York St John student crowned winner at Game Republic Showcase

Third-year Games Design student Kieran Gladwin has won a prestigious award at the Game Republic Student Showcase for his game Budget Knight. After impressing judges in a field of approximately 64 competing projects, Kieran was chosen as the winner of the Sumo Digital Award for Game Design. While the majority of entries were developed by large teams, Budget Knight was created entirely by Kieran as a solo project. 

Budget Knight is an action-adventure platformer game (combining jumping and climbing with combat and exploration) built in the software engine Unity. Players increase the game's 'budget' as they progress, transforming it from a simple 2D side-scroller into a 3D semi-open world with new abilities and features being unlocked throughout the game. Inspired by the Xbox 360 title DLC Quest, Budget Knight's core loop allows players to reshape not only the world they explore, but the game itself. 

Describing his award win, Kieran said: 

"It felt incredible to win the award. Simply having the opportunity to showcase my game and see people engage with something I've dedicated so much time and effort to is an amazing feeling. To have my talent recognised and rewarded by Game Republic and Sumo Digital means a lot." 

Adam Raw Mackenzie, Lecturer in Animation and Games Design added: 

"Kieran's win is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the dedication and creativity behind Budget Knight. As a solo developer, he has created a game that impressed the judges with both its innovative design and thoughtful commentary on the games industry. This recognition puts him in a strong position to take the project even further." 

Game Republic is the largest industry-led games business network in the North of England, representing more than 1,000 developers and companies. More than 200 students from 16 universities and colleges gathered at the University of Salford for the 18th annual Game Republic Student Showcase, the biggest in the event's history.  

The Showcase brings together emerging game development talent from across the Game Republic network to compete in 8 award categories. Entries are judged by leading professionals from major game studios behind some of the world's most successful titles. The event also provides final-year students with valuable networking opportunities and industry connections that often lead to future employment. 

Games Design is a three-year undergraduate degree at York St John University. Find out more on our course pages.  

Read about all the winners at the Game Republic Showcase competition.