BAFTA Excludes DLC from GotY Nominations

BAFTA has recently unveiled the longlist of games considered for nomination in the 2025 BAFTA Games Awards. Dive in to see if your favorite game has made the cut!

BAFTA Reveals List Of This Year’s Notable Games

58 Games From 247 Titles

BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) has meticulously selected 58 standout games from a pool of 247 titles for the 2025 BAFTA Games Awards. These games span various genres and were released between November 25, 2023, and November 15, 2024. The final nominees for each of the 17 categories will be announced on March 4, 2025, with the winners being celebrated at the awards ceremony on April 8, 2025.

One of the most eagerly anticipated categories is the Best Game award. Here are the 10 exceptional titles vying for this prestigious accolade:

• 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

In 2024, Baldur’s Gate 3 clinched the Best Game title and swept several other categories, ultimately winning six awards out of ten nominations.

Even if some games didn't make the cut for Best Game, they are still contenders in 16 other categories, 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

FF7 Rebirth And Shadow Of The Erdtree Ineligible For BAFTA’s Best Game

Sharp-eyed gamers will notice that certain popular 2024 releases such as Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, and Silent Hill 2 are absent from the Best Game category. This exclusion stems from their classification as remakes, remasters, or DLCs. According to the BAFTA Games Awards Rules and Guidelines, "Remasters of games released outside of the eligibility period are not eligible for consideration. Full remakes, and substantial pieces of new content, are not eligible in Best Game or British Game but may be eligible in craft categories where they can demonstrate significant originality."

Despite this, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Silent Hill 2 are featured in the full longlist and are contenders for categories such as Music, Narrative, and Technical Achievement. Interestingly, Elden Ring’s acclaimed DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, is missing from BAFTA’s list, though it is expected to feature in other year-end game awards like The Game Awards.

For a comprehensive view of BAFTA’s full game longlist and the categories they are listed in, visit the official BAFTA website.