BAFTA Games 2025: Astro Bot Crowned Game of the Year

On April 8, the BAFTA Game Awards 2025 were held, and the night was full of surprises—particularly when it came to awarding Best Debut Game (more on that at the end).

Team Asobi’s platforming adventure, directed by Nicolas Doucet, had already triumphed at The Game Awards 2024 and the DICE Awards 2025. Now, it also claims Game of the Year at the BAFTA Game Awards 2025.

It beat out tough competition in the category, including:

• Balatro
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Helldivers 2
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
• Thank Goodness You’re Here!

The Ceremony and Host

Hosted by comedian Phil Wang for the second consecutive year, the gala took place at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. Winners were selected across 17 categories from a pool of 41 nominees.

BAFTA Game Awards 2025 – Winners and Nominees

Animation

• 🏆 Astro Bot (Winner)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• LEGO Horizon Adventures
• Sijlast: Hellblade II
• Thank Goodness You’re Here!
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Artistic Achievement

• Astro Bot
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Harold Halibut
• 🏆 Neva (Winner)
• Sijlast: Hellblade II
• Still Wakes the Deep

Audio Achievement

• Animal Well
• 🏆 Astro Bot (Winner)
• Helldivers 2
• Sijlast: Hellblade II
• Star Wars Outlaws
• Still Wakes the Deep

Best Game

• 🏆 Astro Bot (Winner)
• Balatro
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Helldivers 2
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
• Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Best British Game

• A Highland Song
• LEGO Horizon Adventures
• Paper Trail
• Sijlast: Hellblade II
• Still Wakes the Deep
• 🏆 Thank Goodness You’re Here! (Winner)

Best Debut Game

• Animal Well
• 🏆 Balatro (Winner)
• Pacific Drive
• The Brave Squire
• Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
• Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Evolving Game

• Devil IV
• Final Fantasy XIV Online
• No Man’s Sky
• Sea of Thieves
• 🏆 Vampire Survivors (Winner)
• World of Warcraft

Family Game

• 🏆 Astro Bot (Winner)
• Cat Quest III
• LEGO Horizon Adventures
• Little Kitty, Big City
• The Brave Squire
• Super Mario Party Jamboree

Game Beyond Entertainment

• Botany Manor
• Kind Words 2 (lofi city pop)
• Sijlast: Hellblade II
• 🏆 Tales of Kenzera: ZAU (Winner)
• Tetris Forever
• Vampire Therapist

Game Design

• Animal Well
• 🏆 Astro Bot (Winner)
• Balatro
• Helldivers 2
• The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
• Tactical Breach Wizards

Multiplayer

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• 🏆 Helldivers 2 (Winner)
• LEGO Horizon Adventures
• Super Mario Party Jamboree
• Tekken 8
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Music

• Astro Bot
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
• 🏆 Helldivers 2 (Winner)
• Sijlast: Hellblade II
• Star Wars Outlaws

Narrative

• Black Myth: Wukong
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
• 🏆 Metaphor: refantication (Winner)
• Sijlast: Hellblade II
• Still Wakes the Deep

New IP

• Animal Well
• Balatro
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Metaphor: refantication
• 🏆 Still Wakes the Deep (Winner)
• Thank Goodness You’re Here!

Technical Achievement

• Astro Bot
• Black Myth: Wukong
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• 🏆 Sijlast: Hellblade II (Winner)
• Tiny Glade
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Performer in a Leading Role

• 🏆 Alec Newman as Cameron ‘Caz’ McLeary in Still Wakes the Deep (Winner)
• Isabella Inchbald as Indika in Indicate
• Luke Roberts as James Sunderland in SILENT HILL 2
• Humberly González as Kay Vess in Star Wars Outlaws
• Melina Juergens as Senua in Sijlast: Hellblade II
• Y’lan Noel as Troy Marshall in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Performer in a Supporting Role

• Aldís amah Hamilton as Astridr in Sijlast: Hellblade II
• Jon Blyth as Big Ron in Thank Goodness You’re Here!
• Michael Abubakar as Brodie in Still Wakes the Deep
• Matt Berry as Herbert the Gardner in Thank Goodness You’re Here!
• Abbi Greenland & Helen Goalen as The Furies in Sijlast: Hellblade II
• 🏆 Karen Dunbar as Finlay in Still Wakes the Deep (Winner)

Balatro Wins Best Debut—with a Surprise Speech

As noted on the official BAFTA Games Twitter account, Balatro’s developer LocalThunk once again chose not to attend the ceremony, just in case the game won. Instead, a very familiar face to fans of the game accepted on their behalf.

“This is weird,” said actor Ben Starr at the start of his speech.
If that name rings a bell, it’s because he voices Jimbo in Balatro, Clive in Final Fantasy XVIand Prometheus in Hades 2.

So there you have it—Astro Bot wins the top prize, and Balatro takes home Best Debut Game, complete with a surprise moment for fans during the show.

For more Fextralife news, be sure to check out  Microsoft Confirms Date for Xbox Games Showcase 2025 and also Diablo 4 Reveals Its Ambitious Roadmap for 2025