It’s almost that time of year when the London Games Festival rolls around and with it comes the BAFTA Games awards.
The annual event celebrates the very best in UK gaming over the past year. Last year’s event demonstrated the power of storytelling, with games like Hellbalde: Senua’s Sacrifice, which explores mental health and psychosis, winning big on the night.
Gaming is particularly important to the UK: the country's games industry is now worth a record £5.7 billion.
Here’s what you need to know about this year’s BAFTA Games Awards.
When is the BAFTA Games Awards?
The ceremony will take place in a new venue, the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the Southbank, this year, with comedian Dara O’Briain on the bill to host.
It will take place on Thursday 4, April.
How to watch the BAFTA Games awards
You don’t have to be a games industry veteran to join in with the BAFTA Games Awards fun.
Though the public tickets are all sold out now, you can tune into the livestream on the night on platforms including Twitter, Twitch, YouTube and Steam.
BAFTA Games awards: the nominations
There are a total of 17 categories at the BAFTA Games Awards covering everything from debut game and British game, to game innovation, and performers (that’s usually for voice-over actors).
The big one to watch this year is God of War, which picked up 10 nominations, including artistic achievement, audio achievement and the best game category. Developed by Santa Monica Studio, this is the eighth instalment of the popular action-adventure series.
Red Dead Redemption 2, the western saga created by Dundee-based Rockstar Games, has six nominations, including British game and narrative.
Return of the Obra Dinn also received six nominations. The puzzle game sees players set aboard an East India Company ghost ship, where all the crew and passengers have disappeared and the objective is to work out why.
The new category for this year is the EE Mobile Game of the Year, which will be voted for by the public. This is a chance for people to have their input on the annual event and the list is made up of some of the best mobile games out there, including Fortnite, Clash Royale, Roblox, and Pokémon Go.
Another major category to look out for is Game Beyond Entertainment. This category explores the storytelling side of game, and celebrates developers who are pushing the boundary of what’s possible in games. Hellblade won this last year.
On the list for this year’s award includes Celeste, which received four other nominations. This game allows players to overcome struggles and achieve their goals with compassion and aims to bring a greater understanding of mental illness.
Florence, which received five other nominations, is up for the Game Beyond Entertainment award too. Created by an Australian studio, this mobile game explores falling in love. Polygon called it “one of the most beautiful, unforgettable games.”
You can take a turn playing Florence at Now Play This this weekend at Somerset House. A staple in the LGF calendar, the festival explores the unusual and experimental side of gaming.
