Game Dev Heroes Benelux is a new regional spotlight event to recognise the unsung heroes of game development across Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
The region is home to a thriving, diverse, and internationally recognised games industry and so, debuting alongside INDIGO 2026, we’ve created Game Dev Heroes Benelux to celebrate individual achievements and impact across every game dev discipline.
Nominations will be reviewed by a judging panel of developers and games industry professionals from the region, with the Game Dev Heroes Benelux awards ceremony taking place in Rotterdam on the 2nd June 2026.
Nominations for GDH Benelux 2026 are now closed.
Entry Criteria & Category Guide
The core categories are split across games development disciplines, with additional categories celebrating great leadership, positive actions and achievements.
Discipline Categories: Individuals who deserve recognition for exceptional skill in their role, plus the support of both their team and the wider company. People who have made significant & valued contributions to development or studio processes.
Business Development Hero: Someone who has forged meaningful partnerships, orchestrated growth and is a driven, BD-orientated ambassador for their company.
The Game Dev Heroes Benelux 2026 eligibility period is loosely between March 2025 – March 2026. We will also accept nominations for long-term achievement.
Game Dev Heroes Benelux is a Netherlands-based event, and welcomes nominations from across The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and neighbouring regions. The awards event will be taking place in Rotterdam on the evening of June 2nd, alongside INDIGO 2026.
Event Partners
Alessandra van Otterlo is the owner of Control Magazine and she scouts speakers for INDIGO. In her 20+ years in the industry, she worked for various publishers and developers and organisations like the Dutch Games Association. For the latter, she organises events, such as network lunches, webinars and playdev.club. Alessandra is also co-founder of the European Game Showcase.