Independent video games were the big winners at this year’s Bafta Games awards, which took place as a live-streamed event on Thursday evening after the planned ceremony was cancelled due to Covid-19.
Sci-fi action puzzler Outer Wilds took the best game award, as well as game design and original property. Offbeat detective adventure Disco Elysium also won in three categories: debut game, narrative and music.
Other winners included space station thriller Observation for British game, Apex Legends for multiplayer and Untitled Goose Game in the family category.
Metal Gear Solid game designer Hideo Kojima was awarded the Bafta fellowship, with his latest title, Death Stranding, also taking the award for technical achievement. The games beyond entertainment category was won by Kind Words, a game in which players send out anonymous letters to other members of the community, seeking help, advice and reassurance.
Bafta streamed the awards over Twitter, Twitch and YouTube; winning developers delivered their acceptance speeches via video calls. The presentation was fronted by regular host Dara Ó Briain, who joked: “Usually these awards come from some plush conference hall in London – tonight they will take place entirely in my house from the room with the big TV where I play video games. We live in strange times.”
“Only two months ago we scoffed at the idea of a video game which stressed the importance of delivery people in a post-apocalyptic landscape,” he said, referring to Death Stranding. “You win this one, Hideo Kojima.”
Winners in full
Fellowship: Hideo Kojima
Animation: Luigi’s Mansion3
Artistic Achievement: Sayonara Wild Hearts
Audio Achievement: Ape Out
Best Game: Outer Wilds
British Game: Observation
Debut Game: Disco Elysium
Evolving Game: Paths of Exile
Family: Untitled Goose Game
Game Beyond Entertainment: Kind Words
Game Design: Outer Wilds
Multiplayer: Apex Legends
Music: Disco Elysium
Narrative: Disco Elysium
Original Property: Outer Wilds
Performer in a Leading Role: Gonzalo Martin as Sean Diaz in Life is Strange 2
Performer in a Supporting Role: Martti Suosalo as Ahti the Janitor in Control
Technical Achievement: Death Stranding
EE Mobile Game of the Year: Call of Duty Mobile
