The NI Game Awards returns this Saturday with an online show featuring the best of Northern Ireland's growing games industry, and special guests.
Northern Ireland has become well-known worldwide for its role in the film industry through hits such as Game of Thrones, and now it's starting to become known for its growing game development scene. The past few years has seen an explosion of new game development studios and some major deals for the region.
The annual NI Game Awards is normally one of the biggest in-person events of the local industry calendar, but it didn't take place last year due to Covid-19. This year the awards are back and bigger than ever, with a virtual award show kicking off this Saturday March 6th at 7PM on the NI Game Dev twitch channel at https://www.twitch.tv/nigamedev
RELATED: NI Game Awards 2021 now open for nominations
This year's awards will be presented by the NI Game Dev Network with support from Northern Ireland Screen. Special hosts include "How (Not) To Make a Game Podcast" host Stuart Neill and local full-time Twitch streamer Kirsty “Psyche” Mawhinney joining from Belfast. They'll be joined by Jonny Cullen, Editor-in-Chief of local games industry site PlayDiaries, from Derry/Londonderry.
The Irish Video Game Orchestra will perform a medley of soundtracks from some of the video games developed by local studios, in collaboration with orchestra conductor Robert Martin and local video game composer Richard Campbell. Local award-winning and BAFTA-nominated chiptune composer Chipzel (Niamh Houston) will also be performing live after the award presentations.
RELATED: Video game industry now worth £117bn, with pay on the rise
The awards will shine a spotlight on the individuals and studios making fantastic games right here in Northern Ireland, with 38 games, studios and individuals being shortlisted in six different categories. The winners will be selected by a combination of public votes and an international panel of games industry experts.
UPDATE: Chipzel has unfortunately had to pull out of this event due to unforseen family circumstances. See the NI Game Awards twitter for updates.
Source: Written based on press release
