Features// TIGA - Developers Awards 2007

Finally, on to the biggest two awards of the year, the Best Developer, and the Best Player.

Departing TIGA CEO Fred Hasson took to the stage admitting to being slightly emotional this evening, as it is the last awards event at which he’ll be at the helm.

After offering some heartfelt thanks to his team, Fred noted, “As far as the ‘best company’ goes, I think this must be one of the hardest things to vote for. The thing about these awards that is really important is that the more the UK’s games development scene is successful, then the more it buzzes off itself. And that’s the most important thing… The nominations for best company are Blitz Games, Sumo Digital and Denki".

Denki takes the crown, with ex-journo (and a mildly tipsy) Gary Penn picking up the award, “We’ve decided to remain a small company for eight years now, the reason for this being that we’ve put quality ahead of everything else, which has been a hard thing to do in the industry as it stands! But we’re going to keep that up. We’re moving from set-top box to PS3, 360 and Wii, but still on a small scale, and that’s a new challenge for us in the coming years. So here’s to the future!”

For the final award, ‘Best Player’ former TIGA COO Nikkan Woodhouse was invited to the stage to present the award.

Kuju’s Ian Baverstock, Rebellion’s Jason Kingsley and TIGA’s very own Fred Hasson are all nominated for the big one.

"The award for Best Player has gone to someone who, without a doubt, has made a monumental contribution to the games development industry over the last seven years. His work, ensuring that the interests of independent developers were being taken care of cannot be overstated." Cue, huge applause from the audience.

“A keen harmonica player and one of the only people in this room to have played the Glastonbury festival twice. In the early sixties!” she adds, to laughter from the crowd.

"Our jazz-loving, chilli-growing industry stalwart is someone who truly deserves the honour of Best Player. It gives me great pleasure for me to offer this award to Fred Hasson."

Fred accepted the award to a standing ovation from the crowd. He was clearly very moved.

"You’re not allowed to get emotional now", Nikkan gently chides him, adding, "Fred is truly the ‘tiger behind TIGA’ and he has almost single-handedly told the story of development in the UK.

"It’s thanks to Fred that governments and organisations across Europe understand more about the development industry now and know where to go to get more information about it".

Fred cleared his throat and told the audience, “I kind of wondered if I might get this, because I was leaving. But that makes it no less special. It’s peer group recognition. I feel like I am one of you. Thank you. This really will be cherished".

Noting the many other possible nominees for this award, he added, “I shouldn’t really be getting this. You have paid me to do this job for the last seven years, because you have been committed enough to form something that wasn’t there before. This is an award to all the other founder members of TIGA and all the members that have supported TIGA over the last seven years.”

“I would not trade this for anything”, Fred mused. “It’s been the best job I’ve ever done".

Hasson also had a few encouraging words for his successor, Richard Wilson (pictured here).

"If you support him, the industry is going to belong to the people it should belong to. The developers make this industry. The developers should own this industry. You are the people who should be speaking to the industry and not a bunch of box-pushers!!" He was referring there to the publishers.

The audience laughed and Fred added, “That’s probably a bit unfair. There are some good people amongst publishers. One thing I’ve been very proud about is helping to make the relationship between developers and publishers a little more grown up.

"There is a lot of respect for TIGA out there. We’ve taken the industry on to levels it hadn’t been. The UK is still the best place to get a game developed…There are a lot of challenges. You need TIGA. TIGA needs you. Thank you all so very, very much".