Scottish title Viewfinder among top nominees at Ukie Video Games Awards 2024

Made by Scotland's Sad Owl Studios, Viewfinder has been recognised in several categories including Game of the Year at the Ukie Video Game Awards 2024.

Developed by Sad Owl Studios, Viewfinder won Technical Achievement at the 2023 Scottish Games Awards. Image: Sad Owl Studios/Thunderful

The finalists for the inaugural Ukie Video Games Awards have been announced, with a Scottish game among top nominees.

Viewfinder, made by Scotland’s Sad Owl Studios, has been nominated in several categories including Game of the Year, Best PC Game and Rising Star.

It marks the first year of the UK trade body’s awards, which looks to recognise excellence from the UK games industry with nominees selected by more than 650 Ukie member companies.

Still Wakes the Deep follows workers on the Beira D oil rig off the coast of Scotland in 1975 as disaster strikes.

Other nominees include Sports Interactive’s Football Manager and Shadows of Doubt by Fireshine Games, as well as publisher Secret Mode which is behind games such as Dear Esther and Still Wakes the Deep.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2024 Ukie Video Games Awards.

2024 Ukie Video Games Awards nominations

Best UK Mobile Game

• Desta: The Memories Between (ustwo games)
• Football Manager 2024 Mobile / Touch (Sports Interactive)
• The Queen’s Gambit Chess (Rockwater)

Best PC Game

• Boltgun (Auroch Digital)
• Football Manager 2024 (Sports Interactive)
• Viewfinder (Sad Owl Studios)

Best UK Console Game

• Disney Illusion Island (Dlala Studios)
• The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Sumo Nottingham)
• Viewfinder (Sad Owl Studios)

Best UK Mixed Reality Game (VR, AR, XR)

• Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR (Ubisoft Leamington and Ubisoft Reflections)
• PowerWash Simulator VR (FuturLab)
• Synapse (nDreams)

Sustainability Champion

• Sports Interactive/SEGA
• Sumo Group
• ustwo games

Diversity and Inclusion Champion

• nDreams
• SpecialEffect
• Sumo Group

Best UK Developer

• FuturLab
• Playground Games
• Sumo Digital

Best UK Publisher

• nDreams
• Secret Mode
• Yogscast Games

Rising Star

• Bonsai Collective
• Sad Owl Studios
• Sketchbook Games

UK Game of the Year

• Football Manager 2024 (Sports Interactive)
• Shadows of Doubt (Cole Powered Games / Fireshine Games)
• Viewfinder (Sad Owl Studios)

When are the 2024 Ukie Video Game Awards?

The first ever Ukie Video Game Awards will take place on Thursday, March 7 with all the winners to be announced then.