Tag: BAFTA Games Awards

BAFTA Games Awards: All the Winners from 2003 to Today

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has presented the BAFTA Games Awards almost every year since 2003 (they skipped 2005 for some reason). “The BAFTAs” are one of the game industry’s most prestigious awards, and they’re awarded each Spring, honoring games released during the previous calendar year.

Since 2016, the BAFTA Games Awards ceremony has coincided with the London Games Festival.

A secret ballot cast by the British Academy’s membership, which includes “experienced games industry practitioners from a range of backgrounds in game development and production,” chooses the nominees and winners each year. A variety of sponsored awards are also offered by the BAFTAs, and the winners are typically decided by a public vote.

All the “Best Game” winners from the BAFTA Games Awards can be found here…

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Baldur’s Gate 3 Completes the Sweep After Winning “Best Game” at 2023-2024 BAFTA Games Awards

More than The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Alan Wake II or Super Mario Bros. Wonder or any of the rest of 2023’s biggest games, it often felt like all anyone wanted to talk about last year was Baldur’s Gate 3.

The RPG’s uncanny ability to become the center of the conversation has continued throughout awards season, as it won “Game of the Year” honors at The Game Awards in December, the DICE Awards in February, and the GDC Awards in March. Could we be looking at another sweep of the major year-end awards? The first, and only, time that happened was when Sony Santa Monica’s God of War took home all the “Game of the Year” trophies in 2018.

I could try to draw the suspense out a little more… but if you saw the headline you know… the development team from Larian Studios did indeed complete their sweep at the 2023-2024 BAFTA Games Awards. Baldur’s Gate 3 was the big winner of the night, not only winning “Best Game”, but also a handful of other statuettes as well. The RPG’s tally also includes awards for “Narrative”, “Music”, “Performer in a Supporting Role” (for Andrew Wincott portrayal of Raphael, and the fan-voted “EE Players’ Choice”.

While Baldur’s Gate 3 won a lot last night, the three aforementioned games also took home a few trophies. Remedy’s Alan Wake II was honored with “Artistic Achievement” and “Audio Achievement” awards. Playing together was at the heart of Super Mario Bros. Wonder‘s victories for “Family” and “Multiplayer”. And The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom took home yet another “Technical Achievement” award at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards.

Comedian Phil Wang led the ceremony in London last night, but the membership of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts also decided to reveal the competition’s Longlist for the first time. Focusing on the “overwhelming proof of the tremendous creative talent prevalent across the industry”, the 60 titles chosen provide a great overview for one of the best years for video games ever.

You can view a replay of the ceremony after the break, along with a complete list of all the nominees and winners from this 20th edition of the BAFTA Games Awards.

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Vampire Survivors Snaps Elden Ring’s Streak and Wins “Best Game” at the 2022-2023 BAFTA Games Awards

Sony Santa Monica’s God of War (2018) is the only game in history to win “Game of the Year” honors at all five major year-end shows.

With the SXSW Gaming Awards off the calendar, and after Elden Ring‘s victories at The Game Awards, the DICE Awards, and the GDC Awards, it was looking extremely likely that Kratos would soon have some company. But it was not to be… and God of War: Ragnarok wasn’t even the one to snap the streak.

Instead, “Best Game” at the 2022-2023 BAFTA Games Awards went to Poncle’s Vampire Survivors.

The retro-styled “bullet heaven” shooter has been steadily picking up steam since it was released in early access in December 2021, and won over even more converts after its official launch in October. I’m sure a lot of people will look at this as an unlikely victory, but the membership of the British Academy has always tended to go their own way (most famously in 2017-2018 when it chose What Remains of Edith Finch over The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild). To further push that point home, Vampire Survivors also won the “Game Design” statuette.

So what of Elden Ring? From Software’s dark fantasy also won two awards, “Original Property” and “Multiplayer.”

Believe it or not, the biggest winner of the night was actually Sony Santa Monica and God of War: Ragnarok. The conclusion to Kratos’s Norse adventures took home six total awards, including three for the developer (“Animation,” “Audio Achievement,” and “Music”), both performance awards (Christopher Judge for “Performer in a Leading Role” and Laya DeLeon Hayes for “Performer in a Supporting Role”), and the fan-voted “EE Game of the Year.”

The complete list of winners and nominees from the 2022-2023 BAFTA Games Awards, as well as a replay of the ceremony, can be found after the break.

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Returnal Breaks the Loop and Wins “Best Game” at the 2021-2022 BAFTA Games Awards

Housemarque has been caught in a familiar loop throughout their attendance at The Game Awards, the DICE Awards, the SXSW Gaming Awards, and the GDC Awards. Their acclaimed third-person shooter, Returnal, was nominated in multiple categories at each show, but the developers came away emptyhanded almost every time.

That pattern certainly changed at the 2021-2022 BAFTA Games Awards, as Returnal was honored with the “Best Game” award and three other statuettes (“Audio Achievement,” “Music,” and “Performer in a Leading Role” for Jane Perry).

A handful of other games also took home multiple awards during the ceremony, including Hazelight’s It Takes Two (“Multiplayer” and “Original Property”), Insomniac’s Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (“Technical Achievement” and “Animation”), and Witch Beam’s Unpacking (“Narrative” and the fan-voted “EE Game of the Year”).

The BAFTA Games Awards are headquartered in London, and the organizers also annually hand out an award for “Best British Game.” This year, that honor went to Playground’s Forza Horizon 5.

You can find the complete list of nominees and all the other winners (including Chicory: A Colorful Tale, Inscryption, Psychonauts 2, and more), as well as a replay of the ceremony (which was hosted by Elle Osili-Wood), after the break.

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“Best Game” Bestowed Upon Hades at the 2020-2021 BAFTA Games Awards

The critical community bestowed yet another boon on Hades at the 2020-2021 BAFTA Games Awards. The voters from the esteemed British Academy have awarded Supergiant’s roguelike adventure with “Best Game” (and a truckload of additional trophies).

After receiving eight nominations, the developers from Supergiant would ultimately climb the virtual stage five times throughout the night. In addition to the “Best Game” award, Hades was also selected as the winner in the “Artistic Achievement,” “Game Design,” and “Narrative” categories. Voice actor Logan Cunningham completed the hot streak by winning the “Performer in a Supporting Role” award for pulling sextuple duty as Hades, Achilles, Poseidon, Asterius, Charon, and The Storyteller.

Looking back, it’s astonishing that Hades wasn’t a heavy favorite heading into this year’s BAFTA Games Awards. And that’s because Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II received 13 total nominations before the ceremony, more than any other game in the nearly 20-year history of the BAFTAs. In the end, the game would emerge victorious in just two categories: “Animation” and “Performer in a Leading Role” (for Laura Bailey’s portrayal of Abby).

Other big winners at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards included Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons (“Game Beyond Entertainment” and “Multiplayer”) and Sumo Digital’s Sackboy: A Big Adventure (“Best British Game” and “Family”). Phobia’s Carrion (“Debut Game”), Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima (“Audio Achievement”), Insomniac’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (“Music”), Cardboard Computer’s Kentucky Route Zero (“Original Property”), and Rare’s Sea of Thieves (“Evolving Game”) all won a single award.

A complete list of the winners and nominees at the 2020-2021 BAFTA Games Awards, as well as an embedded replay of the ceremony, can be found after the break.

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Outer Wilds Wins “Best Game” at the 2019-2020 BAFTA Games Awards

The Goose had one last chance to steal a “Game of the Year” trophy at this morning’s 2019-2020 BAFTA Games Award, but alas, the prize for “Best Game” went to Mobius Digital’s Outer Wilds. The planetary exploration game also claimed two other BAFTAs, winning in the “Original Property” and “Game Design” categories.

One other game, ZA/UM’s Disco Elysium, also managed to collect three trophies during this year’s ceremony. The investigative RPG racked up wins for “Narrative,” “Music,” and “Debut Game.”

However, House House did not return home empty handed. The Australian developer’s Untitled Goose Game was selected as the winner in the “Family” category by the BAFTA committee.

As with this year’s other awards shows, the 2019-2020 BAFTA Games Awards was a digital-only affair, and you can watch a replay of the entire ceremony after the break (alongside a complete list of this year’s winners and nominees) or on YouTube.

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God of War Wins “Best Game” at 2018-2019 BAFTA Games Awards

It’s a clean sweep for Sony Santa Monica’s God of War. The highly-acclaimed title collected the “Best Game” statuette at this morning’s BAFTA Games Awards ceremony, and the developers can now add it to a stuffed trophy shelf that also includes “Game of the Year” honors from the GDC Awards, SXSW Gaming Awards, DICE Awards, and the Game Awards.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts bestowed four more awards on Kratos’s latest adventure throughout the ceremony, including “Audio Achievement,” “Music,” “Narrative,” and “Performer” (to Jeremy Davies for his portrayal of The Stranger).

Nintendo marched to the stage multiple times during the 2018-2019 BAFTA Games Awards to collect statuettes for Nintendo Labo in the “Game Innovation” and “Family” categories. Lucas Pope’s Return of the Obra Dinn also won two awards, “Artistic Achievement” and “Game Design.” And this year’s BAFTA for “Best British Game” was given to Playground Games’s Forza Horizon 4.

The complete list of winners and nominees from the 2018-2019 BAFTA Games Awards can be found after the break.

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What Remains of Edith Finch Wins “Best Game” at 2017-2018 BAFTA Games Awards

Giant Sparrow’s mystery adventure, What Remains of Edith Finch, won “Best Game” at the 2017-2018 BAFTA Games Awards… but Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice stole the show.

Ninja Theory’s action-adventure took home top honors in five categories during tonight’s ceremony, and their haul included awards for “Artistic Achievement,” “Audio Achievement,” “Best British Game,” “Game Beyond Entertainment,” and “Performer” (which was given to Melina Juergens for her vocal work as Senua).

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which swept its way to multiple victories at The Game Awards, the GDC Awards, the DICE Awards, and the SXSW Gaming Awards, was limited to a single victory at the BAFTAs for “Game Innovation.” However, Nintendo’s Super Mario Odyssey had a good night, winning for “Game Design” and “Family.”

The complete list of winners and nominees from the 2017-2018 BAFTA Games Awards can be found after the break.

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Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Named “Best Game” at 2016-2017 BAFTA Games Awards

Nathan Drake is going to ride off into the sunset with one last “Game of the Year” award. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts hosted the ceremony for the 2016-2017 BAFTA Games Awards last night, and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was selected as the year’s “Best Game.”

Playdead’s Inside didn’t win the big prize, but the indie game scooped up four BAFTAs including “Artistic Achievement,” “Game Design,” “Narrative,” and “Original Property.” Ghost Town’s Overcooked (“Best British Game” and “Family”) and Campo Santo’s Firewatch (“Debut Game” and “Performer” for Cissy Jones) also managed to collect multiple awards as part of the festivities.

A whole slew of titles were able to pull out a win in one category last night, and they include That Dragon Cancer (“Game Innovation”), Rocket League (“Evolving Game”), Overwatch (“Multiplayer”), Pokemon Go (“Mobile & Handheld”), The Last Guardian (“Audio Achievement”), and Virginia (“Music”).

A complete list of winners and nominees from the 2016-2017 BAFTA Games Awards can be found after the break.

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