The UK Best Places to Work Awards 2025 took place at the Royal Institution in London on October 2, with special awards going to Behaviour Interactive, NaturalMotion, Observer Interactive, Maverick Games, Rare, and Wushu Studios.

The awards ceremony took place after the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit, which was attended by 141 representatives from 60 companies, including AAA, AA, and indie studios, as well as consultancy firms, training providers, and educational institutes.

The main Best Places to Work awards recognised a total of 23 firms across three categories – small, mid-sized, and large companies – for their excellence in supporting staff. These awards are judged on the basis of an employee survey (worth 80% of the score) and a company survey (worth 20%).

The Best Places to Work Awards 2025 was sponsored by Amiqus, Games London, ICO Partners, Lighthouse Games, and Playground Games.

“Again, this year’s GI.Biz Best Places to Work Awards has provided a great platform for the amazing teams and studios we have here in the UK,” said Paul Evans at Playground Games. “It has been an honour to sponsor the 2025 awards for the UK’s best mid-sized game studios who are making the UK video games industry such a great place to work.

“We’ve always believed great games come from bringing together talented people to do their best work,” he continued, adding that Playground Games’ win in the large company category is “a testament to our own incredible teams who make Playground Games such a great place to work every day! Building exceptional games starts with building an exceptional culture, and we’re committed to creating the environment where everyone feels valued.”

“Lighthouse Games is delighted to sponsor the Best Small Company Award,” said Gavin Raeburn, CEO of Lighthouse Games. “Small companies bring bold ideas, fresh takes, and incredible energy to the games industry, and this award is a chance to shine a spotlight on the commitment of these teams. We’re proud to help celebrate.”

“I was delighted to have presented Alison Lacy with this year’s G Into Gaming Award, which celebrates individuals who go above and beyond to champion diversity, inclusion and positive change in the games industry,” said Liz Prince, business manager at Amiqus.

“Alison’s impact at Radical Forge has been nothing short of transformative – what she describes as a ‘quiet revolution.’ By listening, collaborating, and drawing on her wealth of cross-industry experience, she has reshaped how teams work together, introduced new structures, and created a culture where people feel motivated and heard.

“Beyond Radical Forge, Alison’s contributions as a trustee of FACT and Co-Chair of Game Changers highlight her wider commitment to building a more inclusive and supportive industry. The G Into Gaming Award is about recognising those who drive progress in meaningful ways, and Alison is a truly inspiring and deserving winner.”

Here’s the full list of winners:

Small company winners (presented by Lighthouse Games)

• Diva
• Fireshine Games
• ForthStar
• ICO Partners
• Indigo Pearl
• Mastered
• MLC Studio
• Nosebleed Interactive
• Sweet Justice Sound
• Swipe Right PR
• Tanglewood Games
• Uplift Games

Mid-sized company winners (presented by Playground Games)

• Behaviour Interactive
• Dovetail Games
• Expression Games
• Lighthouse Games
• Maverick Games
• NaturalMotion Games
• Playstack
• Rocksteady
• Studio Gobo
• Wushu Studios

Large company winners

• Playground Games

G Into Gaming Award (presented by Amiqus)

• Alison Lacy, Radical Forge

Diversity Award (presented by ICO Partners)

• Playground Games
• NaturalMotion
• Maverick Games (winner)
• Rocksteady
• Rare

Corporate Social Responsibility Award (presented by Special Effect)

• Behaviour Interactive (winner)
• Playground Games
• NaturalMotion
• Rocksteady
• Tanglewood Games

Education Award

• Observer Interactive (winner)
• Rare
• NaturalMotion
• Side
• Studio Gobo

Training and Development Award

• Rare
• NaturalMotion (winner)
• Studio Gobo
• Tanglewood Games
• Fireshine Games

Environmental Award (presented by Games London)

• Rare (winner)
• NaturalMotion
• Behaviour Interactive
• MLC Studio
• Fireshine Games

Health and Wellbeing Award

• Wushu Studios (winner)
• Rare
• Behaviour Interactive
• Futur Lab
• NaturalMotion