Little Big Planet, Phil Harrison awarded at Develop

Media Molecule picks up five trophies, ex-Sony and Atari man gets lifetime achievement.

The Develop conference in Brighton is always one of the highlights of the UK development calendar, and this year has been no exception. With Dave Jones of Realtime Worlds opening up on APB and the secrets of making great games, Media Molecule discussing Little Big Planet, and Sony talking about SingStar's success, there has been something for everyone.

Phil Harrison collects his award.

This year's Develop Industry Excellence awards were also a big part of the conference and were spread among the great and the good of the British games industry. Media Molecule led the charge among the 15 honourees, with the Little Big Planet developer picking up five awards: Best New IP, Visual Arts, Technical Innovation, Best New Studio, and Best Independent Developer.

Other gongs were picked up by Rockstar North (the studio behind Grand Theft Auto IV), which was recognised as having the best in-house team, while their colleagues at Rockstar Leeds won the award for Best Handheld Games Studio. Peter Molyneux's Lionhead Studios was rewarded for the audio work on Fable II, and the team at Traveller's Tales was recognised for its work on Lego Batman in the Best Use of a Licence Category.

Phil Harrison, currently a non-executive director of Atari, was given the Development Legend award. Harrison previously headed up Sony Computer Entertainment's worldwide studios and served as a vice president for SCEA. Jacqui Lyon--who has been representing development talent since the 1980s--got the Lifetime Achievement award.

The Grand Prix went to veteran British development and publishing house Codemasters. "Titles created by Codemasters Studios consistently demonstrate landmark technical achievements and deliver a guarantee of quality to gamers," according to the editor-in-chief of Develop magazine, which organises the industry-voted awards. Gavin Cheshire, Codemasters' vice president for development, summed up the studio's feeling of satisfaction, saying: "We are honoured to receive the Develop Grand Prix award. It's a testament to the creativity, technical expertise, and hard work from everyone at Codemasters."

The full list of winners is as follows:

CREATIVITY
Best New IP
Little Big Planet (Media Molecule)

Best Use of a Licence
Lego Batman (Traveller's Tales)

Visual Arts
Little Big Planet (Media Molecule)

Audio Accomplishment
Fable II (Lionhead)

Publishing Hero
Apple

TECHNOLOGY & SERVICES
Technical Innovation
Little Big Planet (Media Molecule)

Best Tools Provider
Autodesk

Best Engine
Unreal Engine 3 (Epic Games)

Recruitment Company
Amiqus

Services
Audiomotion

Creative Outsourcing
Side & Sidelines

STUDIOS
Best New Studio
Media Molecule

Best Handheld Games Studio
Rockstar Leeds

Business Development
Playfish

Best Independent Developer
Media Molecule

Best In-House Team
Rockstar North

SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Development Legend
Phil Harrison

Lifetime Achievement
Jacqui Lyons

Grand Prix
Codemasters

35 Comments

  • tremor33

    Posted Aug 6, 2009 4:51 pm GMT

    LBP FTW

  • MagicOneUp

    Posted Jul 19, 2009 4:46 am GMT

    @TheAcejoel99 and Godak
    ... and i would rub more salt in his eyes, he even once said that 'rumble was last gen' and now well well, sony released one and charging you $100au for it. so now why don't you two baboons tell me why he would deserved this 'life time achievement' ? Even the guy who developed Superman64 on the nintendo 64 is more worthy of this award. thats right i have never won a trophy but i never brings a company down (sony) or got sacked (from sony) . Phil Harrison = poo. Godak and not so acejoel69, i think your brains is bigger than your head.

  • Godak

    Posted Jul 18, 2009 7:37 pm GMT

    @MagicOneUp

    Do a goddamned barrel roll. Naow.

  • TheAcejoel99

    Posted Jul 18, 2009 3:09 pm GMT

    @MagicOneUp
    I assume your jealous and cry yourself to sleep because you have never won a trophy hmmmmm? Why cant you just be happy for him and the company, they do fantastic work.

  • MagicOneUp

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 10:10 pm GMT

    Phil Harrison, "Lifetime Achievement" award?! this is madness! whats this guy have done???? got sacked from sony, believing sony is number one, making you believed sony in number one. talking apples into oranges.... and on. making a fool of himself. sony is in the slump because part of his doing. Is this show credible?

  • lew_0911

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 8:51 am GMT

    Great job!

  • XeonForce

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 7:06 am GMT

    One of the funnest games I have played in years, and definitaly one of the most unique. Go LBP!

  • MrHatnClogs

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 6:04 am GMT

    I'm really tempted to spend $600 and lose my on going War of Patience with Sony just so I can buy LBP. Each day it gets harder and harder waiting for the price cut.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 12:59 am GMT

    Good to see this

  • jrabbit99

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 6:53 pm GMT

    Nice!

  • brian_13un

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 5:59 pm GMT

    Great

  • PS2Dude89

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 5:51 pm GMT

    Harrison deserves it. Media Molecule deserves it to. So does LBP.

  • gnbfd

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 5:00 pm GMT

    "Publishing Hero
    Apple"
    Are you serious?

  • 3D3

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 2:14 pm GMT

    Phil Harrison FTW

  • K_A_R_X

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 12:34 pm GMT

    Phil Harrison, currently a non-executive director of Atari? Fired?... I would like to read more about him. What's happened?

  • Lupivdaman

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 12:14 pm GMT

    YAYS MM .............oh and Phil Harrison (Whoever you are)

  • Lukemaneiro

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 12:00 pm GMT

    Deserved every single award. Well done.

  • acemasta21

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 11:56 am GMT

    very nice Harrison

  • D4NZEL-709

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 11:55 am GMT

    i miss phil he was gonna make 8 days and getaway 3 come out

  • sun_rider95

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 11:34 am GMT

    great game

  • FusionRain

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 11:17 am GMT

    and to think that like only 20 people made this game (i think)

  • Laxer04

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 11:11 am GMT

    LBP FTW!!! i've had the game since launch and i'm still hooked....

  • Darth_Nater307

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 11:07 am GMT

    When I get a PS3 next year, the first game I'm going to get is "LittleBig Planet".

  • NuKkU

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 11:02 am GMT

    Man Media Molecule owned those awards lol and congratz to Phil Harrison he deserves it

  • cid_007

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 10:47 am GMT

    Sony should have kept Phil Harrison.

  • _SniperFox_

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 10:40 am GMT

    Nice to see LBP do well, next up we have Mod Nation Racers in the play create share group of games.

    Can't wait.

  • 1995_1996_1997

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 10:07 am GMT

    congrats for the developers and the game

  • ps3rocks11

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 10:06 am GMT

    LBP is awesome and it deserves it.

  • SchumiF1

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 9:42 am GMT

    Woot! Congrats to LBP, such a great game.

  • DoomZaW

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 9:39 am GMT

    Woah, 5 for 320G

  • DFBTG

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 9:26 am GMT

    LBP earned and deserves every award it got. Good job.

  • mithrixx

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 9:13 am GMT

    LBP earned it. grats to Sony for "Development Legend"

  • werruraz

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 9:07 am GMT

    LBP FTW

  • Gamesmasterx

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 9:07 am GMT

    Yup.

  • brendanhunt1

    Posted Jul 16, 2009 8:33 am GMT

    who ever says the uk makes rubbish games is an idiot

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