BAFTA Games Awards 2025 Show Notes

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C ON T E N TS WELCOME LETTERS

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THE HOST: PHIL WANG

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THE FELLOW: YOKO SHIMOMURA

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THE BREAKTHROUGHS

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SCREEN TIME

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THE COMMUNITY

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THE NOMINATIONS

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SUPPORT BAFTA’S WORK

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JURIES AND CHAPTERS

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OFFICERS OF THE ACADEMY

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GAMES AWARDS PARTNERS

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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CREDITS

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#BAFTAGamesAwards bafta.org

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As President of BAFTA, I am delighted to welcome you to the 21st BAFTA Games Awards to celebrate the incredible variety of games and breadth of talent that mark an exceptional year in the industry.

Occasions like tonight are a wonderful opportunity to shine a spotlight on the amazing creative skills that are the powerhouse of the British and global industry.

I am so proud of BAFTA’s ongoing commitment to nurturing the talent of tomorrow in the screen arts. Today, Britain is home to some of gaming’s most exciting productions and when the sky’s the limit, it is vital that our creatives and skilled practitioners at every level are supported to develop their careers. From the Young BAFTA programme to bursaries offering thousands of pounds in immediate financial support for junior creatives, the charity’s programmes are continuously opening doors to talented individuals of all backgrounds, and at every stage of their career.

I know many here tonight have contributed to this important work in a number of ways, whether it’s financially, through mentoring, or volunteering time and expertise. As a charity, BAFTA remains hugely grateful for your support and I couldn’t be prouder to see what has been achieved this year.

Congratulations to all the nominees who are being celebrated at tonight’s ceremony and I wish you all a wonderful evening.

HRH The Prince of Wales, k.g. k.t.

President of BAFTA

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Jane Millichip, CEO

Sara Putt, Chair

W E LC O M E Welcome to the 21st BAFTA Games Awards.

Tonight, 41 exceptional games spanning every conceivable genre, style, size, and origin will be showcased. You are the creators, practitioners, executives and storytellers who have evolved the games industry into a hotbed of creative excellence, wild entertainment and increasingly socially progressive narratives. So, regardless of who wins this evening, we all have reason to celebrate.

This year’s nominees offer something for everyone and represent the full spectrum of game-making: from big-budget epics built by hundreds of designers to exquisitely bespoke games crafted by one or two individuals.

As an awards body, an academy and a membership organisation, BAFTA champions artistry, craft and innovation. But we cannot run our awards without the engagement of our members, 1,300 of whom vote in these awards. Thank you to those who voted, to jurors, to jury chairs and to our brilliant BAFTA Games Committee for your hard work, collaboration, guidance and engagement.

One of the real joys of the BAFTA Games Awards is to welcome to London creatives and practitioners from across the globe. And this year we are honoured to present our most prestigious award, the Fellowship, to one of the world’s finest composers working in games, Yoko Shimomura.

Congratulations, meal do naidheachd, llongyfarchiadau, comhghairdeas, and good luck to all the nominees. Have a wonderful night.

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Photography: Dan Fearon

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TH E H OST PHIL WA NG E ARN S H I S X P

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“I’ve played games all my life, and these awards feel like my opportunity to thank the people who make them,” says Phil Wang, who tonight returns to the stage to host the 21st BAFTA Games Awards. From his two Netflix specials to his regular appearances on panel shows like Have I Got News for You and Taskmaster, the comedic star is an established small-screen player – but he is also a longtime video game fan, from the real-time strategy games of his early years to his recent taste for short-form indie titles.

Tonight, the comedian is earning XP with his return to hosting the BAFTA Games Awards. But were there times in Wang’s life where he thought it might just be game over? From a date gone awry to extreme televised challenges, Wang told us of the four moments he felt he used up one of his lives. Luckily for tonight’s Awards, he has always come back for more.

First Life For a show on Comedy Central, I was challenged to eat extremely hot chilli sauce against someone else. We were both accomplished spice eaters, so we ended up going all the way to the final sauce, which was the hottest a sauce is legally allowed to be in the UK. It made me go crazy. I started doing pushups for some reason. But it was survivable.

Until I got home, that is. By then, each level of chilli sauce had passed through a part of my digestive system that burned very badly. When the final sauce hit I thought I was going to die. My hands were sweating, I was crouched on the floor. I wanted to pull my own stomach out. I called my agent saying I think I might need to go to the hospital, but he just brought

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I ’ V E P L AY E D GA M E S A L L MY LIFE, AND THESE AWA R D S F E E L L I K E M Y OPP ORTUNIT Y TO THANK THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE THEM Phil Wang

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me some ice cream, which didn’t help because it couldn’t catch up with the sauce. I would have had to place it surgically in my large intestine for that to work. After two hours of agony, I pulled through, and got a mop out for the sweat on the floor.

I think they should make more sauces illegal.

Second Life For World’s Most Dangerous Roads on Dave, Pierre Novellie and I went to Lesotho – a tiny, mountainous country enveloped by South Africa. One day, production revealed to us that we were going to rappel down the highest single-drop abseil in the world: the Maletsunyane Falls, which are 204 metres from the top down to the wet, jagged rocks at the bottom.

After strapping myself up, I was told to walk backwards towards the edge of the cliff and just tip myself over. It turns out your body and mind do everything they can to STOP YOU DOING THIS. I somehow overcame these natural blocks, and the moment I tipped over and felt all my weight transfer to the rope, my soul left my body. I felt like I was very slowly falling to my death.

Almost straight away, I lost my footing on the cliff and slowly spun around to see the entire valley beneath me. After 15 minutes of going “wow” and “@*&%!”, I landed, soaking, on the rocks below. I felt like I had been birthed by Mother Earth.

Third Life When I was 18, I was driving my girlfriend around in my little Yaris and we slid on some black ice. I’d never lost control of a car before, and we seemed to scream in slow motion as we careened towards a house. It didn’t help that we happened to be singing along to Muse and hit the word “DIE” just as the car began to slide. There was a big crunch when we hit the curb. I’d broken the front axle but, fortunately, neither of our faces. I definitely felt like I used up a life that day.

Fourth Life Pretty much every time I go to the gym.

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THE F EL LOW YO KO S H I M OM U RA CAPTU R ES OU R H E A RTS

Text: Morna Fraser Photography: Osamu Nakamura

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P E O P L E H AV E T H E I M P R E S S I O N T H AT T H E P I A N O I S B E AU T I F U L A N D T R A N S PA R E N T, BUT THERE IS ALSO AN I N T E N S I T Y T H AT I CA N MAKE USE OF IN VIDEO GA M E S Yoko Shimomura

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The distant crashing of waves swells into the soft, sustained notes of a piano. The melody waltzes, rises and falls, punctuated with light trills, before flowing back into an almost endless loop. Across the screen, a collection of blade-like serifs spells out the words, “Kingdom Hearts”.

For many who first played the game as children in 2002, Kingdom Hearts holds a cherished place in our memories. Its title theme, ‘Dearly Beloved’, composed by Yoko Shimomura, is just as deeply embedded. Back then, the song’s gentle refrain may have quietly soundtracked our childhood chatter and laughter, or perhaps lulled us into sleep.

Subtle in its structure, ‘Dearly Beloved’ is rich in emotion. The song is rooted in a minor scale, but occasionally drifts into major keys, as if caught between feelings of sadness and hope, loss and renewal, innocence and strength – mirroring the very themes of the game. For me, revisiting the song as an adult carries more weight than it did over two decades ago. It almost feels as if Shimomura wrote it to be experienced from the future.

With an illustrious career spanning over three decades, yet ever modest and unassuming, Shimomura is one of the most influential video game composers of our time. The essence of her enduring dedication to the craft is simple: “It’s my love of music,” she says.

“The joy of being able to work with it and have people listen to it is what I like the most.” Tonight, she receives the BAFTA Fellowship, a testament to her exceptional contribution to the industry.

In addition to composing music for the entire Kingdom Hearts series – which currently stands at 13 instalments – Shimomura is renowned for her work on games like Street Fighter II (1991), Super Mario RPG (1996) and Final Fantasy XV (2016). However, her path into the industry wasn’t entirely straightforward. A piano major at Osaka College of Music in the late 1980s, Shimomura

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initially planned to become a teacher after graduation. But when video game company Capcom visited her university for a recruitment event, Shimomura took a chance and applied for a role in their sound creation department – despite the doubts of her family and piano teachers. It was a bold move, but one that would prove life-changing.

Much to her surprise, Shimomura was offered the role at Capcom. During her tenure, she composed music for their arcade ‘brawler’ games, and had her breakthrough with Street Fighter II, where she created unique themes for each character. Even within the limitations of 8-bit technology, she imbued each song with the fighter’s personality and story, from the heroic, rock-infused synth of ‘Ken’s Theme’, to the playful pentatonic scale of ‘ChunLi’s Theme’. The soundtrack’s impact on contemporary culture can still be felt to this day, with its samples appearing in countless pop and hip-hop productions. In 1993, Shimomura moved on to company Square Enix (then Square) and marked her first foray into the fantasy genre – one she would become widely known for – via the game Legend of Mana (1999).

Perhaps Shimomura’s particular route into the industry has been key in shaping the resonance of her work, particularly within fantasy role-playing games (RPGs). Her compositions are deeply attuned to emotion, reflecting not only the challenges, doubts and accomplishments of the characters she scores, but also, in many ways, her own journey as a composer. Her pared-back melodies, meanwhile, convey a sense of unwavering humility.

This emotional yet understated depth is what makes her music so powerful. She makes fantasy feel human.

“I think RPGs allow for more emotional depth compared to action games,” she says. “And I often compose music based on emotions, so it suits me very well. That said, even when I’m in charge of action games, I still try to imagine the various emotions and backgrounds of the characters.” Drawing on her piano training, Shimomura has honed the ability to adapt her approach to different genres and styles, with a deep sense of feeling always

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at the core. “Many people have the impression that the piano is beautiful and transparent, but there is also an intensity that I can make use of, like in combat or battle scenes.”

Though grounded in classical music, Shimomura has a pop-like sensibility, with a keen ear for a memorable melody or hook.

It can be heard in the driving basslines of Street Fighter II and the simplicity of ‘Dearly Beloved’; in the sparse guitar and keys of ‘Safe Haven’ in Final Fantasy XV; in the wistful strings and chime-like synths on ‘Musique pour la tristesse de Xion’ from Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (2009).

She recognises the significance of the unadorned loop – how to let it flow, breathe and linger in memories long after the game is over – and of how, through an almost meditative rhythm, music creates a space for the player to focus and engage. But Shimomura is also a master at evolving the loop, introducing slow builds and textures that create a sense of gradual progression without disrupting the gameplay or breaking the immersion. Achieving harmony between the two is no easy feat, but Shimomura gets it right every time.

Her process places freedom at the forefront of creativity. “In the beginning, I just let it come out naturally from within myself,” she explains. Upon several listens, if there are sections that don’t feel quite right, or seem out of place, she’ll use her training to correct the sounds in accordance with theory.

Now a freelance composer, Shimomura continues to create music for video games, while also venturing beyond the virtual realm. She released her debut studio album Murmur in 2007, has performed live orchestral arrangements of her work, and has recently contributed to the scoring of several short films and anime series. Despite her wide-ranging career, it’s the personal feedback from listeners that remains her greatest reward. “I feel very proud when people tell me that my songs have inspired them to live, inspired them to do their best, or healed their sadness,” she says. “If my songs can save someone’s life or heal someone’s heart, then I couldn’t be happier.”

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In C o nve rs a t i o n with

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Beth Fred Poulomi

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THE BREAK THROUGHS THE PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR, ART DIRECTOR AND IMMERSIVE FILMMAKER ON BAF TA BREAKTHROUGH AND EXPANDING THE HORIZONS OF VIDEO GAMES Text: Alec Holt Photography: Manuel Vazquez

Beth Park (Black Myth: Wukong), Fred Hoffman (Paper Trail) and Poulomi Basu (Maya: Birth of a Superhero) are all participants in 2024’s BAFTA Breakthrough UK, supported by Netflix.

The initiative showcases and supports the next generation of creatives in film, games and TV, helping leverage early success into sustainable careers.

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f r e d h o f f m a n : It’s been an insane year. To go from

developing a garage project in my mum’s spare bedroom with my brother to having this kind of institutional backing from BAFTA is a really disorientating change in my life. Working on games is always a very concerted group effort: often, individual recognition isn’t something that happens. So I think getting onto Breakthrough has made me feel like I deserve to be here in a way I didn’t necessarily feel before. It’s been huge for my imposter syndrome. b e t h p a r k : I’m really proud, and I also feel that I do deserve it. I have worked really hard, and I have worked on some hugely successful titles! I would like to take advantage of this to build some bridges between the games industry and film industry, because I’ve got a few things in development for film. I’m looking for allies who want to meet in the common ground and see, can we bridge this gap? p o u lo m i b a s u : I’m multidisciplinary, so I’m a bit of an

outlier in all the worlds. I think it is really positive that this left-field way of thinking and working and expression through gaming and immersive filmmaking has been welcomed in by BAFTA. I’m the first person with an immersive film that has participated, so I think this is also a good thing beyond myself.

But for me personally? It’s just surreal. b p : Because of the way games are made, you have very narrow pipelines of different disciplines. But I think there could be a better way, where the actors and the directors are more involved in the conversations about how this is going to end up as a piece of cinema, because audiences are expecting cinema when they play a game now. I am working with developers where they want to do that, but the teams are just so massive that it’s not something we’re managing to achieve quite yet. p b : When I made Maya, the entire team was just 14 people.

When you really get to have dialogues with everyone, it creates fertile ground to make amazing, meaningful work.

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W E N E E D G R E AT E R DIVERSIT Y AND R E P R E S E N TAT I O N W I T H I N GA M E S – N O T O N LY P E O P L E , B U T S U B J E C T M AT T E R Poulomi Basu

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STORIES WHICH ARE M O R E C R E AT I V E , S CA R I E R, F U N N I E R, SEXIER – LET’S BE A BIT B R AV E R Beth Park

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b p : If you’re going to give up your evening to play a game, it better be entertaining. It better be fun. So I think the more we have institutions like BAFTA and Netflix putting interest and investment into making those kinds of games, the more audiences we can retain. f h : I think BAFTA plays a huge part in lending credibility,

partly because it has the history; games is a very new, emerging art form. I feel like we’ve been at the cusp for 20 years, where we’ve been having this discussion of, like: “It’s an incredibly immersive media type with the power to tell emotionally engaging stories and to give personal responsibility to the players.” But it doesn’t feel like we’ve quite broken through into the mainstream mainstream, still. b p : Stories which are more creative, scarier, funnier, sexier – let’s be a bit braver in that regard, because audiences lap it up when you do something a bit weird. And they’re bored of generic, soulless reboots. f h : Yes. There’s so much creativity, flexibility and disregard

for the status quo happening in the indie game space at the moment, that I think what I’d like to see is more signal boosting for strange things. p b : I think the games world does have a particular type of audience which is still very white and male. I’ve had so much hate online. Maya is about periods, and without a tampon you literally cannot move ahead with the play. I only realised that people hate women’s blood when I made this piece, especially within the games community. So we need to focus on greater diversity and representation within games – not only of people, but subject matter. Right now, audiences might see one or two pieces like this as anomalies.

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b p : With Black Myth: Wukong, it was really important to make sure that I got loads of amazing East Asian actors into the game.

I’m really proud of the work that they did, and the fact that they are now attached to such an incredible, internationally recognised title. p b : To be able to make a game about such a taboo sort of subject matter, and get the best of South Asian, brown creatives on board to tell the story, has been such a labour of love and persistence and determination. I also do community engagement with everything I do; I feel like it helps to foster positive online video game environments. I like the idea of having that flow between making a social justice game, and then bringing it to the world. f h : I think a thing which I’m most proud of in terms of Paper

Trail is something that’s really difficult to communicate just through looking at screenshots of the game or playing it. Seeing autistic children, who I’m told by their parents have never been able to sit still for any length of time, spending an entire two hours in a very busy, distracting hall, fully focused on playing it; having young children teach their parents how to solve puzzles: that kind of unifying through puzzle-solving was a really, really satisfying thing. When you make a game, you make it in isolation. It’s quite easy to lose sight of the fact that you’re making this thing for real people. p b : I’ve had people scream, shout, come out of the piece crying. I want people to realise that these mediums can have transformative experiences for people, with interactivity and embodiment. And we should really be honing into that more and making stories that engage audiences and move them in different ways. It’s a very humbling year for all three of us, I’m guessing, to see these little things that didn’t exist come into the world.

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Illustration: Alice Tye

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SCR E E N T I M E WH AT WE PL AY E D

F R OM AN E PIC GAM EPL AY E XPE RIEN CE TO PL AYING TO GET HER WITH A LOVED ON E; A RELEAS E OF A P E RS ONAL PR OJ ECT, OR A GAMES EVE N T T H AT BRINGS PE OPLE TO G ETHER – THESE WERE AM ON G T HE BAF TA GAM ES C O MMUN IT Y ’S FAVOU RITE MEMORIES O F T H E YEAR THAT WAS

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“My favourite screen experience of 2024 was my first playthrough of Astro Bot. I had just finished Star Wars Outlaws, and that game was with no doubt in my mind my game of the year. 20-plus hours of Astro Bot gameplay later and that had all changed. The game brought modern gameplay fun back to its core with a slice of nostalgia.

[Through] trying to recognise each bot and where they fit into the 30-year history of the PlayStation brand, the game itself was a love letter to everything Sony had made. Long may it continue.”

Cameron Keywood, a Wales-based game designer who received a Prince William BAFTA Bursary in 2024. The bursary offers up to £2,000 in financial support to help talented individuals in the screen arts with their progression.

“I’ve always played video games with my dad.

When I was little I would never play them on my own because I would be too scared to fight the monsters. I’m 17 now and earlier last year, while I was away, my dad called me one night. He was calling because he was playing the newest Zelda game and needed help with the combat tactics of one of the boss fights. It made me happy because I realised we’ve never actually stopped playing games together.”

Tallulah Martinez, who was one of four winners of the BAFTA Young Game Designers (YGD) competition (Game concept award, 15-18) for The Whispering Wilds. Since 2010, BAFTA has run the YGD competition to inspire and support the game designers of the future, from ages 10-18.

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“Seeing my own game, Unplugged, in the London Science Museum will always be an unforgettable experience. Watching so many people enjoy something I had put my heart and soul into was truly indescribable, and it instantly made all the hard work worth it. It reminded me of why I love making games and inspired me to keep creating.”

Dan Wragg, who won the Game Making Award (15-18) in 2024’s YGD competition with his electricity-themed game, Unplugged.

“One standout memory for me actually involves my children, who are now of an age where gaming has piqued their curiosity. It’s been an absolute joy to watch them play Sackboy: A Big Adventure together – I love seeing the cogs whirring around in their heads as they figure out puzzles between them (or ask me to help if it gets too frustrating).

“It was also an amazing feeling to show them the award-winning Empire of the Ants when it came out last year, and to see their pride in knowing that Daddy composed music for the game.

However, that only lasted a short while... before saving Craftworld understandably took over as the highest priority once more!”

Mark Choi, BAFTA member and freelance composer for video games.

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“I think what stands out for me about 2024 in terms of games is that it was one of those rare years where there were so many surprises in store! Whether breakout titles or delightful successes, it really offered such a variety of different experiences of play. On one hand you had the epic, spectacular and wonderfully comedic Helldivers 2, where every moment feels straight out of a pulpy action film. I can’t recall the last game I played where I was taken out more by my teammates than the enemy...

“On the other hand you had Astro Bot, a game that utterly relishes in providing joy and delight to players with surprises at every turn, regardless of age or experience in video games. From a more personal standpoint, I was incredibly proud to have finally revealed Rogue Eclipse at Summer Game Fest alongside [the game funding initiative] Outersloth. The team had been working really hard, so to see our work presented on stage for the first time is a moment I’ll never forget.”

Husban Siddiqi, an independent games developer who is currently game director on Rogue Eclipse, a spaceflight action shooter – as well as a BAFTA member.

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“London Games Festival 2024 was my favorite games event of the year for many reasons: the Ensemble Trafalgar Square exhibit, which I was part of, the WASD showcase, which introduced me to many wonderful games, and many other side events. However, the highlight for me was definitely last year’s BAFTA Games Awards Nominees Party!

It was inspiring to meet the nominees as well as prominent and up-and-coming developers. Hearing how passionate and excited everyone is – and about how their hard work is currently paying off – was truly incredible.”

Rafif Kalantan, game and narrative designer and producer.

Kalantan won the Yugo BAFTA Student Award for Games in 2023 – the finalists of which were selected from over 700 submissions by students from schools in 30 countries.

“My favourite gaming event of 2024 was the Bonus Stage concert in Guildford in November. It was a charity music event where musicians who worked on games such as No Man’s Sky, Vampire Survivors and our own game, Cassette Beasts, came together to perform and raise money for the charity SpecialEffect, which won a BAFTA in recognition of its work at last year’s Awards. It was very moving to see our industry express its creative talent in a way that celebrates the music of the medium as a whole, while also contributing to a good cause! I would love to see more game music concerts like this in the UK – what a great time!”

Jay Baylis, a BAFTA member, is the co-founder and art and game director of the BAFTA-nominated Bytten Studio.

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T H E C OM M U N I T Y A B IG YE A R FO R BA F TA GAM ES

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2024 was another challenging year for the games industry, but even with those obstacles, the quality of production and creativity felt like it hit an all-time high.

Just as exciting as the fantastical worlds in which players have been able to immerse themselves this year, is the genuine diversity in the storytellers who craft them: from animation to audio, development to performance.

Tonight we celebrate many of those storytellers. But the trophies awarded this evening wouldn’t be possible without many more game-makers than the nominees alone. That’s because, uniquely, the votes for the BAFTA Games Awards are all cast by BAFTA members – all of them experts in their fields.

As well as conferring the opportunity to cast those votes, membership also provides a community for games professionals year-round. In what can sometimes feel like an isolating career path with an emphasis on individual skill sets, BAFTA Games provides a home and vital sounding board to creatives at all levels. Here’s what some of our members got up to this year, from masterclasses to workshops...

How can we tackle social mobility and mental health in the games industry? In June, BAFTA held its second annual Games Mental Health Summit in collaboration with Safe In Our World, bringing people together to discuss solutions to challenges facing those in the industry – especially those at junior levels. Actionable ideas that emerged included removing degree-level qualifications from job requirements, as well as encouraging games as a viable career option in diverse communities.

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Already going down in history as one of the smash hits of the decade, Baldur’s Gate 3 won across multiple categories at the 2024 Awards. But how exactly do you create a BAFTA Best Game? Names like CEO of Larian Studios, Swen Vincke, writing director Adam Smith, and lead writer Chrystal Ding, as well as the performers and music composers of the title, came together for a Baldur’s Gate 3 masterclass in June to answer that question for obsessives of the title.

At time of print, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is enthralling players everywhere with its journey through Japanese feudal history. In a special Assassin’s Creed masterclass in November, Ubisoft’s Marc-Alexis Côté looked back on the legacy of the iconic games series and discussed how the games (and Ubisoft as a studio) have evolved through the years – as well as previewing the magic that was around the corner with the newest release.

For the team behind Ukrainian RPG S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, life imitated art when they found themselves crafting their game inside a war zone after the Russian invasion. At the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 masterclass held at BAFTA to close out the year in December, members heard the team’s inspiring story, as well as watched War Game, a powerful documentary about GSC Game World’s overcoming the odds to finish their game during a war.

Who are the game designers of the future? Since 2010, BAFTA has run the Young Game Designers competition to find the answer to that question among those aged 10-18 across the UK. Last summer, the winning games included worlds of ancient magic and epic battles between superheroes and giant robots.

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TH E NO MI NAT I O N S

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Animation 41 Artistic Achievement

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Audio Achievement

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Best Game

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British Game

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Debut Game

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Evolving Game

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Family 51 Game Beyond Entertainment

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Game Design

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Multiplayer 55 Music 56 Narrative 57 New Intellectual Property

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Performer in a Leading Role

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Performer in a Supporting Role

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Technical Achievement

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TH E NO MI NAT I O N S A nima tion ASTR O B OT Development Team CA LL OF DU T Y: B L AC K O P S 6 Development Team LEG O H OR IZON A DV E NT U R ES Development Team SE N UA’S SAGA : H E LLB L A D E I I Development Team TH A N K G O ODN ES S YO U ’ R E HE R E !

Will Todd James Carbutt WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE 2 Development Team

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THE N OMI NAT I ONS Ar t istic Achievem ent AST R O B OT Development Team BL AC K MY TH : W U KO NG Development Team HA R O LD H A L IB U T Ole Tillmann Fabian Preuschoff Onat Hekimoglu NE VA Development Team SE N UA’S SAGA : H EL L B L A D E I I Development Team ST ILL WA K ES TH E DE E P Development Team

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TH E NO MI NAT I O N S Au dio Achievement A N IM A L W EL L Billy Basso ASTR O B OT Development Team H ELLDIVERS 2 Development Team SE N UA’S SAGA : H E LLB L A D E I I Development Team STA R WA RS OU TL AWS Development Team ST ILL WA K ES TH E D E E P Development Team

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THE N OMI NAT I ONS B est G a me AST R O B OT Development Team BA L AT R O LocalThunk BL AC K MY TH : W U KO NG Development Team HE LLDIVERS 2 Development Team TH E LEG EN D OF Z ELDA : E C HO ES O F W ISD O M Development Team TH A N K G O ODN ES S YO U ’ R E HE R E !

Will Todd James Carbutt

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THE N OMI NAT I ONS B r it ish G a m e A H IGH L A N D S ON G Development Team LE G O H OR IZON A DV E NT U R ES Development Team PA PER TRA IL Development Team SE N UA’S SAGA : H EL L B L A D E I I Development Team ST ILL WA K ES TH E DE E P Development Team TH A N K G O ODN ES S YO U ’ R E HE R E !

Will Todd James Carbutt

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TH E NO MI NAT I O N S D e bu t G a m e A N IM A L W EL L Billy Basso BA L ATR O LocalThunk PACIF IC DR IVE Development Team TH E P LU C K Y S QU I R E Development Team TA LES OF K EN Z ERA : Z AU Development Team TH A N K G O ODN ES S YO U ’ R E HE R E !

Will Todd James Carbutt

Congratulations to all the nominees this evening

unrealengine.com

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TH E NO MI NAT I O N S Evolv in g Gam e DIA BLO IV Development Team FIN A L FA N TASY X IV O NLI NE Development Team N O M A N ’S S K Y Development Team SE A OF TH IEVES Development Team VA MP IR E S U RVIVO RS Development Team WOR L D OF WA R CRA F T Development Team

CONGRATULATIONS To all the nominees and winners at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards

PROUD SUPPORTER TO BAFTA GAMES AWARDS FOR OVER 10 YEARS www.games.london

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TH E NO MI NAT I O N S Fa mily ASTR O B OT Development Team CAT QU EST III Desmond Wong Liang Wai Nursyazana binte Zainal LEG O H OR IZON A DV E NT U R ES Development Team LIT TL E K IT T Y, B IG C I T Y Development Team TH E P LU C K Y S QU I R E Development Team SUPE R MA R IO PA RT Y JA M B O R E E Development Team

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THE N OMI NAT I ONS G a me B e yond E nte r tain ment B OTA N Y M A N OR Development Team KIN D WOR DS 2 (LOF I C I T Y P O P ) Ziba Scott Luigi Guatieri Clark Aboud SE N UA’S SAGA : H EL L B L A D E I I Development Team TA LES OF K EN Z ERA : Z AU Development Team TETRIS F OR EVER Development Team VA MPIR E TH ERA P IST Cyrus Nemati Sheila Fell Kim Schumacher

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TH E NO MI NAT I O N S G a me D e sign A N IM A L W EL L Billy Basso ASTR O B OT Development Team BA L ATR O LocalThunk H ELLDIVERS 2 Development Team TH E L EG EN D OF ZE LDA : E C HO ES O F WISD OM Development Team TACT ICA L B R EAC H W I Z A R DS Tom Francis Steve Lee John Roberts

GAME-CHANGING KIT GAME-CHANGING KIT FOR EVERY GAMER FOR EVERY GAMER

SEARCH EE GAME STORE SEARCH EE GAME STORE

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TH E NO MI NAT I O N S M ultiplayer CA LL OF DU T Y: B L AC K O P S 6 Development Team H ELLDIVERS 2 Development Team LEG O H OR IZON A DV E NT U R ES Development Team SUPE R MA R IO PA RT Y JA M B O R E E Development Team TEK K EN 8 Development Team WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE 2 Development Team

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THE N OMI NAT I ONS Mu sic AST R O B OT Kenneth C M Young BL AC K MY TH : W U KO NG Development Team FIN A L FA N TASY VII R E B I RT H Development Team HE LLDIVERS 2 Wilbert Roget II Ross Tregenza Keith Leary SE N UA’S SAGA : H EL L B L A D E I I Development Team STA R WA RS OU TL AWS Wilbert Roget II Simon Koudriavtsev Erik Jacobsson

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TH E NO MI NAT I O N S N a rra tive BL AC K M Y TH : W U KO NG Development Team DRAG ON AG E: TH E V E I LG UA R D Development Team FIN A L FA N TASY VII R E B I RT H Development Team METAP H OR : R EFA NTA ZI O Development Team SE N UA’S SAGA : H E LLB L A D E I I Development Team ST ILL WA K ES TH E D E E P Development Team

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TH E NOMI NAT I ONS N ew Inte lle ctual P ro p e r ty A N IMA L W EL L Billy Basso BA L AT R O LocalThunk BL AC K MY TH : W U KO NG Development Team META PH OR : R EFA N TA ZI O Development Team ST ILL WA K ES TH E D E E P Development Team TH A N K G O ODN ES S YO U ’ R E HE R E !

Will Todd James Carbutt

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TH E NO MI NAT I O N S P er forme r in a Leadin g Role A LEC N EW MA N Still Wakes the Deep H UMB ER LY G ON Z Á LE Z Star Wars Outlaws ISA BEL L A IN C H BALD INDIKA LUK E R OB ERTS SILENT HILL 2 ME LINA J U ER G EN S Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Y ’L A N N OEL Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

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THE N OMI NAT I ONS Pe r for me r in a Su p por tin g Ro le ABBI GREEN L A N D HE LEN G OA L EN Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II ALDÍS A M A H H A M ILTO N Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II JO N BLY TH Thank Goodness You’re Here!

K A REN DU N BA R Still Wakes the Deep MAT T B ER RY Thank Goodness You’re Here!

MICH A EL A B U BA K A R Still Wakes the Deep

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TH E NO MI NAT I O N S Te chn ical Achievement ASTR O B OT Development Team BL AC K M Y TH : W U KO NG Development Team CA LL OF DU T Y: B L AC K O P S 6 Development Team SE N UA’S SAGA : H E LLB L A D E I I Development Team TIN Y G L A DE Tomasz Stachowiak Anastasia Opara WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE 2 Development Team

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S U P P O RT BAF TA’S WOR K

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We are an industry of storytellers. Stories change lives – they influence how we think, how we behave and they inspire us. It is crucial that the stories that are being told, and the storytellers, truly reflect the society we live in.

To ensure this the screen industries must be open to talented people from all backgrounds.

At BAFTA we work year-round to identify and tackle barriers to opportunity, ensuring that the next generation of screen arts creatives are supported to fulfil their creative potential.

BAFTA is an independent arts charity and we need to raise all our own income. To support our work we rely on income from individual donations, trusts, foundations, corporate partnerships and membership subscriptions.

Find out more: fundraising@baf ta.org

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JU R IES AND C HA P T E RS J u r ie s AN IMAT ION Li Ma (Chair) Ece Bilgehan Paul Croft Simon Jaques Ilkka Kuusela Melissa Shim Robbie Singh Mitchell Small Lindsay Thompson Yun M. Watanabe Alex Webster ARTIST IC ACH IE VEMEN T Katherine Bidwell (Chair) Olivia Dickinson Laura Dilloway Zakia Khan Sophie Knowles Matthew Lyons Raveen Rajadorai Nele Steenput Luke Whittaker

AU D I O AC HI E V E M E NT Callum Underwood (Chair) Grace Bruxner Alexia Christofi Adam Drucker René Haberman Alexander Horowitz Martin Kvale Richard Lapington Guy Richards Natalie Winter D E B U T GA M E Lucy Boxall (Chair) Andrew Brownell Anna Cowden Shahrin Khan Jo Koehler Jay-Ann Lopez Will Lowther Claire Sharkey Daniel Silver Traci Tufte

EVO LVIN G GA M E James Brooksby (Chair) Kelly Boyle Christine Brownell Prakash Choraria Meg Clarke Joshua Garrity Spike Laurie David Millard Mark Morris Jamin Smith Bobby Wertheim FA MILY Rosemary Buahin (Chair) Sarah Brin Christopher Dring Federico Fasce Jack Gosling Mark Hennessey Anthony Moss Cinzia Musio Cristina Nava Marilena Papacosta Melissa Phillips Inel Tomlinson GA ME B EYON D EN TERTA IN M EN T Sam D’Elia (Chair) Sophie Artemigi Charles Cecil Rares-Cristian Chirita-Filip Osama Dorias Nina Freeman Will Freeman Benni Hill Rosie Taylor

GA M E D ES I G N Jonathon Wilson (Chair) Mette Andersen Donald Barrett Alejandro Arque Gallardo Danny Gray Emma Houghton Alex Kanaris-Sotiriou Georgie McDaniel Karla Reyes Husban Siddiqi M U LT I P L AYE R Sam D’Elia (Chair) Marie Dealessandri Phil Duncan Fred Gill JC Lau Elle Osili-Wood Artem Titov Mike Wilkinson Forest Willard MUSIC Adele Cutting (Chair) Stephen Barton Mark Choi Lyndon Holland Chloe Kwok Gina Loughlin Eímear Noone Borislav Slavov Samantha van der Sluis Austin Wintory NA R RAT I V E Charu Desodt (Chair) Julia Bianco Schoeffling Anastasia Dukakis Natalia Hinds Adrienne Law Caroline Marchal Gareth Damian Martin Abubakar Salim

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N E W INTEL L ECTUA L PR OPERT Y Des Gayle (Chair) Shana Bryant Romy Halfweeg Spencer Hayes Julia Kenny Amanda Kirk Svetlana Lisik Adanna Nedd Xalavier Nelson Jr. James Stone PERF O R MER IN A LE A DIN G R OL E Tara Saunders (Chair) Lydia Andrew Jan Bart van Beek James Dobrowski Kirsty Gillmore Hannah Price Holly Reddaway Steve Saylor Melissa Thom Bruno Velazquez

FOR DETAILS OF THE VOTING PROCESS, INCLUDING ANY KEY CHANGES MADE FOR 2025, PLEASE VISIT: awards.bafta.org/entry

PERFORMER IN A SU P P O RT I NG R O LE Anisa Sanusi (Chair) Michael Anderson Ben Arfmann Jack Attridge Doug Cockle Kit Harrison Lauren Kaye Tara Mustapha Alix Wilton Regan T E C HNI CA L AC HI E V E M E NT Del Walker (Chair) Jodie Azhar Richard Bates Anna Caulcott Sean Davies Pascal Gane Wasim Khan Maebe Jay Sewell Ian Kirk Shaw Jean-Paul Roberts

C hapters C RA F T C HA P T E RS Game Design Technical Achievement Craft chapters consist of academy members with specialist experience in the relative field.

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OFF I CE RS OF T H E ACA D E M Y HRH The P r i n c e of Wal e s, KG K T President of BAFTA

B oa rd of Truste es S ara Pu t t Chair of BAFTA Julie La’ B a s s i e re Deputy Chair of BAFTA Siobhan Re d d y Deputy Chair of BAFTA Anna H i g g s Chair, Film Committee

B al S am ra Co-optee and Chair, Finance and Commercial Committee and Chair, Governance and Appointments Committee P a u l Tai a n o O B E Co-optee and Chair, Audit and Risk Committee

Hilar y Ro s e n Chair, TV Committee

C o - o pt e e s Joyce Pierpoline Patrick Keegan Sally Habbershaw Andrew Miller MBE Patrick Keegan Ralph Lee

Ade Rawcl i f fe Chair, Learning, Inclusion and Talent Committee

Ho n o rar y Ad v i s o rs Medwyn Jones Marc Samuelson

Tara S au n d ers Chair, Games Committee

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Exe cu tive Jane M i l l i ch i p Chief Executive Officer With Thanks to Barbara Broccoli CBE, David Gardner OBE and Dame Pippa Harris DBE

M emb e rs of th e G a me s C o m m itte e Tara Saunders Chair

Adele Cutting

Des Gayle Deputy Chair

Sam D’Elia

Giles Armstrong

Charu Desodt

Katherine Bidwell

Alyx Jones

Lucy Boxall

Li Ma

James Brooksby

Del Walker

Rosemary Buahin

Jonathon Wilson

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GA MES AWARDS PA RTNERS With enduring thanks to our official partners to the BAFTA Games Awards in 2025.

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O F F I C I A L GA M E S PA R T N E R S

O F F I C I A L PA R T N E R S

Official Soft Drink

Official Wine

Official Champagne

Official Scrutineers

Official Water

Official Hotel

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AC K N OW L E D G E M E N T S BAF TA WI SHES TO T H AN K GA MES DEVELOP ERS A ND P U B LI S HE RS F O R TH EIR IN VA LUA B L E AS SI STA NC E PHIL WANG - Host JANE DOUGLAS AND LUCY JAMES - Red carpet hosts, online content ALEX INGRAM - Portrait photography ALL STAFF AT BAFTA

EMG MULTITUDE MEDIA THE STORY MOB STILA

Champagne Taittinger reception and post-Awards dinner soundtracked by Black Screen Records – your specialist record label, vinyl producer and distributor for video game soundtracks.

In 1865, The Langham, London first opened its doors. Recognised as Europe’s first ‘Grand Hotel’, it sought to revolutionise the luxury hotel experience.

160 years later, many things have changed, but the hotel remains one of the world’s most iconic hotels — famed for its legendary hospitality. Along with an innovative spirit and playful heritage, The Langham, London continues to captivate and delight its guests with personalised, attentive service.

1c Portland Place, Regent Street, London W1B 1JA T (44) 020 7636 1000 F (44) 020 7323 2340 langhamhotels.com/london

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C R E D ITS EDITOR - Claire Marie Healy DESIGN & COVER ART - Fever Design Ltd SUB-EDITOR - Alec Holt AD SALES - Ute Muller, Mollie Ratcliffe PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR - Claire Rees JUNIOR PHOTOGRAPHY PRODUCER - Rebecca Gray PRINTER - FE Burman Ltd BAFTA chooses Arena Smooth by Fedrigoni Paper, supporting excellence in print.

Printed on Arena Smooth Extra White 350gsm (cover) and Arena Smooth Extra White 140gsm (text). Supplied by FE Burman Ltd. The carbon impact of this paper has been measured and balanced through the World Land Trust, an ecological charity.

Certificate no.: CBP029147 The papers used for this year’s tickets and programme are Forest Stewardship Council® certified, and are 100% recyclable.

Best Game nominee imagery used with kind permission from the distributors.

Executive portraits: BAFTA/Scott Garfitt (HRH The Prince of Wales); BAFTA/ companies, Sophia Spring (Jane Millichip), BAFTA/Ellie Smith (Sara Putt). Fellow Portrait © Osamu Nakamura.

Although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication, the Publishers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of BAFTA. published by

BAFTA 195 Piccadilly London W1J 9LN +44 (0)20 7734 0022 reception@bafta.org bafta.org

CBP030027

BAFTA 195 Piccadilly’s new breakfast menu - the most delicious way to start your day Treat yourself and your guests to a range of delightful breakfast classics, healthy options and savoury dishes; each created from seasonal and expertly sourced ingredients by BAFTA’s Executive Chef and impeccably served by the Members Bar and Restaurant team.

Secure your reservation weekdays 8am-10.30am, through OpenTable, (BAFTA:195 Piccadilly), or the member’s area of the BAFTA website, and we look forward to welcoming you soon.

BAFTA 195 Piccadilly, London W1J 9LN baftapiccadilly@bafta.org @bafta195

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In gaming our worlds are infinite.

In reality we only have one.

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