Teenager Max Robinson wins BAFTA Young Games Designer award

A fourteen year old from Acton has won a Bafta Young Games Designers (YGD) award for his demolition puzzle.

Max Robinson's winning game ‘LASERASE: Demolition in the future’ is a demolition game where the player uses a mirror to reflect a laser at targets to blow them up and avoid lethal TNT.

Max said: “It is very exciting and a bit surreal to be a BAFTA Young Game Designer winner. The biggest thing I learned was how to code my game, building from the first idea. When I came up against challenges I took a break, went away and came back with new ideas until it worked. Anyone who wants to enter should just keep trying, don’t give up. The competition is so exciting, and it felt really good just to be nominated.”

Max’s brother, Alex (12) also made it to the finals of the competition with his game ‘Far-fetched Phantoms’, beating off competition to become one of the 53 finalists.

The BAFTA YGD competition, now in its ninth year, presents awards in two main categories: The Game Concept Award, for a written idea for a new game; and the Game Making Award, for a game made using computer software. The 2019 winners, chosen by a jury of industry experts, are:

• Jesse Waymont (Crawley) for ‘I Seek Death’ – Game Concept Award (10-14 years)
• Elizabeth Orji-Smith (Ealing) for ‘Creatively Bankrupt’ – Game Concept Award (15-18 years)
• Maximillian Robinson (Acton) for ‘LASERASE: Demolition in the future’ – Game Making Award (10-14 years)
• Adam Pace for ‘Wip’ (Sunderland) – Game Making Award (15-18 years)

Matthew Applegate, founder of the Creative Computing Club, was awarded the YGD Mentor Award. This Award is presented to an individual nominated by the public for their involvement in the education of young game designers.

In a written message to attendees and the young finalists, HRH The Duke of Cambridge and President of BAFTA, said: “This year the entries have an overwhelming social purpose to them, focusing on issues including mental health, climate change, conservation, disability, bereavement, and transgender rights. Many of the game ideas strive to educate players of all ages on the social issues they address, hoping to prompt real change in people’s lives. I think it is fantastic to see young people using games to express themselves and purposes that they identify with.”

The ceremony was hosted by Alysia Judge (games journalist and presenter) and Aoife Wilson (writer, presenter and video producer for Eurogamer), with notable industry figures presenting the awards to the winners, including YouTuber Dean Dobbs, game developer and co-founder of Media Molecule Siobhan Reddy, and BAFTA Games Vice President David Gardner. BAFTA-winning game designer Mike Bithell delivered the closing speech for the ceremony, praising the young designers’ creativity and talent.

 The annual YGD competition, which began in 2010, aims to demonstrate the creativity that goes in to game design and give young people, and their teachers, an understanding of the rewarding careers available within the industry. The four winners, chosen from 53 finalists, received a host of prizes, including tours of games studios, software licenses, games and a mentor from the games industry to help them develop their skills further.

Dr. Jo Twist OBE, Chair of Games Committee at BAFTA, said: “It is fantastic to see such a high calibre of games from upcoming creative talent being rewarded. It’s been another great year for the competition, and with previous winners having gone on to be BAFTA nominated, I can’t wait to see this year’s winners go out and make their own mark on the industry.”

Supporting partners of BAFTA Young Game Designers include: Creative Assembly (SEGA), Criterion (EA), Jagex, King, PlayStation, Ubisoft, and WB Games.

2nd July 2019