BAFTA Makes the Bold Move of Not Including DLC For Its GotY Nominees

BAFTA Unveils 2025 Games Awards Longlist

58 Games Vie for Awards

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced its longlist for the 2025 BAFTA Games Awards. A remarkable 58 games, spanning diverse genres, are in contention across 17 categories. This impressive selection was chosen from a pool of 247 titles submitted by BAFTA members, representing games released between November 25, 2023, and November 15, 2024.

The final nominations will be revealed on March 4, 2025, culminating in the awards ceremony on April 8, 2025.

Best Game Contenders:

Ten titles are vying 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 triumphant six-award win in 2024 (from ten nominations), this year's competition promises to be equally exciting.

Other Categories:

While not in the Best Game running, many titles are still contenders in other categories: 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, and Performer in a Supporting Role.

Notable Exclusions from Best Game:

This year's Best Game category notably excludes several high-profile releases: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, and Silent Hill 2. According to BAFTA's rules, remasters released outside the eligibility period, full remakes, and substantial new content (DLC) are ineligible for the Best Game and British Game awards, though they may be considered in other categories.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Silent Hill 2 remain eligible for awards in categories such as Music, Narrative, and Technical Achievement. The absence of Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC from the list is unexplained, but its eligibility for other year-end awards, like The Game Awards, remains a possibility.

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