British Academy Games Awards in 2021 programme

2021

Your golden moment MADE FOR THE MOMENT. MADE FROM NEW ZEALAND.

VILLA MARIA

P R O UD PA RT N E R TO B A F TA S I NCE 2009

CONTENTS

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37

WELCOME

FELLOWS OF THE ACADEMY

By Amanda Berry & Krishnendu Majumdar BE

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41

THE NOMINATIONS

OFFICERS OF THE ACADEMY

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42

THE JURIES

32 THE FELLOWSHIP: SIOBHAN REDDY This year's recipient of BAFTA’s highest honour is the studio director of Media Molecule – the innovative studio behind LittleBigPlanet and Dreams – which is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2021.

Words by Chris Schilling

PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS

43 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

44 END CREDITS

CONTENTS

01

WELCOME

IT’S INCREDIBLE THAT A YEAR has gone by since we made the decision to switch from a red carpet ceremony to an online-only British Academy Games Awards in 2020. Twelve months on and, while we would love to be celebrating the past year’s greatest achievements in games with you in person, once again we must celebrate in a digital realm.

While this year’s Awards may be online only, our intent remains as clear as ever: to recognise and honour the outstanding vision, creativity and skill behind the very best games of 2020. We congratulate all our nominees for their dedication and artistry during the most difficult of times.

Games are a force for good, and never has this felt more relevant.

Playing games has not just been a pastime for a great deal of us during the long lockdown months, it has also been of vital benefit to the mental health of many. Online gaming has allowed us to stay in touch and interact with our friends; couch co-op has given families a fun way to play and learn together; and single player games have challenged and entertained us. Games have never been more accessible, too. As a much broader demographic engages and connects with the artform, it’s becoming clearer and clearer that games really are for everyone.

We hope these Awards, and our numerous other games events and initiatives throughout the year – particularly BAFTA Young Game Designers – will ignite the creative fire in others, both within and outside of the industry. We are committed to championing talent, from all backgrounds, to help create a diverse and inclusive industry.

From career development to networking events and key advice, BAFTA is here to help.

Our members sit at the heart of this. Membership offers a way to have your voice heard within the industry and to give something back.

If you haven’t already, please consider joining our community of 8,000 creatives and professionals.

While the future remains uncertain, we hope that normal service can be resumed next year. Until then, we wish good health to all our colleagues in the industry and the wider games community. We hope you, your loved ones, your colleagues and neighbours stay safe and well.

AMANDA BERRY OBE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE ACADEMY KRISHNENDU MAJUMDAR CHAIR OF THE ACADEMY

FOLLOW US

#BAF TAGAMES

@BAF TAGAMES

WELCOME

03

THE NOMINATIONS

10

07

14

13 BRITISH GAME

ANIMATION OBE

DEBUT GAME

08

15

ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT

EVOLVING GAME

09

17

AUDIO ACHIEVEMENT

04

BEST GAME

BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

FAMILY

18

25

GAME BEYOND ENTERTAINMENT

ORIGINAL PROPERTY

19

26

GAME DESIGN

PERFORMER IN A LEADING ROLE

21

27

MULTIPLAYER

PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

22 MUSIC

28 TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

23

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NARRATIVE

EE GAME OF THE YEAR

THE NOMINATIONS

05

ANIMATION

DOOM ETERNAL Development Team id Software/Bethesda Softworks FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE Development Team Square Enix/Square Enix THE LAST OF US PART II Development Team Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES Development Team Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe ORI AND THE WILL OF THE WISPS Development Team Moon Studios/Xbox Game Studios SPIRITFARER Development Team Thunder Lotus/Kowloon Nights THE NOMINATIONS

07

ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT

CYBERPUNK 2077 Development Team CD PROJEKT RED/ CD PROJEKT RED DREAMS Development Team Media Molecule/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe GHOST OF TSUSHIMA Jason Connell, Joanna Wang, Ian Jun Wei Chiew Sucker Punch Productions/ Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe HADES Jen Zee Supergiant Games/ Supergiant Games HALF-LIFE: ALYX Development Team Valve/Valve THE LAST OF US PART II Development Team Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe 08

BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

AUDIO ACHIEVEMENT

ASTRO’S PLAYROOM Development Team Team ASOBI/Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. GHOST OF TSUSHIMA Development Team Sucker Punch Productions/ Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe HADES Darren Korb Supergiant Games/ Supergiant Games HALF-LIFE: ALYX Development Team Valve/Valve THE LAST OF US PART II Development Team Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES Development Team Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe THE NOMINATIONS

09

BEST GAME

ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS Development Team Nintendo EPD/Nintendo GHOST OF TSUSHIMA Development Team Sucker Punch Productions/ Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe HADES Development Team Supergiant Games/ Supergiant Games

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BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

BEST GAME

HALF-LIFE: ALYX Development Team Valve/Valve THE LAST OF US PART II Development Team Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES Development Team Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe

THE NOMINATIONS

11

BRITISH GAME

DREAMS Development Team Media Molecule/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe F1 2020 Development Team Codemasters/Codemasters FALL GUYS Development Team Mediatonic/Devolver Digital THE LAST CAMPFIRE Development Team Hello Games/Hello Games RÖKI Development Team Polygon Treehouse/United Label SACKBOY: A BIG ADVENTURE Ned Waterhouse, Jess Gaskell, Pete Smith Sumo Digital Sheffield/ Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe THE NOMINATIONS

13

DEBUT GAME

AIRBORNE KINGDOM Development Team The Wandering Band/ The Wandering Band CALL OF THE SEA Tatiana Delgado, Manuel Fernández Out of the Blue/Raw Fury CARRION Development Team Phobia Game Studio/ Devolver Digital FACTORIO Development Team Wube Software/Wube Software THE FALCONEER Development Team Tomas Sala/Wired Productions RÖKI Development Team Polygon Treehouse/United Label 14

BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

EVOLVING GAME

DESTINY 2: BEYOND LIGHT Development Team Bungie/Bungie DREAMS Development Team Media Molecule/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe FALL GUYS Development Team Mediatonic/Devolver Digital FORTNITE Development Team Epic Games/Epic Games NO MAN’S SKY Development Team Hello Games/Hello Games SEA OF THIEVES Development Team Rare Ltd/Xbox Game Studios THE NOMINATIONS

15

FAMILY

ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS Development Team Nintendo EPD/Nintendo ASTRO’S PLAYROOM Development Team Team ASOBI/Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. DREAMS Development Team Media Molecule/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe FALL GUYS Development Team Mediatonic/Devolver Digital MINECRAFT DUNGEONS Development Team Mojang Studios, Double Eleven Limited/Xbox Game Studios SACKBOY: A BIG ADVENTURE Joel Smith, Cesar Bittar, Pete Smith Sumo Digital Sheffield/ Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe THE NOMINATIONS

17

GAME BEYOND ENTERTAINMENT

ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS Development Team Nintendo EPD/Nintendo BEFORE I FORGET Development Team 3-Fold Games/3-Fold Games DREAMS Development Team Media Molecule/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe THE LAST OF US PART II Development Team Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe SPIRITFARER Development Team Thunder Lotus/Kowloon Nights TELL ME WHY Development Team DONTNOD Entertainment/ Xbox Game Studios 18

BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

GAME DESIGN

ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS Development Team Nintendo EPD/Nintendo ASTRO’S PLAYROOM Development Team Team ASOBI/Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. GHOST OF TSUSHIMA Development Team Sucker Punch Productions/ Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe HADES Development Team Supergiant Games/Supergiant Games HALF-LIFE: ALYX Development Team Valve/Valve THE LAST OF US PART II Development Team Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe THE NOMINATIONS

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CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS NOMINEES!

© SEGA. SEGA, the SEGA logo and Sonic The Hedgehog are either registered trademarks or trademarks of SEGA Holdings Co., Ltd. or its affiliates. All rights reserved. SEGA is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are property of their respective owners.

MULTIPLAYER

ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS Development Team Nintendo EPD/Nintendo DEEP ROCK GALACTIC Development Team Ghost Ship Games/ Coffee Stain Publishing FALL GUYS Development Team Mediatonic/Devolver Digital GHOST OF TSUSHIMA Development Team Sucker Punch Productions/ Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe SACKBOY: A BIG ADVENTURE Jack Houghton, Tom Sampson, Jason Stewart Sumo Digital Sheffield/ Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe VALORANT Development Team Riot Games/Riot Games THE NOMINATIONS

21

MUSIC

GHOST OF TSUSHIMA Ilan Eshkeri, Shigeru Umebayashi, Peter Scaturro Sucker Punch Productions/ Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe HADES Darren Korb Supergiant Games/Supergiant Games THE LAST OF US PART II Gustavo Santaolalla, Mac Quayle, Scott Hanau Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES John Paesano, Scott Hanau, Alex Hackford Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe ORI AND THE WILL OF THE WISPS Gareth Coker Moon Studios/Xbox Game Studios SACKBOY: A BIG ADVENTURE Jay Waters, Joe Thwaites, Joanna Skorupa Sumo Digital Sheffield/ Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe 22

BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

NARRATIVE

ASSASSIN’S CREED VALHALLA Writing Team Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft CYBERPUNK 2077 Writing Team CD PROJEKT RED/ CD PROJEKT RED GHOST OF TSUSHIMA Writing Team Sucker Punch Productions/ Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe HADES Greg Kasavin Supergiant Games/ Supergiant Games KENTUCKY ROUTE ZERO: TV EDITION Writing Team Cardboard Computer/ Annapurna Interactive MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES Writing Team Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe THE NOMINATIONS

23

ORIGINAL PROPERTY

CARRION Development Team Phobia Game Studio/ Devolver Digital FALL GUYS Development Team Mediatonic/Devolver Digital GHOST OF TSUSHIMA Development Team Sucker Punch Productions/ Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe HADES Development Team Supergiant Games/Supergiant Games KENTUCKY ROUTE ZERO: TV EDITION Development Team Cardboard Computer/ Annapurna Interactive SPIRITFARER Development Team Thunder Lotus/Kowloon Nights THE NOMINATIONS

25

PERFORMER IN A LEADING ROLE

ASHLEY JOHNSON Ellie The Last of Us Part II CHERAMI LEIGH Female V Cyberpunk 2077 CODY CHRISTIAN Cloud Strife Final Fantasy VII Remake DAISUKE TSUJI Jin Sakai Ghost of Tsushima LAURA BAILEY Abby The Last of Us Part II NADJI JETER Miles Morales Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales 26

BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

CARLA TASSARA Judy Alvarez Cyberpunk 2077 JEFFREY PIERCE Tommy The Last of Us Part II LOGAN CUNNINGHAM Hades, Achilles, Poseidon, Asterius, Charon and the Storyteller Hades PATRICK GALLAGHER Khotun Khan Ghost of Tsushima SHANNON WOODWARD Dina The Last of Us Part II TROY BAKER Joel The Last of Us Part II THE NOMINATIONS

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TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

DEMON’S SOULS Development Team SIE Japan Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe DOOM ETERNAL Development Team id Software/Bethesda Softworks DREAMS Development Team Media Molecule/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe THE LAST OF US PART II Development Team Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES Development Team Insomniac Games/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR Sebastian Wloch, Duncan Lawler, Pavel Kuksa Asobo Studio/Xbox Game Studios 28

BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

EE GAME OF THE YEAR (VOTED FOR BY THE PUBLIC)

MEET THE SPONSOR As the UK’s number one network for gaming, we’re in the business of keeping our customers a step ahead and connected to the things that they love most. So, we are thrilled to partner with the British Academy Games Awards for the third year to bring fans closer to the ceremony than ever before, with the power to vote for their favourite game.

More so than ever, gaming has provided entertainment, escapism and connection over the last year during what has been a tricky time, and it’s only fitting that the global gaming community have their say in selecting this year’s EE Game of the Year award.

It’s an incredible shortlist, and we can’t wait to celebrate the winner.

Game on!

PETE JEAVONS MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, EE

ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW HORIZONS Nintendo EPD/Nintendo CALL OF DUTY: WARZONE Raven Software, Infinity Ward/ Activision GHOST OF TSUSHIMA Sucker Punch Productions/ Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe HADES Supergiant Games/ Supergiant Games THE LAST OF US PART II Naughty Dog/Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe VALORANT Riot Games/Riot Games All nominations correct at time of press.

THE NOMINATIONS

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THE JURIES

EVOLVING GAME

BEST GAME

ANIMATION JODIE AZHAR (CHAIR) ZSOLT AVERY-TIERNEY TIM BORRELLI MARK BRADSHAW ARON DURKIN ELYSE GYMER BIANCA IANCU JU LI KHAW LOUKIA KYRIAKIDOU WAIYIN MENDOZA ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT TARA SAUNDERS (CHAIR) CHRISTOPHER BERRY KEITH GUERRETTE RUSSELL HARDING ANNA HOLLINRAKE TOM JONES SIMON MCCHEUNG RAVEEN RAJADORAI KAREN STANLEY AUDIO ACHIEVEMENT IMRE JELE (CHAIR) MALIN ARVIDSSON MATT BOCH LISA DEVON GRACE DOCKSEY SAM HUGHES ALYX JONES DAN PARKES JEFF SEAMSTER

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BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

ELLE OSILI-WOOD (CHAIR) GEORG BACKER CLAIRE BROMLEY ROSA CARBO-MASCARELL CASSIA CURRAN CHARU DESODT JIM JAGGER RICHARD JOLLY PAVLE MIHAJLOVIC ELLEN ROSE MARIA SAYANS BRITISH GAME MATT JEFFERY (CHAIR) MARCUS BRONZY ADELE CUTTING KATE JARRETT TIM JONES ELLIOT MAREN JON MCKELLAN LANA ZGOMBIĆ DEBUT GAME CATHERINE WOOLLEY (CHAIR) CATHARINA BOHLER NEIL DEJYOTHIN STEVE GAYNOR MARY KENNEY ALANAH PEARCE ZI PETERS JESSICA SAUNDERS FEY VERCUIEL DANIELLE WOODFORD

HARVEY ELLIOTT (CHAIR) KRISTIN JANULIK TEDDY KEEFE IAN MASTERS JULES MORGAN GEORGE OSBORN STEFANO PETRULLO FERNANDO RIZO COLM SEELEY FAMILY SIMON SMITH (CHAIR) JAMES BATCHELOR HOLLIE EMERY CASPAR FIELD JOANNA HASLAM ARTHUR PARSONS ANDY ROBERTSON CAOIMHE RODDY CHRISTOPHER WHITE GAME BEYOND ENTERTAINMENT JO TWIST (CHAIR) SOPHIA AUBREY DRAKE STUART HOBLEY GAV MURPHY RANJANI NATARAJAN ZIBA SCOTT ELIZABETH SIMOENS AUSTIN WINTORY

PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

NARRATIVE

GAME DESIGN DAVE RANYARD (CHAIR) JOSH BALDWIN ERIN HARRISON BEN MALTZ-JONES SIMON MANN TARA MUSTAPHA JOHN STANLEY MULTIPLAYER NICK BUTTON-BROWN (CHAIR) JONTY BARNES JAMES BROOKSBY KISH HIRANI ALYSIA JUDGE CARYN KRAKAUER WILL LOWTHER LI MA FERNANDO REYES MEDINA WILL OVERGARD AOIFE WILSON MUSIC CLAIRE BOISSIERE (CHAIR) JESSICA DANNHEISSER LUDVIG FORSSELL TAKESHI FURUKAWA KIRSTY GILLMORE LUKE HEBBLETHWAITE LUCI HOLLAND JADE LEAMCHARASKUL WILBERT ROGET ALI TOCHER

LEANNE LOOMBE (CHAIR) ALEJANDRO ARQUE GALLARDO CLIO YUN-SU DAVIS DAN GRILIOPOULOS RUPERT HUMPHRIES LAURA MICHET EMMETT NAHIL JAMES SWALLOW IAN THOMAS ORIGINAL PROPERTY CALLUM UNDERWOOD (CHAIR) GRACE BRUXNER SHAMS JORJANI KRISTEN LYNCH DEBORAH MENSAH-BONSU JANE NG JAN WILLEM NIJMAN VICTORIA TRAN PERFORMER IN A LEADING ROLE GEORG BACKER (CHAIR) LORRAINE ANSELL PHILIP BACHE JAY BRITTON LAURA CARTER JAMES DUBROWSKI MARISA EWING-MOODY JULIA HARDY NATALIA HINDS GEMMA LANGFORD ALEX MOYET ANNA-MARIE PAYNE

DAVE GOULD (CHAIR) JACK ATTRIDGE SAMANTHA BÉART COREY BROTHERSON KRIS CHO ALEXIS GUARIGUATA ANISA SANUSI JAMIE SMITH AMELIA TYLER TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT DES GAYLE (CHAIR) JESSICA BAKER DANIELLE CHEAH ALEX DARBY LAURE DE MEY ELIZABETH MERCURI RODRIGO BRAZ MONTEIRO UGONNA NWOSA ANDREW ROPER BRUCE SLATER EE GAME OF THE YEAR JO TWIST (CHAIR) BLESSING ADEOYE JR RYAN BROWN MIKE DIVER JANE DOUGLAS KIERAN HOLMES-DARBY KIRK MCKEAND ELLE OSILI-WOOD AOIFE WILSON

THE JURIES

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BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

THE FELLOWSHIP SIOBHAN REDDY WORDS BY CHRIS SCHILLING | PORTRAITS BY SAM HENDEL GAMES STILLS COURTESY OF MEDIA MOLECULE YGD IMAGE BY BAFTA/SCOTT GARFITT

SIOBHAN REDDY HAS ALWAYS been encouraged to dream a little bigger. Paying tribute to her feminist mother and a “very, very influential” older sister, she recalls a happy childhood where “there was nothing that we were ever told we couldn’t do.”

Pushed to express herself creatively, Reddy became fascinated in her teens by the overlaps between different mediums. Until then, she admits, games were behind theatre, music and film on her list of interests; they were a fun way to bond with her siblings, but nothing more. As studio director at Media Molecule, Reddy has overseen a string of projects that are colourful, welcoming and whimsical.

Yet, it was the darker tone and cinematic flourishes of Shinji Mikami’s Resident Evil that really captured the imagination of this horror-loving teen, convincing her that her future lay in games.

Born in South Africa and raised in Australia, Reddy moved overseas once more, arriving in the UK to realise her ambitions. She successfully applied for an entry-level job at Perfect Entertainment, best known for the Discworld series, before moving to Guildford’s Criterion Games, where she worked for seven years.

“Fiona Sperry had taken over the studio,” she recalls. “And the whole focus of Criterion changed

from making ‘example games’ to having the goal of making a game that sold a million units. I was lucky to be able to witness that and be part of that happening.”

As part of the bustling games hub in Guildford, Reddy had a large circle of friends with whom she enjoyed discussing shared passions: music, comics, architecture, cinema. Even so, by her mid-20s, she found herself tempted to move away from games.

“I was still at the point where I was thinking, if I’m going to make a big career change, now would be a good time to do it,” she notes. “I’d always been really interested in theatre, so I thought maybe I could apply myself to that.”

But then Lionhead Studios alumni Mark Healey, David Smith, Kareem Ettouney and Alex Evans decided to found Media Molecule, and Reddy’s head was turned once more. “They were not just some friends who wanted to start a company, they were brilliant – they had a lot of expertise, a lot of experience and I loved the games that they made,” she says. “What they wanted from me was somebody who could ship things.”

That’s a typically modest assessment of Reddy’s role at the studio. The regularity and enthusiasm with which she credits her peers bespeaks a generous nature

FELLOWSHIP FEATURE

33

that has proven key to Media Molecule’s success. She’s played a crucial part in establishing a healthier and more inclusive studio culture – in part, motivated by her time at Criterion.

“It was an accepted thing for us to be there pretty much every weekend and late at night, and I saw the detrimental effect that that had on all of us,” she says, breaking into a wry smile. “The irony of Burnout is not lost on any of us.”

“CULTURE IS NOT THIS STATIC THING THAT YOU ARRIVE AT. IT CONSTANTLY NEEDS TENDING AND GROWTH AND NEW IDEAS.” She concedes that it didn’t happen immediately for Media Molecule, with its award-winning debut LittleBigPlanet, a groundbreaking platform game powered by user-generated content, proving to be “a lot of hard work”. But since then, she’s been keen to establish a better work-life balance for her fellow Molecules, while ensuring everyone is free to share ideas and feels like their voice is valued. “Maybe this is just romantic, but it’s about that general feeling of a collective,” she explains. “You know, people are important. Everybody’s important. It’s not quite true to say we have a completely flat structure, but at any level people contribute to the culture and to the products we’re making. That’s always been a big driving force.”

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BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

That very spirit was a significant factor in the development of Tearaway, the delightful 2013 PS Vita adventure that epitomised the player-focused creativity, visual tactility and what Reddy calls “playful anarchy” that runs through all of the studio’s games.

And while a small team of around 15 staff worked on that game, everyone else was helping develop the studio’s most ambitious project to date. Unveiled in 2013, Dreams gradually took shape throughout the PlayStation 4 era, finally emerging last year as a collaborative creative toolset of unprecedented scope: it’s a platform not just for making games, but also music, art, sculpture and more.

Reddy credits Sony’s Shuhei Yoshida and Michael Denny in particular for their support throughout Dreams’ long development (“Being part of PlayStation Studios has afforded us the ability to double down on creative gaming and innovation, and we’re very grateful for that,” she says) though that would be to undersell her part in bringing it to fruition. It was a tricky balance, she says, between allowing leeway for experimentation and turning those innovations into something tangible. “One of the jobs that I really love is being able to look at what we’re doing and help plan how we turn that into the best version of what it is.”

As studio head, Reddy seems to instinctively know when to get out of the way and when to rein things in; she believes the role of editing in games is vital, acknowledging that plenty was “left on the

OPPOSITE: REDDY AND GAMES PRODUCER DES GAYLE DURING REHEARSALS FOR BAFTA'S YOUNG GAME DESIGNERS AWARDS IN 2019; THIS PAGE, FROM TOP LEFT: MEDIA MOLECULE'S LITTLEBIGPLANET 2 , TEARAWAY AND DREAMS

FELLOWSHIP FEATURE

35

cutting-room floor” during Dreams’ development.

Getting to really know the game in its last 12 months of development, meanwhile, afforded her the rare opportunity to flex her own creative muscles. “I got so much joy out of it,” she beams. “I feel sad that I haven’t actually been as engaged with that side [recently]. But that’s just because of all the stuff that I’ve been playing.”

That realisation in turn led to the formation of a curation team, which is now helping to spotlight user creations – from comedy skits to photorealistic forest scenes – to bring more eyes to them. Dreams, she says, is “a constant work-in-progress”, and she applies the same description to the studio’s own culture. As a persistent and vocal advocate for women in games throughout her career, Reddy recognises that her own work towards greater inclusivity and diversity is an ongoing effort. “It’s like a garden,” she says. “Culture is not this static thing that you arrive at. It constantly needs tending and growth and new ideas. We’ve got a lot to learn and we’ve got a lot to do.”

If Reddy’s self-effacing response to the Fellowship speaks to her recognition of the studio as a collective, perhaps the most fitting testament to her accomplishments to date comes from last year’s recipient of BAFTA’s highest honour. In a 2017 interview, Hideo Kojima said he was inspired by a visit to Media Molecule the previous year, and sought to

“IF THERE’S ANYTHING THAT I WANT TO REPRESENT, IT’S THAT THERE’S NO BOX FOR PEOPLE. THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS ONE WAY OF BEING OR ONE COOKIE-CUTTER MOULD.” recreate its atmosphere when founding his new studio, Kojima Productions. “Inside it felt less like a studio and more like a club where like-minded people were assembled,” he said. “It was like a home.”

That speaks volumes about the way Reddy has helped recapture the freewheeling spirit of her childhood within the studio she runs. “I feel like I grew up seeing a lot of great role models around me all trying to find their voice and not fit into one particular way of being,” she says. “If there’s anything that I want to represent, it’s that there’s no box for people. There’s no such thing as one way of being, or one cookie-cutter mould for how we should be.”

It’s only fitting, then, that Reddy’s career has brought her to a point where she’s now helping to pay it forward – to set budding game creators, artists, musicians and architects on their own creative journey, via a platform that can make their Dreams come true.

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BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

MEDIA MOLECULE RELEASES 2020 2015 2013 2011 2008

DREAMS TEARAWAY UNFOLDED (CO-DEVELOPED) TEARAWAY LITTLEBIGPLANET 2 LITTLEBIGPLANET

MEDIA MOLECULE BAFTA WINS LITTLEBIGPLANET FIVE WINS: ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT, FAMILY, GAME INNOVATION, HANDHELD, VIDEO GAME (CHILDREN’S AWARDS) LITTLEBIGPLANET 2 TWO WINS: FAMILY, GAME INNOVATION TEARAWAY THREE WINS: ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT, FAMILY, MOBILE & HANDHELD

DREAMS’ NOMINATIONS IN 2021 ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT BRITISH GAME EVOLVING GAME FAMILY GAME BEYOND ENTERTAINMENT TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

FELLOWS OF THE ACADEMY

1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1976 1977 1978 1979 1979 1980 1980 1981 1981 1981 1982 1983 1984 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1992 1993 1993 1994 1995 1996 1996 1996 1996 1997 1997 1997 1997 1997 1997 1998 1998 1999 1999 2000 2000 2000 2001 2001

ALFRED HITCHCOCK FREDDIE YOUNG OBE GRACE WYNDHAM GOLDIE DAVID LEAN JACQUES COUSTEAU SIR CHARLES CHAPLIN LORD OLIVIER SIR DENIS FORMAN FRED ZINNEMANN LORD GRADE SIR HUW WHELDON DAVID ATTENBOROUGH CBE JOHN HUSTON ABEL GANCE MICHAEL POWELL EMERIC PRESSBURGER ANDRZEJ WAJDA SIR RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH CBE SIR HUGH GREENE SAM SPIEGEL JEREMY ISAACS STEVEN SPIELBERG FEDERICO FELLINI INGMAR BERGMAN SIR ALEC GUINNESS CH, CBE PAUL FOX LOUIS MALLE SIR JOHN GIELGUD DAVID PLOWRIGHT SYDNEY SAMUELSON CBE COLIN YOUNG CBE MICHAEL GRADE CBE BILLY WILDER JEANNE MOREAU RONALD NEAME CBE JOHN SCHLESINGER CBE DAME MAGGIE SMITH DBE WOODY ALLEN STEVEN BOCHCO JULIE CHRISTIE OSWALD MORRIS OBE HAROLD PINTER CBE DAVID ROSE SEAN CONNERY BILL COTTON CBE ERIC MORECAMBE & ERNIE WISE ELIZABETH TAYLOR MICHAEL CAINE STANLEY KUBRICK (POSTHUMOUS) PETER BAZALGETTE ALBERT FINNEY JOHN THAW

2001 2002 2002 2002 2002 2003 2003 2004 2004 2005 2005 2006 2006 2007 2007 2007 2008 2008 2009 2009 2009 2010 2010 2010 2011 2011 2011 2012 2013 2013 2013 2014 2014 2014 2015 2015 2015 2016 2016 2016 2017 2017 2018 2018 2018 2019 2019 2020 2020

DAME JUDI DENCH DBE WARREN BEATTY MERCHANT IVORY PRODUCTIONS ANDREW DAVIES SIR JOHN MILLS SAUL ZAENTZ DAVID JASON JOHN BOORMAN ROGER GRAEF JOHN BARRY OBE SIR DAVID FROST OBE LORD PUTTNAM CBE KEN LOACH ANNE V COATES OBE RICHARD CURTIS CBE WILL WRIGHT SIR ANTHONY HOPKINS CBE BRUCE FORSYTH CBE TERRY GILLIAM NOLAN BUSHNELL DAWN FRENCH & JENNIFER SAUNDERS VANESSA REDGRAVE CBE SHIGERU MIYAMOTO LORD BRAGG SIR CHRISTOPHER LEE CBE PETER MOLYNEUX OBE SIR TREVOR MCDONALD OBE MARTIN SCORSESE SIR ALAN PARKER GABE NEWELL MICHAEL PALIN CBE DAME HELEN MIRREN ROCKSTAR GAMES JULIE WALTERS CBE MIKE LEIGH DAVID BRABEN OBE JON SNOW SIR SIDNEY POITIER JOHN CARMACK RAY GALTON OBE & ALAN SIMPSON OBE MEL BROOKS JOANNA LUMLEY OBE SIR RIDLEY SCOTT TIM SCHAFER KATE ADIE OBE THELMA SCHOONMAKER DAME JOAN BAKEWELL DBE KATHLEEN KENNEDY HIDEO KOJIMA

NAMES AND HONOURS CORRECT AT TIME OF PRESENTATION.

FELLOWS OF THE ACADEMY

37

BAFTA Membership BAFTA is going through a period of change. We’re looking for film, games and television professionals from across the world who share our vision for a more sustainable and inclusive industry and who can help to shape our future.

We particularly welcome applications from women, people from underrepresented ethnic groups, people with disabilities and those who are based outside London, UK. For more, visit membership.bafta.org

OFFICERS OF THE ACADEMY

OFFICERS ACADEMY PRESIDENT HRH THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE, KG VICE-PRESIDENT, FILM BARBARA BROCCOLI OBE VICE-PRESIDENT, GAMES DAVID GARDNER OBE VICE-PRESIDENT, TELEVISION GREG DYKE BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR OF THE ACADEMY KRISHNENDU MAJUMDAR DEPUTY CHAIR OF THE ACADEMY DAME PIPPA HARRIS DBE DEPUTY CHAIR, FILM COMMITTEE ANNA HIGGS DEPUTY CHAIR, TELEVISION COMMITTEE SARA PUTT CHAIR, LEARNING, INCLUSION AND TALENT COMMITTEE ADE RAWCLIFFE CHAIR, FILM COMMITTEE MARC SAMUELSON CHAIR, GAMES COMMITTEE DR JO TWIST OBE CHAIR, TELEVISION COMMITTEE HANNAH WYATT CO-OPTEE AND CHAIR, COMMERCIAL COMMITTEE JOHN SMITH CO-OPTEE AND CHAIR, FINANCE, AUDIT AND RISK COMMITTEE PAUL TAIANO OBE CO-OPTEE KATHRYN BUSBY CO-OPTEE SIR LLOYD DORFMAN CBE

CO-OPTEE MARIA ISHAK CO-OPTEE PAUL MORRELL OBE HONORARY ADVISOR MEDWYN JONES CHIEF EXECUTIVE AMANDA BERRY OBE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER KEVIN PRICE COMMITTEES ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE GAMES COMMITTEE DR JO TWIST OBE (CHAIR) TARA SAUNDERS (DEPUTY CHAIR) CLAIRE BOISSIERE NICK BUTTON-BROWN* DES GAYLE LEANNE LOOMBE CATHERINE WOOLLEY ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE FILM COMMITTEE MARC SAMUELSON (CHAIR) ANNA HIGGS (DEPUTY CHAIR) ISABEL BEGG SIMON CHINN NOEL CLARKE ALEXANDRA DERBYSHIRE * JOANNE HARTLEY ASIF KAPADIA CLARE STEWART ALISON THOMPSON ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE TELEVISION COMMITTEE HANNAH WYATT (CHAIR) SARA PUTT (DEPUTY CHAIR) LARA AKEJU ELIZABETH MCINTYRE ADE RAWCLIFFE BERYL RICHARDS * FATIMA SALARIA NICKY SARGENT JOHN STRICKLAND CLAIRE ZOLKWER * CHILDREN’S REPRESENTATIVES

OFFICERS OF THE ACADEMY

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

OFFICIAL AUDIENCE AWARD SPONSOR

OFFICIAL GAMES PARTNERS

ACADEMY PARTNERS

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BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

AWARDS HOST ELLE OSILI-WOOD AFTER PARTY HOSTS JULIA HARDY, AOIFE WILSON CO-PRODUCER ADVNCR SCRIPT DREW JANDA (ADVNCR) AND ELLE OSILI-WOOD VIDEO GRAPHICS DMI PRODUCTIONS POST-PRODUCTION SUPPORT ADVNCR PR WDW ENTERTAINMENT

GAMES COMMITTEE DR JO TWIST OBE (CHAIR) TARA SAUNDERS (DEPUTY CHAIR) JODIE AZHAR CLAIRE BOISSIERE NICK BUTTON-BROWN DES GAYLE DAVE GOULD TODD GREEN MATTHEW JEFFREY LEANNE LOOMBE ELLE OSILI-WOOD DAVE RANYARD SIMON SMITH KARL STEWART CALLUM UNDERWOOD CATHERINE WOOLLEY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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END CREDITS

AT BAFTA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AWARDS & CONTENT EMMA BAEHR HEAD OF AWARDS KELLY SMITH GAMES & CHILDREN’S AWARDS OFFICER SAM D’ELIA GAMES & CHILDREN’S COORDINATOR LEWIS PEET EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CASSANDRA HYBEL ASSISTANT PRODUCER GEORGINA CUNNINGHAM AWARDS & CONTENT TEAM OLIVIA COMER, ELLA COVENEY, DANIEL DALTON, IMOGEN FARIS, LISA GAULT, NATALIE GURNEY, DEIRDRE HOPKINS, TIMOTHY HUGHES, HARRIET HUMPHRIES, ADA KOTOWSKA, KYLIE MCCARROLL, JOE OKELL, LAURA REES, JESSICA ROGERS, JAMIE ROWLAND, CIARA TEGGART, AMY WILSON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS & FUNDRAISING LOUISE ROBERTSON PARTNERSHIPS TEAM NATALIE MOSS, AMY ELTON, EMMA TARCY COMMUNICATIONS TEAM NICK WILLIAMS, FIONA SIMPSON, SOPHIE DUDHILL, ASHLEY MCKAY, EMMA WELLWOOD, DANA THOMPSON, BEN SMART, MOLLY DIVER

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BRITISH ACADEMY GAMES AWARDS 2021

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR CLAIRE REES PHOTOGRAPHY COORDINATOR JORDAN ANDERSON BROCHURE DESIGN LUCY SHEPHARD BROCHURE EDITOR TOBY WEIDMANN PUBLISHED BY BRITISH ACADEMY OF FILM AND TELEVISION ARTS 195 PICCADILLY LONDON W1J 9LN T: +44 (0)20 7734 0022 E: RECEPTION@BAFTA.ORG BAFTA.ORG

ALL NOMINEES IMAGERY USED WITH KIND PERMISSION FROM THE DEVELOPERS/DISTRIBUTORS. EXECUTIVE PORTRAITS: HARRY RICHARDS PHOTOGRAPHY (KRISHNENDU MAJUMDAR); BAFTA/JONATHAN BIRCH (AMANDA BERRY).

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. © BAFTA 2021