BBC Newsbeat
Ninja ConceptSenua’s Saga: Hellblade II has picked up probably the most nominations at this yr’s Bafta Video games Awards.
The action-adventure recreation, developed by Cambridge-based studio Ninja Concept, is up for awards in 11 out of 14 classes on the annual ceremony.
It is within the working for finest recreation alongside 3D platformer Astro Bot – up for eight awards – which clinched top prize at the US-based Game Awards in December.
The occasion, thought of one of the prestigious within the video games business calendar, will probably be held in London on 8 April.
The opposite contenders in the very best recreation class are:
- Balatro – a poker-inspired card recreation
- Black Fable: Wukong – an action-adventure made in China and impressed by a preferred delusion
- Helldivers II – a multiplayer co-operative shooter
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Knowledge – the primary recreation in Nintendo’s fashionable sequence to star the princess it is named after
- Thank Goodness You are Right here! – a wacky cartoon journey recreation developed by two pals from Barnsley
Bafta fingers out prizes annually in a spread of classes, together with performing, music and recreation design.
Three of the six most-nominated video games this yr have been made within the UK.
Nonetheless Wakes the Deep, a horror recreation from Brighton-based studio The Chinese language Room set on a Scottish oil rig, is up for eight awards, whereas Thank Goodness You are Right here! is up for seven.
Lego Horizon Adventures, based mostly on the PlayStation sequence and largely developed by London-based Studio Gobo, is nominated in 4 classes.
Indie hits Animal Properly and Balatro, every have 4 nominations, as does Name of Obligation: Black Ops 6.
Coal SupperSenua’s Saga: Hellblade II is a sequel to Senua’s Sacrifice – which picked up 5 awards at 2018’s gaming Baftas.
Its 11 nominations may shock some – the sport was a powerful technical showcase and acquired optimistic if not excellent opinions.
Nevertheless, like the primary recreation, it was praised for its sensitive depiction of the main character’s psychosis.
Bafta Video games committee chair Tara Saunders tells BBC Newsbeat it represents “a powerful yr for British-made video games”.
She says the voting panel is made up of members the world over who take the awards “very critically” and vote based mostly on a spread of options.
“It is all about excellence,” she says.
“Excellence within the crafts and possibly a few of these video games have nailed all of these craft areas.”
Bafta CEO Jane Millichip agrees, and needs to embrace the actual fact they’ve a British recreation class.
“Our members are worldwide they usually’re the individuals who select,” she says.
Most-nominated video games
Organized by variety of classes:
- Senua’s Saga: 11
- Astro Bot and Nonetheless Wakes the Deep – eight
- Thank Goodness You are Right here! – seven
- Black Fable: Wukong – 5
Learn extra concerning the nominees:
The Bafta Video games Awards are not any stranger to the odd upset.
In 2023, Vampire Survivors – made by a tiny British studio – beat Sony’s God of War: Ragnarök to the top prize.
This yr’s finest recreation subject has an identical mixture of big-budget blockbusters and indie hits.
“I really like that Bafta can shock, I really like that it is not a given and we will get to that evening and we do not know what is going on to come back out on high,” Tara says.
“It is placing a highlight on some actually tiny video games which may have slipped by.”
Metaphor: Refantazio featured prominently in different awards lists however solely picked up two nominations, with one for its narrative.
And Last Fantasy VII: Rebirth was nominated within the narrative and music classes however ineligible for finest recreation because of Bafta guidelines on remakes.
The Chinese language RoomInstances stay powerful for folks working within the video games business worldwide, with mass layoffs, studio closures and cancelled initiatives persevering with to make headlines.
Tara says awards just like the Baftas are “a beacon of sunshine at nighttime occasions”.
“It is actually essential to pause and have a good time the groups and people which have crafted these standout video games experiences,” she says.
And Jane, who additionally oversees Bafta’s occasions throughout movie, TV and different inventive industries, says the gaming awards are a spot for folks to help one another.
“I’ve by no means seen a group cheer a lot once they lose, it is a good factor to behold,” she says.
“It is so great to see the entire video games group being so supportive of one another and there to have a good time the sector, not themselves.
“It is sort of devoid of ego and that is nice.”
Yow will discover a full checklist of Bafta Video games Awards nominations for 2025 here.
