Winners of the UK Best Places To Work Awards 2026 revealed

GamesIndustry.biz revealed the UK Best Places to Work Awards 2026 winners at the Royal Institution in London on October 1, following the outlet’s HR Summit. The awards recognised 25 firms across small, mid-sized and large company categories, with judging split between an employee survey (80%) and a company survey (20%).

For developers, the headline is less about trophies and more about what the industry is rewarding: retention, culture, training, wellbeing and inclusion. Snap Finger Click had a strong night, picking up both a Best Places to Work award and the Diversity Award, while Rare won the Environmental Award again and NaturalMotion Games took the Training and Development Award.

Other notable winners included Hangar 13 for Health and Wellbeing, Jagex: The RuneScape Company for the Corporate Social Responsibility Award, and Dink for Education. The G Into Gaming award went to Jo Haslam, now Design Director at Snap Finger Click, recognising a career that spans Mediatonic, Relentless and the BBC.

The event also underlined how studios are using workplace reputation as part of their broader pitch to talent. With sponsors including Amiqus, Playground Games, IO Interactive, Games London and Special Effect, the awards sit alongside the HR Summit as a snapshot of what UK studios are prioritising right now: support structures, development pathways and a healthier studio culture.