NL

HKU students and alumni win Dutch Game Awards

  • 10 oktober 2024
On Thursday, October 3, the annual Dutch Game Awards were issued. In the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision it became a wonderful evening for HKU. HKU Games student Finn Schuuring received the award for Best Student Game. Games alumni Tim Remmers and Dion Koster as well as Music and Technology alumnus Eric Magnée also received an award.
HKU students and alumni win Dutch Game Awards

Best Student Game

Finn Schuuring received the coveted owl for King of the Bridge, a game he developed himself from start to finish. In the online chess game you compete against a fairy-tale troll, who seems unbeatable due to constantly changing rules. By obtaining achievements, players are challenged to get a grip on this in order to still be able to defeat this cunning opponent.

Both from his surroundings and online, Schuuring received many positive reactions and more than 500 reviews: 'It was nice to see that the game really came to life. People tried to unravel clues with me and players exchanged tips among themselves.' Schuuring considers the fact that his game has now received recognition from experts in the game industry as the biggest compliment of all: 'For me it is proof that I am in the right place and that I have taken the right path, also in terms of the type of game. It's super nice that the humor in my game is understood and that people care about what I make.'

From the judges' report: 'Knowing chess rules can work to your disadvantage in this chess challenge! Think outside the board, sometimes literally, as you take on the AI opponent who keeps coming up with new rules. The judges were impressed with this game that you don't play by the book.'

Schuuring conceived and designed the game while studying: 'I wanted to make a mythical adventure, in which humor plays an important role. So I found my inspiration in comedy and fairy tales. In those stories, you also often have an obstacle that you can't beat in a conventional way. During the development I received support from HKU teachers, who also thought about how I could reach the right target group by using marketing. Something that comes in handy again now, because if it is up to me there will be a sequel to the game.'

Best Art

During the awards show, HKU Games alumni Tim Remmers and Dion Koster also fell in prizes. They won the Best Art award with Bomb Rush Cyberfunk as Team Reptile. From the jury report: “The game has a unique style that is consistent in every little detail and stays true to the cultural expression of street art. It adds something to the immersion while remaining functional.'

Best Innovation

In addition, HKU Music and Technology alumni Eric Magnée was awarded. Magnée won in the “Best Innovation” category, for his contribution to “The Score - The Smartphone Orchestra. From the jury report: 'A reinvention of how to experience a classical concert. Not only for the audience, but also for the musicians! A unique experience for both, as no version of The Score will ever be the same again. We see this experience going international and attracting a new type of audience to concert halls.'

Dutch Game Awards

The Dutch Game Awards were presented for the fourteenth time this year at the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision in Hilversum. The winners were chosen by a dedicated jury of game industry experts. The awards highlight and celebrate Dutch games, game companies, professionals and educational institutions and students.