By Sagar V. Mankar 
The 21st BAFTA Games Awards has announced its nominations, with Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 and Astro Bot emerging as the frontrunners.
Ninja Theory’s Hellblade 2 has secured an impressive 11 nominations, including Game Beyond Entertainment and Narrative awards. However, it did not secure a nomination for Best Game.
Meanwhile, Astro Bot, a fan-favorite platformer and GOTY at over 110 awards shows, is tied with psychological horror game Still Wakes the Deep for 8 nominations each.
The Best Game category features a mix of blockbuster and indie titles, including Astro Bot, Balatro, Black Myth: Wukong, Helldivers 2, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, and the surprise wildcard, Thank Goodness You’re Here! This indie comedy game set in Northern England has garnered attention for its unconventional humor and engaging design.
The BAFTA Games Awards is known for its unique approach compared to other industry awards. Instead of traditional genre categories like Best RPG or Best Shooter, BAFTA focuses on recognizing excellence in different aspects of game development, such as Animation, Music, and Technical Achievement. This approach allows for a broader recognition of both major and independent titles.
The awards ceremony will take place on April 8, live streaming on YouTube and Twitch channels.
Here’s the full list of nominations for the 21st BAFTA Games Awards:
Best Game
- Astro Bot
- Balatro
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Helldivers 2
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Animation
- Astro Bot
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Lego Horizon Adventures
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Thank Goodness You’re Here!
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Artistic Achievement
- Astro Bot
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Harold Halibut
- Neva
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Still Wakes the Deep
Audio Achievement
- Animal Well
- Astro Bot
- Helldivers 2
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Star Wars Outlaws
- Still Wakes the Deep
British Game
- A Highland Song
- Lego Horizon Adventures
- Paper Trail
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Still Wakes the Deep
- Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Debut Game
- Animal Well
- Balatro
- Pacific Drive
- The Plucky Squire
- Tales of Kenzera: Zau
- Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Evolving Game
- Diablo 4
- Final Fantasy 14 Online
- No Man’s Sky
- Sea of Thieves
- Vampire Survivors
- World of Warcraft
Family
- Astro Bot
- Cat Quest 3
- Lego Horizon Adventures
- Little Kitty, Big City
- The Plucky Squire
- Super Mario Party Jamboree
Game Beyond Entertainment
- Botany Manor
- Kind Words 2 (lofi city pop)
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Tales of Kenzera: Zau
- Tetris Forever
- Vampire Therapist
Game Design
- Animal Well
- Astro Bot
- Balatro
- Helldivers 2
- The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
- Tactical Breach Wizards
Multiplayer
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Helldivers 2
- Lego Horizon Adventures
- Super Mario Party Jamboree
- Tekken 8
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Music
- Astro Bot
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Helldivers 2
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Star Wars Outlaws
Narrative
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard
- Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Metaphor: Refantazio
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Still Wakes the Deep
New Intellectual Property
- Animal Well
- Balatro
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Metaphor: Refantazio
- Still Wakes the Deep
- Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Performer in a Leading Role
- Alec Newman, Still Wakes the Deep
- Humberly González, Star Wars Outlaws
- Isabella Inchbald, Indika
- Luke Roberts, Silent Hill 2
- Melina Juergens, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Y’lan Noel, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Performer in a Supporting Role
- Abbi Greenland & Helen Goalen, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Aldís Amah Hamilton, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Jon Blyth, Thank Goodness You’re Here!
- Karen Dunbar, Still Wakes the Deep
- Matt Berry, Thank Goodness You’re Here!
- Michael Abubakar, Still Wakes the Deep
Technical Achievement
- Astro Bot
- Black Myth: Wukong
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
- Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Tiny Glade
- Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
The nominations were selected from 58 shortlisted games released between November 25, 2023, and November 15, 2024, with more than 1,300 BAFTA members participating in the selection process.