The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced the nominations for many popular Players' Choice Awards including "Baldur's Gate 3" and "Deadly Company"

The Players’ Choice nominees for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Game Awards have been announced, providing a full list of absolute favorites for the public to choose from. As the last major video game awards show for heavyweight games in 2023, this may be the last chance for some of these games to take home the trophy in April.

The British public can go to the BAFTA website to vote. Sorry Americans, but you’ll need a UK phone number to register, which the British Academy of Film and Television Arts will also use to sign voters up for the draw. The BAFTAs are one of the few good things we have left on Misery Island, so don’t feel too sour.

Games on the ballot include:

fortnite
Cyberpunk 2077
deadly company
Baldur’s Gate 3
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

All great games have good reasons to win. Fortnite might seem strange, but you have to remember that the game is seeing some big seasonal updates in 2023. The live service has set tough hurdles for the “game of the year” that are trickier than in the past, but how could you not include Rock Band’s resurrected shooter here as well.

“Cyberpunk 2077” also returns with the excellent “Phantom Freedom” expansion pack, making this game an open world classic in our eyes. There’s no doubt the game has had a rocky history, but in 2023 it’s really come into its own and has been reinvigorated in terms of quality.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was a bit of a snub during awards season. It’s a strange situation – in the year that the original film was released, the sequel didn’t get the same amount of critical hype that the genre had to offer. It’s still stunning – the same quality as its predecessor, but a step up in player creativity. This is one of the main reasons to own a Nintendo Switch!

Then there’s Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which along with Baldur’s Gate 3 won big at the DICE Awards. It’s another excellent sequel that’s also been somewhat overshadowed by Kingdom Tears at events like the 2023 Game Awards. But it’s a true benchmark for both superhero games and third-person action games – and well worth playing if you somehow missed it.

However, if there are two games that I consider to be top contenders, it’s Baldur’s Gate 3 and Deadly Company. You won’t find a more unique duo. Both games shocked the video game industry upon release, with Baldur’s Gate 3 capturing people’s hearts with its brilliant storytelling, brain-burning detail, and indescribable sexuality. Lethal Company is a unique cooperative horror game that does so much with so few resources, combined with the passionate talent of a single developer.

It’s sure to be a tight race. I? I would vote for Baldur’s Gate 3, but I would feel deeply conflicted about doing so. Deadly Company is so special that I could probably wake up tomorrow and come up with a really good argument for the other four. Let us know what you’ll vote for, or if you’d rather roll the dice and let fate decide.