Game Awards Gets Edgy: BAFTA Boldly Excludes DLC for GotY Favorites

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has unveiled its extensive longlist for the 2025 BAFTA Games Awards. Discover if your favorite game made the cut!

58 Games from 247 Entries

BAFTA's 2025 Games Awards longlist features 58 diverse titles competing across 17 categories, selected from a total of 247 submissions. These games were released between November 25, 2023, and November 15, 2024.

The final nominations will be announced on March 4, 2025, with the awards ceremony taking place on April 8, 2025.

Here are the 10 contenders for the coveted "Best Game" award:

• ANIMAL WELL
• Astro Bot
• Balatro
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Helldivers 2
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
• Metaphor: ReFantazio
• Thank Goodness You’re Here!
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Following Baldur's Gate 3's six-award sweep at the 2024 BAFTAs (from ten nominations), this year's competition promises to be equally exciting.

While some titles didn't make the Best Game shortlist, they remain eligible for other accolades:

• Animation
• Artistic Achievement
• Audio Achievement
• British Game
• Debut Game
• Evolving Game
• Family
• Game Beyond Entertainment
• Game Design
• Multiplayer
• Music
• Narrative
• New Intellectual Property
• Technical Achievement
• Performer in a Leading Role
• Performer in a Supporting Role

Notable Exclusions from Best Game: DLC and Remakes

Several high-profile 2024 releases are absent from the Best Game category, including Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, and Silent Hill 2. This is due to BAFTA's eligibility rules, which exclude remasters released outside the eligibility period, full remakes, and substantial new content from the Best Game and British Game categories. However, these titles may still be nominated in other categories recognizing their technical or artistic achievements. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Silent Hill 2 are contenders in categories such as Music, Narrative, and Technical Achievement. Interestingly, Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is entirely absent from the BAFTA list, although it's expected to feature in other year-end awards.

The complete BAFTA Games Awards longlist is available on the official BAFTA website.