Alfie Wilkinson launched his gaming career last year, age 14, after impressing judges and winning the game making category, 10-14 years, in the BAFTA Young Game Designers competition with his retro platformer, Egglien.
BAFTA
BAFTA/Quetzal Maucci
Following the competition, Alfie released his game on Steam, where it proved hugely popular with gamers worldwide and currently has a 100% thumbs up rating.
Within a year, his game caught the attention of commercial publishers Penguin Pop Games leading to exciting deals with major gaming platforms PlayStation, X-box and Nintendo Switch.
Alongside the release, Alfie’s game is currently being showcased in the Science Museum’s Power UP! Exhibition in London and Manchester, alongside other BAFTA Young Game Designers winners and some of the most iconic games from the last 50 years.
©Science Museum
Embracing opportunities to share his journey and inspire others, Alfie co-presented the BAFTA for Best Game Design in 2023 and has attended numerous events to speak about his journey and breaking out in the industry. Most recently, Alfie has been on panels at the BAFTA Young Game Designers Showcase in London and Develop – the UK’s biggest gaming conference.
Getty Images for BAFTA
BAFTA/Daniel Housley
When asked the key to his success, Alfie said:
“It’s the push to get better and stick with it, for quite a while nobody knew who I was and that didn’t stop me. Winning YGD will always be the thing I now credit as the start of a journey, it’s pushed me to work harder and meet new people, I’ve really broken out of what was a hard shell. I have friends that have released games and they all gave valuable feedback on how to release a game well, so it helped with the process.
Seeing Egglien in “Power Up!” was awesome, it really sunk in when I got messaged by a few folks that took photos with the game. If you asked me to public speak a few years ago I would’ve hated it, but I’ve really found a passion for being on panels and talking to people about their experiences.
To YGD 2024 participants and beyond, have fun! Being a game designer (especially if you’re doing it solo and are working with multiple disciplines) can be quite hard! Don’t give up, what you’re working on is better than you think it is.”
