Creative Achievement:
 
New Games IP
Animation - New for 2017
Visual Design - New for 2017
Music Design - New for 2017
Sound Design - New for 2017
Best Writing - New for 2017
Best Performance
Publishing Hero
Micro/Start Up Studio
Independent Studio
In-House Studio
New Studio
Specialist Contribution:
 
Creative Outsourcer - Visual & Development
Design & Creativity Tool
Tools Provider - Production
Engine
Services
QA & Localisation
Recruiter
Creative Outsourcer - Audio
Technology Provider
Studio of the Year
Develop Legend

Criteria:

New Games IP
Any UK or European studio-made IP released for the first time in the last year, either as a boxed or downloadable product. New IPs should have introduced an original brand and/or original characters to consoles, portable/mobile devices or PC. They should be critically or commercially succesful, if not both.
Animation New for 2017
Any UK or European studio that has demonstrated particularly impressive use of 2D or 3D animation – keyframed, motion captured, or a mixture of the two – in a game it has released during the past year. 
Visual Design New for 2017
Any UK or European studio that has demonstrated impressive graphical and/or distinct, iconic design work in the games or gaming content it has released during the past year. A striking art style, commitment to realism or technical proficiency are all worthy of nomination.
Music Design New for 2017
Any UK or European studio that has demonstrated remarkable use of music in their game(s) released in the last twelve months. Use of licensed and original tracks can be taken into account. Music design will be judged on consistency, integration with a game's tone/setting and memorability.
Sound Design New for 2017
Any UK or European studio that has demonstrated pitch-perfect audio design in its games released during the past year. This refers to all non-musical audio design in the game. We're looking for notable use of foley to enhance atmosphere, character and player experience.
Best Writing New for 2017
Any UK or European studio that has made clear efforts to further storytelling in games, or experiment with how they are combined. A project’s specific writers will be credited where possible. Best writing will be judged on dialogue as well as other narrative design elements, including story arcs and environmental storytelling.
Best Performance
Any UK or European studio that has delivered an impressive acting performance within its game(s) in the last twelve months. Weighted heavily in favour of voice acting performance, but motion capture performance will be taken into consideration too. Nominees will have created games with performances that bring characters to life in remarkable ways.
Publishing Hero
Any games publisher, developer, hardware manufacturer, platform-holder or investor – from any country – that has supported UK and European games developers during the past year via the publishing, funding, distribution and/or co-development of new games.
Micro/Start Up Studio
Any UK or European games developer consisting of an individual or small collective of people up to a maximum of ten at the time of nomination, who have had significant original output in the past year. Quality over quantity is important for this award and nominees will have enjoyed both commercial and critical success over the last 12 months.
Independent Studio
Any UK or European games development company, staffed by 11 people or more, which is not owned or managed by a publisher, working on any available game platform. Applying studios should have had some significant output in the last year. Quality over quantity is important for this award and nominees will have enjoyed both commercial and critical success over the last 12 months.
In-House Studio
Any UK or European publisher-owned games development company or in-house games development studio with at least one title released for any games platform in the past year. Quality over quantity is important for this award and nominees will have enjoyed both commercial and critical success over the last 12 months.
New Studio
Any new UK or European studio that has had its first game commercially released during the past 12 months. Companies do not need to have been founded during that period to qualify. This award is weighted more in favour of critical success than commercial, and a studio's backstory will be taken into consideration.
Creative Outsourcer - Visual & Development
Any creative outsourcer or studio – including individual external contractors – that has provided visual or game assets for an individual project released in the last 12 months, or contributed to the game’s development. For example, by porting or creating select sections of the game.
Design & Creativity Tool
Any company, of any nationality, that has released middleware or tools that have enhanced or supported the work of UK or European games development teams in the past year. This award focuses on graphical, audio and other creative toolsets.
Tools Provider - Production
Any company, of any nationality, that has released middleware or tools that has helped any UK or European games teams improve efficiency and development in the past year. This award focuses on tools that aid with project management and releasing games on multiple platforms.
Engine
This is an award for the best third-party engines. It’s open to any engine, regardless of where it is made, that has enhanced the work of UK or European games development teams in the past year. Weight is given to new versions or significant upgrades.
Services
Any specialised external studio or company that has aided UK or European games development in a significant way. The award can be given to any firm that has helped with the production, monetisation or other aspect of the development process – providing the project in question has been active/released as a new product in the last 12 months.
QA & Localisation
This award is open to any UK or European company that has contributed significantly to usability, testing and localisation of games, providing these have been released or actively developed in the past 12 months.
Recruiter
Any UK or European company working in the field of recruitment that has demonstrably served the needs of the development community over the last 12 months. This is for external agencies only, not internal HR departments.
Creative Outsourcer - Audio
Any creative outsourcer or studio – including individual external contractors – that has provided audio assets for an individual project released in the last 12 months, or contributed to the game’s development. For example, with voice acting, music or sound effects. 
Technology Provider
This award is open to any company, of any nationality, that provides hardware and technological support to UK and European developers, whether in the form of motion capture tools and dev kits or microprocessors and server infrastructure.
Studio of the Year
This award gives singular recognition to a studio that has produced outstanding work in the form of published games over the past 12 months. It is open to any UK or European games development team to enter and the winner will be selected by the Develop team.
Development Legend
The winner of this award, chosen by the Develop team, is an individual who has made a significant impact on games development – in a commercial, creative or technological sense – during their lifetime and career. This award is open to games sector icons from around the world.