British Academy Games Awards
The BAFTA Games Awards or British Academy Games Awards are an annual British awards ceremony honouring "outstanding creative achievement" in the video game industry. First presented in 2004 following the restructuring of the BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards, the awards are presented by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
Since the inaugural BAFTA Games Awards in February 2004, twenty ceremonies have taken place. The most recent, the 21st British Academy Games Awards, were held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on 8 April 2025.
Categories
- Animation
- Artistic Achievement
- Audio Achievement
- Best Game
- British Game
- Debut Game
- EE Game of the Year
- Evolving Game
- Family
- BAFTA Fellowship
- Game Beyond Entertainment
- Game Design
- Intellectual Property
- Multiplayer
- Music
- Narrative
- Performer in a Leading Role
- Performer in a Supporting Role
- Special Award
- Technical Achievement
- Young Game Designers
- Action Game
- Adventure Game
- Animation or Intro
- Art Direction
- Best Character
- Casual and Social Game
- Game Boy Advance Game
- Game Innovation
- GameCube Game
- Gameplay
- Handheld Game
- Mobile Game
- One to Watch Award
- Online Game
- PC Game
- British Academy Games Award for Performer
- PS2 Game
- Puzzle Game
- Racing Game
- Simulation Game
- Sound
- Sports Game
- Strategy Game
- Sunday Times Reader's Award
- Xbox Game
Ceremonies
Winners
The BAFTA ceremonies are typically held in March or April of each year. In some years, BAFTA has given out additional awards just prior to the Electronic Entertainment Expo event, which happens in May or June of the year.2003
The 2003 ceremony took place in February 2004.- Action Game – Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Adventure Game – The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
- Animation or Intro – Soulcalibur II
- Children's Game – EyeToy: Play
- Design – Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Game Boy Advance Game – Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising
- Game on Any Platform – The Year's Best Game – Call of Duty
- GameCube – Metroid Prime
- Mobile Game – Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
- Multiplayer – Battlefield 1942
- Original Music – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- PC – Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- PS2 – Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Racing – Project Gotham Racing 2
- Sound – Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Sports – FIFA Football 2004
- Strategy – Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising
- Sunday Times Reader Award for Games – Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Technical Achievement – EyeToy: Play
- Xbox – Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
- Special Award – ''Chris Deering''
2004
- Action Game – Half-Life 2
- Animation – Half-Life 2
- Art Direction – Half-Life 2
- Audio Achievement – Call of Duty: Finest Hour
- Best Game – Half-Life 2
- Children's – Donkey Konga
- GameCube – Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
- Handheld – Colin McRae Rally 2005
- Mobile Game – BlueTooth BiPlanes
- Online Multiplayer – Half-Life 2
- Original Music – Hitman: Contracts
- Originality – SingStar/Singstar Party
- PC – Half-Life 2
- PS2 – Burnout 3: Takedown
- Racing – Burnout 3: Takedown
- Sports – Pro Evolution Soccer 4
- Sunday Times Reader Award for Games – Football Manager 2005
- Technical Direction – Burnout 3: Takedown
- Xbox – Halo 2
- Special Award – Sam Houser & Leslie Benzies
2006
- Action and Adventure – Shadow of the Colossus
- Artistic Achievement – Shadow of the Colossus
- Audio Achievement – Electroplankton
- Best Game – Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
- Casual and Social – Buzz!: The BIG Quiz
- Character – LocoRoco
- Children's – LocoRoco
- Gameplay – Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
- Gamers' Award – 24: The Mobile Game
- Innovation – Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?
- Multiplayer – Dungeons and Dragons Online: Stormreach
- Original Score – Tomb Raider: Legend
- Screenplay – Psychonauts
- Simulation – The Movies
- Soundtrack – Guitar Hero
- Sports – Fight Night Round 3
- Strategy – Rise and Fall: Civilizations at War
- Technical Achievement – ''Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter''
2007
- Action and Adventure – Crackdown
- Artistic Achievement – Ōkami
- Best Game – BioShock
- Casual – Wii Sports
- Gameplay – Wii Sports
- Innovation – Wii Sports
- Multiplayer – Wii Sports
- Original Score – Ōkami
- Sports – Wii Sports
- Story and Character – God of War II
- Strategy and Simulation – Wii Sports
- Technical Achievement – God of War II
- Use of Audio – Crackdown
- BAFTA One's To Watch Award – Ragnarawk
- The PC World Gamers Award – Football Manager 2007
- Academy Fellowship – Will Wright
2008
- Action and Adventure – Fable II
- Artistic Achievement – LittleBigPlanet
- Best Game – Super Mario Galaxy
- Casual – Boom Blox
- Gameplay – Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Handheld – Professor Layton and the Curious Village
- Multiplayer – Left 4 Dead
- Original Score – Dead Space
- Sports – Race Driver: Grid
- Strategy – Civilization Revolution
- Story and Character – Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Technical Achievement – Spore
- Use of Audio – Dead Space
- BAFTA One's to Watch Award – Boro-Toro
- GAME Award of 2008 – Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
- Academy Fellowship – Nolan Bushnell
2009
- Action – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
- Artistic Achievement – Flower
- Best Game – Batman: Arkham Asylum
- Family & Social – Wii Sports Resort
- Gameplay – Batman: Arkham Asylum
- Handheld – LittleBigPlanet
- Multiplayer – Left 4 Dead 2
- Original Score – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
- Sports – FIFA 10
- Story – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
- Strategy – Empire: Total War
- Use of Audio – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
- Use of Online – FIFA 10
- BAFTA One's to Watch Award – Shrunk!
- GAME Award of 2009 – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- Academy Fellowship – Shigeru Miyamoto
2010
- Action – Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
- Artistic Achievement – God of War III
- Best Game – Mass Effect 2
- Family – Kinect Sports
- Gameplay – Super Mario Galaxy 2
- Handheld – Cut the Rope
- Multiplayer – Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
- Original Music – Heavy Rain
- Puzzle – Rooms: The Main Building
- Social Network Game – My Empire
- Sports – F1 2010
- Story – Heavy Rain
- Strategy – Civilization V
- Technical Innovation – Heavy Rain
- Use of Audio – Battlefield: Bad Company 2
- BAFTA Ones to Watch Award – Twang!
- GAME Award of 2010 – Call of Duty: Black Ops
- Academy Fellowship – Peter Molyneux
2011
- Action – Batman: Arkham City
- Artistic Achievement – Rayman Origins
- Audio Achievement – Battlefield 3
- Best Game – Portal 2
- Debut Game – Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
- Family – LittleBigPlanet 2
- Game Design – Portal 2
- Game Innovation – LittleBigPlanet 2
- Mobile & Handheld – Peggle HD
- Online – Browser – Monstermind
- Online Multiplayer – Battlefield 3
- Original Music – L.A. Noire
- Performer – Mark Hamill
- Sports/Fitness – Kinect Sports: Season Two
- Story – Portal 2
- Strategy – Total War: Shogun 2
- BAFTA Ones To Watch Award – Tick Tock Toys
- GAME Award of 2011 – Battlefield 3
- Special – Markus Persson
2012
- Action – Far Cry 3
- Artistic Achievement – Journey
- Audio Achievement – Journey
- Best Game – Dishonored
- British Game – The Room
- Debut Game – The Unfinished Swan
- Family – Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
- Game Design – Journey
- Game Innovation – The Unfinished Swan
- Mobile & Handheld – The Walking Dead
- Online – Browser – SongPop
- Online Multiplayer – Journey
- Original Music – Journey
- Performer – Danny Wallace
- Sports/Fitness – New Star Soccer
- Story – The Walking Dead
- Strategy – XCOM: Enemy Unknown
- BAFTA Ones to Watch Award – Starcrossed
- Academy Fellowship – Gabe Newell