The 2026 UK Best Places to Work Awards were held on 1 October at the historic Royal Institution in London, celebrating the organisations that excel in creating supportive and thriving workplaces within the video‑games sector. The evening featured a slate of special recognitions, with Dink, Hangar 13, Jagex: The RuneScape Company, NaturalMotion Games, Rare and Snap Finger Click each receiving a dedicated award for their unique contributions. The ceremony followed the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit, a gathering that attracted 79 delegates representing 41 different companies. Attendees spanned the full spectrum of the industry, from AAA powerhouses and mid‑tier studios to independent developers, as well as HR consultancies, training organisations and academic institutions.
The summit provided a forum for candid discussion about talent acquisition, retention, wellbeing and the evolving expectations of game‑industry professionals. At the heart of the awards night were the core Best Places to Work categories, which honoured a total of 25 studios across three size brackets – small, mid‑sized and large.
Winners were selected using a dual‑assessment model: an employee‑led survey contributed 80 % of the overall score, while a separate company questionnaire accounted for the remaining 20 %. This methodology ensured that both staff sentiment and organisational policies were reflected in the final verdicts. Key sponsors of the 2026 awards included Amiqus, Playground Games, IO Interactive, Games London and Special Effect, each of which played a vital role in making the event possible.
Liz Prince MBE, Business Manager at Amiqus, highlighted the synergy between the HR Summit and the awards ceremony, stating, "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." Playground Games’ Director of HR & Recruitment, Paul Evans, echoed this sentiment, noting, "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." His remarks underscored the growing awareness that a studio’s reputation for employee wellbeing is now as important as the quality of its games.
Among the individual accolades, the G Into Gaming award was presented to Jo Haslam, who now serves as Design Director at Snap Finger Click after a distinguished career at Mediatonic, Relentless and the BBC. Liz Prince MBE described Haslam as "one of those rare people who leads with both empathy and action in perfect unison" and praised her as "an inspiring woman and a natural leader." In addition to the personal honour, Snap Finger Click walked away with both a Best Places to Work award and the Diversity Award for 2026, reflecting its commitment to inclusive hiring practices and a supportive workplace culture.
Rare secured the Environmental Award for a second consecutive year, a prize sponsored by Games London that recognises studios taking concrete steps to reduce their carbon footprint and promote sustainability throughout the development pipeline. Meanwhile, the education‑focused award was claimed by the Middlesbrough indie studio Dink, presented by Veronique Lallier, Chief Development Officer at IO Interactive. Dink’s win highlighted the importance of mentorship programmes, apprenticeship opportunities and partnerships with local educational institutions. The full roster of winners spanned a diverse cross‑section of the industry: **Small‑size category** - Fireshine Games - Lively - MLC Studio - Playstack - Silent Games - Snap Finger Click - Stellar Entertainment Software - Swipe Right - Tanglewood Games - Uplift Games **Mid‑size category** - Behaviour Interactive UK - Electric Square - Expression Games - Fenris Creations - Hangar 13 (winner) - HundredStar Games - Kinetic Games - Maverick Games - Rare - Studio Gobo - Wushu Studios **Large‑size category** - Frontier Developments - Jagex: The RuneScape Company (winner) - Playground Games - TT Games **Special recognitions** - Jo Haslam, Snap Finger Click (G Into Gaming award) - Rare (Environmental Award) - Dink (Education Award) - Leah Wilson, IO Interactive (Diversity Award winner) Additional notable mentions included Jagex, NaturalMotion Games, Rocksteady Studios and Two Point Studios, all of which were shortlisted in various categories, underscoring the depth of talent and commitment across the UK gaming landscape.
Photographs from the evening, along with a complete list of nominees and winners, are available in the accompanying gallery on the event page. The awards not only celebrate current achievements but also set a benchmark for future studios striving to foster environments where creativity, wellbeing and professional growth can flourish together.