Welcome to the 2016 BAFTA Young Game Designers Awards. As we celebrate our sixth year of the Young Game Designers Awards program it is with a little sadness that I come to end of my tenure here at BAFTA as chair of the Games Committee and part of the YGD team. Having helped start Young Game Designers and remaining involved ever since, I have been incredibly proud of the achievements of the finalists, winners and the YGD initiative itself. I remember Dan Pearce as the first ever winner touring my studio as a youngling with his two team mates, just as the winners of today’s awards will go on to do. From there it has been inspiring to see Dan become a Breakthrough Brit and BAFTA nominee, and reinforcing precisely why we started this initiative – to help inspire the next generation of game creators. The introduction of the game making award was a particular highlight during my time involved with YGD. It was, and still is, incredible to see how well the young entrants can already program and create games. Finally seeing the awards extend to include the YGD Hero and Mentor awards is something I am also very proud of. It is vital that the creative recognition is given to people that support the development process and those that inspire us to create even more. To give our Young Game Designers that same support would not be possible without our industry partners: Criterion Games, Google, Jagex, Pinewood Games, Sony Computer Entertainment, SEGA, Ubisoft, Unity and WB Games UK. We gratefully thank them all for their generous support in extending the reach of this program. I would like to especially thank Nominet Trust as our main partner this year, without whom much of the 2016 Young Game Designers initiative would not have been possible. Best of luck to all nominees and have an excellent ceremony!
Harvey Elliott Chairman, BAFTA Games Committee
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