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

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 Contenders from 247 Submissions

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

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

The highly anticipated "Best Game" category features these ten contenders:

• 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

Recall that Baldur's Gate 3 swept the 2024 awards, winning six out of ten nominations.

While some titles missed the "Best Game" shortlist, they remain eligible for other awards, including:

• 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"

Several prominent 2024 releases, while on the overall longlist, are absent from the "Best Game" category. This includes Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, and Silent Hill 2. BAFTA's rules exclude remasters, remakes released outside the eligibility window, and DLC from the "Best Game" and "British Game" categories, although they may be eligible for other awards if demonstrating significant originality.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Silent Hill 2 are still in contention for awards such as Music, Narrative, and Technical Achievement. Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is notably absent from the BAFTA list, though it's expected to feature in other year-end award shows, such as The Game Awards.

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