Develop has named GameMaker: Studio as a finalist in the "Technical Innovation" and "Engine" categories for its 2013 Develop awards.

The Develop Awards take place on July 10th at the Brighton Metropole hotel.

See the full list of nominees at Develop Online.

Wish us luck!

YoYo Games wants to award you CASH for your Windows 8 games, and lots of it!

YoYo is offering $35,000 in cash prizes for Windows 8 games created with GameMaker: Studio as well as loads of software prizes.

Your chances have never been better! All you have to do to enter is submit your GameMaker: Studio game to the Windows Store, have it pass Windows Store Certification before June 28, 2013 and let us know once it is available to the public.

Get started with your copy of GameMaker: Studio (Free, Standard, Professional or Master Collection), a Windows Store Developer Account and either an existing game or an idea for a game.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a Windows Store account since we are giving the first 200 developers who contact us a promo code for the Windows Store registration that will let them register for FREE (valued at $99)!

Here’s how the prizing breaks down:

• $10,000 awarded to best game overall
• $5,000 for 2^nd place
• The best ’New Game’ will receive $5,000
• $1,000 will be awarded to 5 x 3^rd place entries
• There are also 50 runners up prizes of $200 plus GameMaker: Studio Master Collection (valued at $499)

But, wait, there’s more …  

Since this competition is only for GameMaker: Studio users, we have decided that for the duration of May we are offering GameMaker 7, 8 and 8.1 customers the unique opportunity to upgrade to GameMaker: Studio Professional (Normally $99) for only $50!

On top of this we are also giving the first 200 developers who do not have Windows 8 and who submit a game that passes Windows Store Certification a Windows 8 Pro upgrade code (valued at $199.99).

We really are going all out with this competition so why not come join in the fun, submit your game to the Windows Store and enter to win one of the awesome prizes.

Good luck!

http://www.yoyogames.com/promotions/win_big

Through a collaboration with German mobile games developer HandyGames, YoYo Games has donated licenses of GameMaker: Studio to the Munich Academy of Media Arts for use by its media and communication design students in the university’s GameLab.

The initiative is part of the company’s on-going efforts to allow students to learn both the technical and creative sides of game development, in a really fun and easy way.

GameMaker: Studio is a very popular and easy to learn games development technology that encourages tomorrow’s engineers, artists, producers, designers and programmers to dive right in and start creating games! By eliminating the technical hassle associated with game development, students are at the heart of the learning experience: creating games and then playing them within hours. GameMaker Studio offers a powerful, yet simple to use drag and drop integrated development environment -- including everything one needs to develop a great game -- and a built-in games orientated scripting language that considerably increases game development productivity.

YoYo Games is proud to partner with HandyGames to support German Universities in promoting technological science education and skill development in the young talent of tomorrow. 

YoYo Games plans to double the size of its team and allow for further growth by expanding into new offices on the top floor of DundeeOne development in the heart of the Dundee Waterfront regeneration area.

YoYo Games currently employs 25 staff but is planning to create an additional 25 new jobs in areas such as systems development, software engineering, sales and customer service. 

The company established its European headquarters in Dundee in May 2010 by opening an office within Abertay University with two team members. 

Read all about it in today's BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-22247205

We're helping spread the good word about "Aces of the Luftwaffe" as our friends at HandyGames have submitted it to Greenlight in the hopes of selling it on Steam. Please take a second to check out the game and rate it up! A Steam account is required.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=134188907&searchtext=Aces 

Many thanks for your support!