, Playstack - Anna Stone, Playground Games - Leah Wilson, IO Interactive (winner) A full photo gallery of the ceremony and a detailed breakdown of each category’s criteria are available on the event’s official page.
The awards not only celebrate current achievements but also set a benchmark for future employers in the UK games sector, encouraging a culture where creativity, well‑being and sustainability go hand in hand.