The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has once again made the decision to move their annual awards event online, following a similar virtual-only presentation in 2020. The reason behind this decision is ongoing social distancing and quarantine requirements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
With this announcement came the nominees for the 2021 BAFTA Games Awards.
This year, the awards will feature eighteen categories, ranging from standards such as “Best Game,” “Best Narrative” and “Best Multiplayer” to unique offerings including “Best British Game” and the public-voted “EE Game of the Year.” Last year’s winners included The Outer Wilds taking home Best Game, Disco Elysium receiving awards in several categories, and wins for Untitled Goose Game, Death Stranding, Observation, and more.
This year, The Last of Us 2, which previously swept the US-hosted Game Awards, has been nominated for a whopping 13 categories, including Best Game. It is possible that Naughty Dog’s hard-hitting survival game, which received more wins at the Game Awards than any previous title, could also come home with awards in several BAFTA categories.
Other games receiving multiple nominations include Ghost of Tsushima, Hades, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Nominees for the British Game category, which highlights UK-based talent, include Dreams, F1 2020, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, The Last Campfire, Roki, and Sackboy: A Big Adventure.
Public voting for the EE Game of the Year category is open now and closes on March 21, 2021.
The 2021 BAFTA Games Awards will be held on March 25, 2021. The event will be streamed online for viewers around the world to watch.
Which titles would you like to see win big at the BAFTA? Do you think The Last of Us 2 was nominated for too many categories, or just enough? Let us know!
