Kiwi game makers make it to international best lists

Five New Zealand video game makers have been lauded in major international best of 2013 lists.

Path of Exile by Grinding Gear Games has won GameSpot’s PC Game of the Year Award, Turbo Racing League by PikPok was the runner-up for Apple’s Best of 2013 Game of the Year, and indie developer Michael Brough was named one of the Top 10 Game Developers of 2013 by Gamasutra.

The Blockheads by Majic Jungle and Bloons Tower Defence 5 by NinjaKiwi also feature in Apple’s Best of 2013.

"Many New Zealand made games have won rave reviews and awards during the year, but to be singled out in retrospectives by the world’s leading gaming press and publishers is outstanding. It shows that the quality of New Zealand developers’ games count among the best in the world," said NZ Game Developers Association (NZGDA) chairperson Stephen Knightly.

In the last financial year, revenue from New Zealand-made video games grew 86 per cent with the vast majority coming from exports. "It's great to see commercial success being matched with critical recognition," said Knightly.

Path of Exile is an online Action RPG developed by Grinding Gear Games. After seven years of development, it was launched on October 23, and has over 4.2 million registered users.

Turbo Racing League puts players in the driver’s seat (or rather, driver’s shell) in Turbo, a family-friendly 3D movie released by Dreamworks Animation earlier this year. Over 30 million players have downloaded the game, which is the result of Wellington-based Pikpok’s fifth collaboration with Dreamworks, from the Apple App Store and Google Play. As well as the AppStore Best of 2013 it was also a finalist for Google Play’s Best Game Based on a Movie.