AN Ammanford teen has been announced as a finalist in a nation-wide game design competition chosen by industry experts from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Bethany Maia Evans, from Llandybie, has been shortlisted for her game concept Salt Without Pepper, which sends players on a journey to keep characters Salt and Pepper together by avoiding obstacles generated by the food industry to separate them.

The 16-year-old said: “It’s an honour to be shortlisted in the Game Concept category for the BAFTA Young Games Designer Award.

“I’m very proud of my game and it’s something that I’ve really enjoyed working on and I am looking forward to the ceremony so that I can showcase my game to even more people.

“Being involved in this competition has given me a lot of confidence to keep designing in the future and keep improving.”

The competition, now in its sixth year, aims to inspire game makers of the future aged between 10 and18 years-old by giving them the chance to design and create their own game and develop it with industry professionals.

The winners will be revealed at an awards ceremony held at BAFTA’s headquarters in London on Saturday, July 23, which will be attended by the 50 finalists from across the UK who represent 40 games as individuals, pairs or teams of three.

Harvey Elliott, Chair of the BAFTA Games Committee, said: “Each year we are overwhelmed by the calibre of talent identified in this competition, and this year is no exception, with our finalists clearly among the most promising young games designers in the country.

“We look forward to celebrating their achievements at the ceremony in next week.”

Director of Strategy and Partnerships at Nominet Trust, Edward Evans, said: “Through our partnership with BAFTA, we are proud to offer young people from all backgrounds a platform to develop their digital skills and make the industry connections they need to become the game makers and designers of the future.

“The programme is a great way to encourage more young women to pursue careers in game design, helping to address the gender gap in the UK’s digital industry.”