BAFTA Breaks New Ground: DLC Excluded from Game of the Year Nominations

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has unveiled its extensive longlist for the 2025 BAFTA Games Awards. Check out the list to see if your favorite game made the cut!

A Competitive Field: 58 Games from 247 Entries

BAFTA's 2025 Games Awards longlist boasts 58 exceptional titles across 17 categories, selected from a total of 247 games submitted. These games were released between November 25, 2023, and November 15, 2024.

The nominees for each category will be revealed on March 4, 2025, with the awards ceremony taking place on April 8, 2025.

Here are the 10 contenders for the coveted "Best Game" award:

• 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

Following Baldur's Gate 3's triumphant six-award win in 2024 (from ten nominations), this year's competition promises to be equally fierce.

While some titles didn't make the Best Game shortlist, they remain contenders in other categories: 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, and Performer in a Supporting Role.

Notable Exclusions from the Best Game Category

Several high-profile 2024 releases, including Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, and Silent Hill 2, are notably absent from the Best Game category. This is due to BAFTA's eligibility rules, which exclude remasters, remakes released outside the eligibility window, and DLC. While these titles are ineligible for "Best Game" and "British Game," they may still compete in other categories recognizing technical and artistic merit.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Silent Hill 2 are included in the longlist for categories such as Music, Narrative, and Technical Achievement. Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, however, is not featured on the BAFTA list, though it's expected to be considered for other year-end awards.

The complete BAFTA Games Awards longlist is available on the official BAFTA website.