Independent Studios Sweep 2011 European Develop Awards

Indie developers swept this year's European-centric Develop Industry Excellence Awards in Brighton, UK, as Minecraft developer Mojang took home three awards and Angry Birds developer Rovio received the show's coveted Grand Prix award. Mojang received the New Studio, Micro Studio, and Download IP awards, and Rovio took the Handheld Studio award in addition to earning the Grand Prix for the undeniable success of its mobile powerhouse. Additional winners included Moshi Monsters creator Mind Candy for the Business Development Award, Valve Software and its Steam platform for the Publishing Hero award, and Ian Livingstone, Games Workshop co-founder and life president of Square Enix, for the show's Development Legend award. Develop organizers noted that this year's ceremony was the biggest yet, with over 550 attendees at the show. Now in its ninth year, the event honors the best of the European game industry, though the Technology and Services category and certain other categories still permit non-European winners. The full list of categories and winners at the ceremony is as follows: Creativity New IP Enslaved (Ninja Theory) New Download IP Minecraft (Mojang Specifications) Use Of A License Or IP F1 2010 (Codemasters Birmingham) Visual Arts Limbo (Playdead) Audio Accomplishment Papa Sangre (Somethin’ Else) Publishing Hero Valve Technology And Services Technical Innovation Kinect (Microsoft Research Cambridge) Audio Outsourcer Side UK Visual Outsourcer Axis Animation Services Audiomotion Recruitment Specialmove Tools Provider Autodesk Engine Unreal Engine 3 (Epic Games) Studios New Studio Mojang Specifications Micro Studio Mojang Specifications Handheld Studio Rovio Mobile Business Development Mind Candy In-House Studio Media Molecule Independent Studio Crytek Special industry Recognition Development Legend Ian Livingstone Grand Prix Rovio Mobile "A packed house of the industry elite saw the cream of European games development take home much-deserved accolades, showing our industry in excellent health," said Develop editor-in-chief Michael French. "Key winners such as Rovio, Minecraft, Mind Candy and Valve all prove that independent companies have been reinvigorated, and are today empowered by new platforms and business models to create best-selling games properties without needing publisher support or interference."