The British Academy of Film and Television Arts has announced the nominees for the 22nd Annual BAFTA Games Awards, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has emerged as the leading contender with an unprecedented 12 nominations. This debut title from Sandfall Interactive has captured the attention of the prestigious organization, earning recognition across multiple key areas that highlight its artistic and technical prowess.
The awards ceremony is scheduled for April 17 in London as part of the London Games Festival. This year's nominations span 17 categories and feature 42 games in total, reflecting the vibrant and innovative state of the global video game industry. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's achievement is particularly notable as it represents a new intellectual property from a first-time developer, demonstrating the potential for fresh ideas to compete at the highest levels.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 received 12 nominations in 10 categories:
Artistic Achievement
Audio Achievement
Best Game
Debut Game
Game Design
Music
Narrative
New Intellectual Property
Performer in a Leading Role (Jennifer English)
Performer in a Leading Role (Ben Starr)
Performer in a Supporting Role (Charlie Cox)
Performer in a Supporting Role (Kirsty Rider)
However, Sandfall Interactive's beloved debut title isn't the only game with multiple nominations. Dispatch is in second place with nine nominations, Ghost of Yotei has earned eight, Death Stranding 2 has earned seven, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has earned six, and Embark Studios' popular extraction shooter, Arc Raiders, has earned five nominations.
"This year's nominations reflect an industry reshaping itself--with a vibrant mix of established studios standing alongside a wide range of independent studios, and a number of development teams earning nominations for the first time," BAFTA Games Committee chair Tara Saunders said in a press release. "The exceptional craft, artistry and innovation behind these titles shines through. A nomination is an extraordinary achievement, and I extend my warmest congratulations to every nominee for their innovation, hard work and resilience.”
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a turn-based role-playing game set in a dark fantasy world inspired by Belle Époque France. Players lead an expedition to confront the Paintress, whose paintings determine the age at which people perish, weaving themes of loss and grief into a richly layered story. The title’s multiple performer nominations—for Jennifer English and Ben Starr in leading roles, and Charlie Cox and Kirsty Rider in supporting roles—highlight the growing importance of voice acting and motion capture in elevating interactive experiences to cinematic levels.
The complete list of nominees for each category is as follows:
Animation
Battlefield 6
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Dispatch
Ghost of Yotei
Hades 2
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Artistic Achievement
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Dispatch
Ghost of Yotei
Hollow Knight: Silksong
South of Midnight
Audio Achievement
Arc Raiders
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Dispatch
Ghost of Yotei
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Best Game
Arc Raiders
Blue Prince
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Dispatch
Ghost of Yotei
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
British Game
Atomfall
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
Mafia: The Old Country
Monument Valley 3
Powerwash Simulator 2
Two Point Museum
Debut Game
Blue Prince
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Consume Me
Despelote
Dispatch
The Midnight Walk
Evolving Game
Fallout 76
Helldivers 2
Hitman World of Assassination
No Man's Sky
Vampire Survivors
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Family
Donkey Kong Bananza
Is This Seat Taken?
Lego Party!
Mario Kart World
Powerwash Simulator 2
Two Point Museum
Game Beyond Entertainment
The Alters
And Rodger
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
Consume Me
Despelote
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Game Design
Ball X Pit
Blue Prince
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Ghost of Yotei
Hades 2
Split Fiction
Multiplayer
Arc Raiders
Dune Awakening
Elden Ring Nightreign
Lego Party!
Peak
Split Fiction
Music
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Dispatch
Ghost of Yotei
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Narrative
The Alters
Blue Prince
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
New Intellectual Property
The Alters
Arc Raiders
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Dispatch
South of Midnight
Split Fiction
Performer in a Leading Role
Aaron Paul (Dispatch)
Ben Starr (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Jennifer English (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Erika Ishii (Ghost of Yotei)
Tom McKay (Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2)
Troy Baker (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle)
Performer in a Supporting Role
Alix Wilton Regan (Lies of P: Overture)
Charlie Cox (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Kirsty Rider (Clair Obscur: Expedition 33)
Jane Perry (Dead Take)
Jeffry Wright (Dispatch)
Troy Baker (Death Stranding 2: On The Beach)
Technical Achievement
Arc Raiders
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Doom: The Dark Ages
Ghost of Yotei
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Split Fiction
These nominations underscore the depth and breadth of talent in game development today. Categories like Game Design and Narrative emphasize storytelling and mechanics, while performance categories celebrate the acting talent bringing characters to life.
With Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 excelling in so many areas, it sets a high bar for the upcoming ceremony. The event promises to honor the creativity and dedication of teams across the industry, from established names to emerging studios. As the date approaches, anticipation builds for which titles will take home the honors in what is shaping up to be a competitive year for video games. The BAFTA Games Awards continue to serve as a prestigious benchmark, voted on by the organization’s games membership, and this year’s selections celebrate both technical innovation and emotional storytelling that define the medium.
Source: BAFTA
