A huge thanks to everyone who nominated their Game Dev Heroes for the very first Benelux edition of GDH. We’ve had an incredible response and are proud to reveal the shortlist for this year’s awards. Congratulations to all who have been nominated!
This shortlist will now 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.
Art and Animation
Camille Marjoux
Senior Animator, EA
Hendrik Visser
Artist, Wildflower Interactive
Kenney
Asset Creator, Kenney.nl
Roderick Van Der Steen
Lead Lighting Artist, Guerrilla Games
Scott Davidson
Creative Director, PLAYERUNKNOWN Productions
Sonja van Vuure
2D Artist & Art Director
Design
Dennis Micka
Principal Game Designer, Guerrilla Games
Dorothea Drobbe
Game Design Lead, Studio Deloryan
Jan Willem Nijman
Founder, Vlambeer
Robin-Yann Storm
Tools UX Designer
Sam Agten
Founder, Sixtyfour
Sasha Lewis
Level Designer, Twirlbound
Programming
Ali Elzoheiry
Owner, Alizoh Studio
Joost van Dongen
Co-Founder, Galaxy Grove
Michiel Roza
Principal Optimization Programmer, Nixxes Software
Shaun McDermott
Programmer Team Lead, Behaviour Rotterdam
Marketing
Anne van der Zanden
Principal Community Manager, Guerrilla Games
Rick van Beem
PR & Marketing Director, Pearl Abyss
Robby Bischop
Founder, Pirate PR
Stephanie van Lith-van Geel
Founder, Game Drive
Business Development
Artem Pozhilenkov
Release Manager, tinyBuild
Kevin Haelterman
CEO, LeGus
Robin Ras
Co-Founder, Rusty Lake
Romy Halfweeg
Business Development Manager, Poki
Sam de Boeck
Founder / CEO, Oro Interative
Industry Impact
Allie Weis
Ethics Coordinator, Howest DAE
Bertine Van Hövell
Owner, Lost Again
Marie Janin
Co-Director, Sickhouse
Menno van Pelt-Deen
Chair, Games [4Diversity]
The winners of this year’s Game Dev Heroes Benelux will be announced live at our awards event in Rotterdam on the 2nd June.