Since 2003, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (better known as BAFTA) has annually celebrated the world of video games in addition to its regular awards for TV and movies. This year’s ceremony was held last night, on April 8, and highlighted some of the biggest games of 2024, along with a few surprises. Astro Bot, a game we also like a lot, won the most trophies, including Best Game. But its five wins were closely followed by three wins from Still Wakes the Deep, a psychological horror game largely unrepresented in other major awards shows.
The British Academy also took the ceremony as an opportunity to award the BAFTA Fellowship to Yoko Shimomura, the legendary composer known for her work on Street Fighter II and the Kingdom Hearts series. Meanwhile, the joker-poker roguelike Balatro won Best Debut Game. Developer LocalThunk is notoriously private, so actor Ben Starr, best known as Clive in Final Fantasy XVI, appeared in full clown attire to deliver the acceptance speech. After a few tongue-in-cheek jokes about how wealthy the developer has become, Starr urged the audience to play more indie games, specifically spotlighting Animal Well.
Here is a full list of the BAFTA Game Award winners.
Astro Bot took home five trophies at the 2025 BAFTA Game Awards.
Best Game
WINNER: Astro Bot
Balatro
Black Myth: Wukong
Helldivers 2
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Animation
WINNER: Astro Bot
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Lego Horizon Adventures
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Artistic Achievement
WINNER: Neva
Astro Bot
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Black Myth: Wukong
Still Wakes the Deep
Harold Halibut
Audio Achievement
WINNER: Astro Bot
Animal Well
Helldivers 2
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Star Wars Outlaws
Still Wakes the Deep
Thank Goodness You’re Here! won the British Game award.
British Game
WINNER: Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Still Wakes the Deep
Paper Trail
A Highland Song
Lego Horizon Adventures
Debut Game
WINNER: Balatro
Animal Well
Pacific Drive
The Plucky Squire
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Evolving Game
WINNER: Vampire Survivors
Diablo IV
Final Fantasy XIV Online
No Man’s Sky
Sea of Thieves
World of Warcraft
Family
WINNER: Astro Bot
Cat Quest III
Lego Horizon Adventures
Little Kitty, Big City
The Plucky Squire
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Game Beyond Entertainment
WINNER: Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Botany Manor
Kind Words 2 (lofi city pop)
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Tetris Forever
Vampire Therapist
Representatives from Astro Bot’s development team accept the Best Game award.
Game Design
WINNER: Astro Bot
Animal Well
Balatro
Helldivers 2
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Tactical Breach Wizards
Multiplayer
WINNER: Helldivers 2
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Lego Horizon Adventures
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Tekken 8
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Music
WINNER: Helldivers 2
Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Senua’s Saga: Hellbade II
Star Wars Outlaws
Narrative
WINNER: Metaphor: ReFantazio
Black Myth: Wukong
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Still Wakes the Deep
Still Wakes the Deep won awards for New Intellectual Property, Performer in a Leading Role, and Performer in a Supporting Role.
New Intellectual Property
WINNER: Still Wakes the Deep
Animal Well
Balatro
Black Myth: Wukong
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Performer in a Leading Role
WINNER: Alec Newman (as Cameron “Caz” McLeary in Still Wakes the Deep)
Humberly González (as Kay Vess in Star Wars Outlaws)
Isabella Inchbald (as Indika in Indika)
Luke Roberts (as James Sunderland in Silent Hill 2)
Melina Juergens (as Senua in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II)
Y’lan Noel (as Troy Marshall in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6)
Performer in a Supporting Role
WINNER: Karen Dunbar (as Finlay in Still Wakes the Deep)
Abbi Greenland and Helen Goalen (as the Furies in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II)
Aldís Amah Hamilton (as Ástríðr in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II)
Jon Blyth (Thank Goodness You’re Here)
Matt Berry (Thank Goodness You’re Here)
Michael Abubakar (as Brodie in Still Wakes the Deep)
Technical Achievement
WINNER: Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Astro Bot
Black Myth: Wukong
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Tiny Glade
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Yoko Shimomura accepts the Fellowship award.
Fellowship
Yoko Shimomura
