A Champion of Equity: Liz Prince Awarded MBE for Transformative Impact on the UK Games Industry

In a career defined by unwavering dedication to the human element of the gaming sector, Liz Prince, a long-standing business manager at the specialist recruitment firm Amiqus, has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). The honour, bestowed as part of the King’s Birthday Honours list, recognizes her decades-long commitment to advancing diversity, inclusion, and professional standards within the United Kingdom’s booming interactive entertainment industry.

For those who have followed the evolution of the UK games landscape, the recognition of Prince is long overdue. Her work has moved beyond the traditional boundaries of recruitment, positioning her as a central figure in the structural reform of how game studios attract, retain, and support talent.

Main Facts: A Career Dedicated to People

Liz Prince’s recognition stems from her thirty-year career as a recruitment professional, with more than two decades of that tenure spent at Amiqus. While her primary role has been to bridge the gap between studios and the talent they require, her influence has been far more expansive.

The MBE serves as a formal acknowledgment of her "services to the Games Industry and Diversity." This encapsulates a series of strategic initiatives she has spearheaded to address systemic inequities in hiring, corporate culture, and leadership representation. By championing initiatives such as G Into Gaming and Empower Up, Prince has provided a blueprint for how businesses can move beyond performative diversity statements and toward actionable, measurable change.

Chronology: Three Decades of Advocacy

To understand the significance of this award, one must look at the timeline of Prince’s contributions, which trace the maturation of the UK games sector from a burgeoning cottage industry to a global powerhouse.

The Foundation Years (1990s–2000s)

Prince entered the recruitment space during a time when the gaming industry was undergoing rapid consolidation and technological shifts. Her early years were marked by a focus on professionalizing the recruitment process, ensuring that talent was matched not just by technical skill, but by cultural fit.

The Advocacy Pivot (2018)

The pivotal moment in Prince’s career occurred in 2018 with the launch of G Into Gaming. Recognizing a stark gender imbalance in the workforce, Prince created the initiative to platform women in the industry, providing mentorship and visibility. This initiative served as a counter-narrative to the "boys’ club" reputation that historically plagued the sector, proving that a more diverse workforce was not only ethically superior but economically vital.

Scaling Impact: Empower Up (2020s)

Following the success of G Into Gaming, Prince co-founded Empower Up alongside industry veterans Dom Shaw and UKIE (The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment). This project marked a shift toward institutional support, offering a comprehensive toolkit for employers. It addressed critical pillars of corporate success: equity, inclusive hiring practices, and the development of leadership pipelines that reflect the global audience of gamers.

Supporting Data: The Business Case for Inclusion

The initiatives Prince has championed are backed by an increasing body of evidence suggesting that diverse teams are more innovative and profitable.

In her work with the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit and the Best Places to Work Awards, Prince has been a consistent advocate for data-driven HR practices. Her involvement with these platforms has helped translate the "soft" benefits of inclusivity into hard metrics.

Why Representation Matters:

1. Retention: Studios that implement the inclusive practices championed by Prince see higher employee retention rates, significantly reducing the "brain drain" that can stall development cycles.
2. Global Reach: As the player base for games continues to diversify globally, having a workforce that mirrors this diversity is no longer optional—it is a competitive necessity.
3. Leadership Pipelines: By focusing on mentorship through Empower Up, Prince has addressed the "broken rung" phenomenon, where individuals from underrepresented groups struggle to break into management and executive levels.

Official Responses and Industry Reflection

The announcement of her MBE has been met with widespread acclaim from peers and industry bodies.

"I am incredibly honoured to receive this recognition," Prince stated following the announcement. "The games industry has been a huge part of my working life, and I care deeply about the people and businesses within it. This honour reflects work that has always been collaborative."

Prince was careful to emphasize the collective nature of her achievements. "G Into Gaming, Empower Up and the wider conversations around diversity and inclusion in games have involved so many people who have given their time, voices, ideas and support," she added.

Industry leaders have noted that Prince’s approach is unique because it never loses sight of the individual. By focusing on the human story behind every hiring decision, she has humanized the often cold process of talent acquisition.

Implications: The Path Forward

The awarding of an MBE to a recruitment professional for services to diversity is a strong signal from the UK government regarding the importance of the gaming industry to the national economy and cultural identity.

However, for Prince, the award is not a finish line but a milestone. "I’m proud of what we have built, but I also know there is still more to do," she remarked. "My hope is that this recognition helps keep attention on the importance of fairer access, better representation and more inclusive workplaces across the games industry."

Challenges Ahead:

• Systemic Bias: Despite progress, the industry continues to grapple with entrenched biases in recruitment algorithms and networking-based hiring, which Prince’s initiatives are working to dismantle.
• Global Scaling: The frameworks established by Empower Up are now being looked at as models for international expansion. The challenge will be adapting these localized UK successes to broader, global corporate environments.
• Accountability: As the industry grows, the pressure for transparency in D&I reporting will increase. Prince’s continued advocacy is expected to play a critical role in setting the standard for how studios report their progress.

Contextualizing the Honour

Prince joins a growing list of distinguished figures from the gaming sector who have been recognized for their contributions to the UK’s creative and economic landscape. Her inclusion follows that of Michael French, the head of Games London, who was awarded an MBE earlier this year, and the CBEs granted to Rebellion co-founders Chris and Jason Kingsley in 2024.

These accolades collectively represent the "coming of age" of the UK games industry. No longer viewed solely as a niche entertainment sector, gaming is now recognized as a pillar of the digital economy. The appointment of individuals like Liz Prince to the Order of the British Empire underscores that the government recognizes the industry’s capacity to lead in social innovation as well as technological advancement.

Conclusion

Liz Prince’s career trajectory serves as a template for future leaders in the space. Her work demonstrates that the most effective change comes from those who are embedded in the day-to-day operations of an industry but possess the vision to challenge its status quo. As she looks toward the future, the impact of her work—not just in the placements made, but in the barriers dismantled—will continue to be felt by the next generation of game developers, artists, and leaders.

The MBE is a fitting tribute to a professional who has spent three decades ensuring that the games industry is not just a place where great products are made, but a place where great people are valued. As the industry faces the complexities of a new era, the principles championed by Prince will remain essential to its continued growth and integrity.