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 (BAFTA).
Since the inaugural BAFTA Games Awards in February 2004, twenty-two ceremonies have taken place. The most recent, the 22nd British Academy Games Awards, were held at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on 17 April 2026.
Categories
Animation (2004–2005, revived in 2020) Artistic Achievement Audio Achievement Best Game British Game (introduced in 2013) Debut Game (introduced in 2013) EE Game of the Year (introduced in 2018, formerly EE Mobile Game, audience-voted award) Evolving Game (introduced in 2015) Family (previously "Children's Game") BAFTA Fellowship (presented sporadically) Game Beyond Entertainment (introduced in 2017) Game Design (introduced in 2012) Intellectual Property (previously "Originality" and "Original Property") Multiplayer Music Narrative (previously "Screenplay/Story") Performer in a Leading Role Performer in a Supporting Role Special Award (presented sporadically) Technical Achievement (Renamed from "Game Innovation" in 2020) Young Game Designers (five per year)
Defunct
Action Game Adventure Game Animation or Intro Art Direction Best Character Casual and Social Game Game Boy Advance Game Game Innovation (renamed to "Technical Achievement" in 2020) GameCube Game Gameplay Handheld Game Mobile Game (retired by 2020) One to Watch Award Online Game PC Game British Academy Games Award for Performer (split into two categories in 2020) PS2 Game Puzzle Game Racing Game Simulation Game Sound Sports Game Strategy Game Sunday Times Reader's Award Xbox Game
Ceremonies Event Date Host Location Best Game 1st 25 February 2004 Bill Bailey Radisson Portman Hotel, London Call of Duty 2nd 1 March 2005 Jonathan Ross Café Royal Half-Life 2 3rd 5 October 2006 Vernon Kay Roundhouse Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 4th 23 October 2007 Vic Reeves Battersea Evolution BioShock 5th 10 March 2009 Dara Ó Briain London Hilton Super Mario Galaxy 6th 19 March 2010 Batman: Arkham Asylum 7th 16 March 2011 Mass Effect 2 8th 16 March 2012 Portal 2 9th 5 March 2013 Dishonored 10th 12 March 2014Tobacco Dock The Last of Us 11th 12 March 2015 Rufus Hound Destiny 12th 7 April 2016 Dara Ó Briain Fallout 4 13th 6 April 2017 Danny Wallace Uncharted 4: A Thief's End 14th 12 April 2018Dara Ó Briain Troxy What Remains of Edith Finch 15th 4 April 2019 Queen Elizabeth Hall God of War 16th 2 April 2020 rowspan="2" Outer Wilds 17th 25 March 2021 Elle Osili-Wood Hades 18th 8 April 2022 Queen Elizabeth Hall Returnal 19th 30 March 2023 Frankie Ward Vampire Survivors 20th 11 April 2024 Phil Wang Baldur's Gate 3 21st 8 April 2025 Astro Bot 22nd 17 April 2026 Elz the WitchClair Obscur: Expedition 33
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 (Jame Chung Edition) 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 (Games) – Chris Deering
2004
The 2004 ceremony took place on 1 March 2005. 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 (Games) – Sam Houser & Leslie Benzies
2006
The 2006 ceremony took place at The Roundhouse on 5 October 2006 and was hosted by Vernon Kay. Action and Adventure (Sponsored by PC World) – Shadow of the Colossus Artistic Achievement – Shadow of the Colossus Audio Achievement – Electroplankton Best Game (Sponsored by PC World) – Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter Casual and Social – Buzz!: The BIG Quiz Character – LocoRoco (LocoRoco) Children's – LocoRoco Gameplay (Sponsored by Nokia N-Gage) – Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy Gamers' Award (Sponsored by Nokia N-Gage) – 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 (Sponsored by Skillset) – Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
2007
The 2007 ceremony took place at Battersea Evolution on 23 October 2007 and was hosted by Vic Reeves. Action and Adventure (Sponsored by PC World) – Crackdown Artistic Achievement – Ōkami Best Game – BioShock Casual – Wii Sports Gameplay (Sponsored by Nokia N-Gage) – 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 (in association with Dare to Be Digital) – Ragnarawk The PC World Gamers Award (voted for by the public) – Football Manager 2007 Academy Fellowship – Will Wright
2008
The 2008 ceremony took place at London Hilton on 10 March 2009 and was hosted by Dara Ó Briain. 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 (in association with Dare to Be Digital) – Boro-Toro GAME Award of 2008 – Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Academy Fellowship – Nolan Bushnell
2009
The 2009 ceremony took place at London Hilton 19 March 2010 and was hosted by Dara Ó Briain. 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 (in association with Dare to Be Digital) – Shrunk! GAME Award of 2009 – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Academy Fellowship – Shigeru Miyamoto
2010
The 2010 ceremony took place at London Hilton on 16 March 2011 and was hosted by Dara Ó Briain. 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 (in association with Dare to Be Digital) – Twang! GAME Award of 2010 – Call of Duty: Black Ops Academy Fellowship – Peter Molyneux
2011
The 2011 ceremony took place at London Hilton on 16 March 2012 and was hosted by Dara Ó Briain. 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 (as The Joker, Batman: Arkham City) Sports/Fitness – Kinect Sports: Season Two Story – Portal 2 Strategy – Total War: Shogun 2 BAFTA Ones To Watch Award (in association with Dare to Be Digital) – Tick Tock Toys GAME Award of 2011 – Battlefield 3 Special – Markus Persson
2012
The 2012 ceremony took place at London Hilton on 5 March 2013 and was hosted by Dara Ó Briain. 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 (as the narrator, Thomas Was Alone) Sports/Fitness – New Star Soccer Story – The Walking Dead Strategy – XCOM: Enemy Unknown BAFTA Ones to Watch Award (in association with Dare to Be Digital) – Starcrossed Academy Fellowship – Gabe Newell
2013
The 2013 ceremony took place at Tobacco Dock on 12 March 2014 and was hosted by Dara Ó Briain. Action & Adventure – The Last of Us Artistic Achievement – Tearaway Audio Achievement - The Last of Us Best Game – The Last of Us British Game – Grand Theft Auto V Debut Game – Gone Home Family – Tearaway Game Design – Grand Theft Auto V Game Innovation – Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Mobile & Handheld – Tearaway Online Multiplayer – Grand Theft Auto V Original Music – BioShock Infinite Performer – Ashley Johnson (as Ellie, The Last of Us) Sports – FIFA 14 Story – The Last of Us Strategy & Simulation – Papers, Please BAFTA Ones to Watch Award – Size DOES Matter Academy Fellowship – Rockstar Games
2014
The 2014 ceremony took place at Tobacco Dock on 12 March 2015 and was hosted by Rufus Hound. Artistic Achievement – Lumino City Audio Achievement – Alien: Isolation Best Game – Destiny British Game – Monument Valley Debut Game – Never Alone Family – Minecraft: Console Editions Game Design – Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Game Innovation – The Vanishing of Ethan Carter Mobile & Handheld – Monument Valley Online Multiplayer – Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft Original Music – Far Cry 4 Original Property – Valiant Hearts: The Great War Performer – Ashley Johnson (as Ellie, The Last of Us: Left Behind) Persistent Game – League of Legends Sports – OlliOlli Story – The Last of Us: Left Behind BAFTA Ones to Watch Award – Chambara Academy Fellowship – David Braben
2015
The 2015 ceremony took place at Tobacco Dock on 7 April 2016 and was hosted by Dara Ó Briain. Artistic Achievement – Ori and the Blind Forest