British Academy Games Award for Narrative

British Academy Games Award for Narrative
Awarded forThe best story or narrative for a game
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented byBritish Academy of Film and Television Arts
Currently held byMetaphor: ReFantazio – Yuichiro Tanaka and Katsura Hashino
Websitewww.bafta.org/games

The British Academy Video Games Award for Narrative is an award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). It is given to recognize "excellence in the creation and delivery of the best story or narrative that captivates and engages the player".[1] The award is given to the writers/development team, the developer and the publisher of the winning game. The award was first presented at the 3rd British Academy Games Awards under the name Screenplay. The following year it was renamed into Story and Character. From the 6th edition to the 12th, it was presented as Story. Since the 13th British Academy Games Awards, it has been presented with its current name.

Naughty Dog and Santa Monica Studio are the only developers with two wins in the category, while Ubisoft Montreal are the developer with the most nominations without a win, with five. Among publishers, Sony Interactive Entertainment has a leading nineteen nominations, with six wins. Bethesda Softworks, Ubisoft and Electronic Arts are tied for most nominations without a win, with seven each. To date, two writers (Neil Druckmann and Cory Barlog) have won the BAFTA twice for their work on The Last of Us and God of War franchises respectively. With three nominations, Tim Schafer is the most nominated writer without a win.

The current holders of the award are Yuichiro Tanaka and Katsura Hashino, writers of Metaphor: ReFantazio by Studio Zero, which won at the 21st British Academy Games Awards in 2025.

Winners and nominees

In the following table, the years are listed as per BAFTA convention, and generally correspond to the year of game release in the United Kingdom.

Table key
Indicates the winner
Year Game Recipient(s) Developer(s) Publisher(s) Ref.
2005/06
(3rd) 		Psychonauts Double Fine Productions Majesco Entertainment [2]
24: The Game SCE Studio Cambridge Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
Rogue Trooper Rebellion Developments Eidos Interactive
Tomb Raider: Legend Crystal Dynamics
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Bethesda Game Studios Bethesda Softworks
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter Ubisoft Paris Ubisoft
2006/07
(4th) 		God of War II Cory Barlog, James Barlog and Marianne Krawczyk Santa Monica Studio Sony Computer Entertainment [3]
Final Fantasy XII Daisuke Watanabe, Miwa Shoda and Yasumi Matsuno Square Enix
Heavenly Sword Tameem Antoniades, Rhianna Pratchett and Andrew S. Walsh Ninja Theory Sony Computer Entertainment
Ōkami Hideki Kamiya Clover Studio Capcom
The Darkness Denby Grace, Lars Johansson, Jerk Gustafsson Starbreeze Studios 2K Games
The Simpsons Game Matt Selman, Scot Amos EA Redwood Shores Electronic Arts
2007/08
(5th) 		Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Infinity Ward Activision [4][5]
Assassin's Creed Jade Raymond, Patrice Desilets, Claude Langlais Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft
Fable II Lionhead Studios Microsoft Game Studios
Mass Effect Casey Hudson, Drew Karpyshyn, Derek Watts BioWare
Fallout 3 Todd Howard, Emil Pagliarulo Bethesda Game Studios Bethesda Softworks
Grand Theft Auto IV Rockstar North Rockstar Games
2009
(6th) 		Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment [6]
Assassin's Creed II Corey May, Joshua Rubin, Jeffrey Yohalem Ubisoft Montréal Ubisoft
Batman: Arkham Asylum Rocksteady Studios Eidos Interactive and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – The Director's Cut Charles Cecil, Neil Richards, Tony Warriner Revolution Software Ubisoft
Brütal Legend Tim Schafer Double Fine Productions Electronic Arts
Dragon Age: Origins Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, Mike Laidlaw BioWare
2010
(7th) 		Heavy Rain David Cage, Guillaume de Fondaumiere, Scott Johnson Quantic Dream Sony Computer Entertainment [7]
Alan Wake Remedy Entertainment Microsoft Game Studios
BioShock 2 Jordan Thomas, Zak McClendon 2K Marin 2K Games
Call of Duty: Black Ops Dave Anthony, Craig Houston Treyarch Activision
Fallout: New Vegas John Gonzalez, Eric Fenstermaker, Travis Stout Obsidian Entertainment Bethesda Softworks
Mass Effect 2 BioWare Electronic Arts
2011
(8th) 		Portal 2 Valve Corporation [8]
Batman: Arkham City Rocksteady Studios Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Deus Ex: Human Revolution Jean-François Dugas, Marie DeMarle, James Swallow Eidos-Montréal Square Enix Europe
L.A. Noire Brendan McNamara Team Bondi Rockstar Games
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Todd Howard Bethesda Game Studios Bethesda Softworks
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment
2012
(9th) 		The Walking Dead Telltale Games [9]
Journey thatgamecompany Sony Computer Entertainment
Far Cry 3 Jeffrey Yohalem, Lucien Soulban, Li Kuo Ubisoft Montréal Ubisoft
Dishonored Arkane Studios Bethesda Softworks
Mass Effect 3 Mac Walters BioWare Electronic Arts
Thomas Was Alone Mike Bithell Mike Bithell
2013
(10th) 		The Last of Us Bruce Straley, Neil Druckmann Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment [10]
The Stanley Parable Galactic Cafe
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Akihiro Hino Level-5 Namco Bandai Games
Grand Theft Auto V Dan Houser, Rupert Humphries Rockstar North Rockstar Games
Gone Home Fullbright
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Starbreeze Studios 505 Games
2014
(11th) 		The Last of Us: Left Behind Neil Druckmann Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment Europe [11][12]
80 Days Joseph Humfrey, Jon Ingold, Meg Jayanth Inkle
Broken Age Tim Schafer Double Fine Productions
Far Cry 4 Mark Thompson, Lucien Soulban, Li Kuo Ubisoft Montréal Ubisoft
The Wolf Among Us Telltale Games
Never Alone (Kisima Inŋitchuŋa) Upper One Games E-Line Media
2015
(12th) 		Life Is Strange Dontnod Entertainment Square Enix Europe [13][14]
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture The Chinese Room Sony Computer Entertainment
Until Dawn Supermassive Games
Her Story Sam Barlow Sam Barlow
Undertale Toby Fox
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt CD Projekt Red CD Projekt
2016
(13th) 		Inside Arnt Jensen Playdead [15][16]
Dishonored 2 Arkane Studios Bethesda Softworks
Firewatch Campo Santo Panic
Mafia III Hangar 13 2K Games
Oxenfree Night School Studio
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Neil Druckmann, Josh Scherr Naughty Dog Sony Interactive Entertainment
2017

(14th)

Night in the Woods Scott Benson, Alec Holowka, Bethany Hockenberry Infinite Fall Finji [17]
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice Tameem Antoniades Ninja Theory
Horizon Zero Dawn Guerrilla Games Sony Interactive Entertainment
Tacoma Steve Gaynor, Karla Zimonia Fullbright
What Remains of Edith Finch Giant Sparrow Annapurna Interactive
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Jens Matthies, Tommy Tordsson Björk, Tom Keegan MachineGames Bethesda Softworks
2018

(15th)

God of War Cory Barlog, Matt Sophos, Richard Zangrande Gaubert Santa Monica Studio Sony Interactive Entertainment [18]
Florence Mountains Annapurna Interactive
Frostpunk 11 bit studios
Marvel's Spider-Man Insomniac Games Sony Interactive Entertainment
Red Dead Redemption 2 Dan Houser, Rupert Humphries, Michael Unsworth Rockstar Games
Return of the Obra Dinn Lucas Pope Lucas Pope
2019

(16th)

Disco Elysium ZA/UM [19][20]
Control Remedy Entertainment 505 Games
Life Is Strange 2 Dontnod Entertainment Square Enix
Outer Wilds Mobius Digital Annapurna Interactive
The Outer Worlds Obsidian Entertainment Private Division
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Aaron Contreras, Matt Michnovetz, Stig Asmussen Respawn Entertainment Electronic Arts
2020

(17th)

Hades Greg Kasavin Supergiant Games [21][22]
Assassin's Creed Valhalla Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft
Cyberpunk 2077 CD Projekt Red CD Projekt
Ghost of Tsushima Nate Fox, Ian Ryan, Writing Team Sucker Punch Productions Sony Interactive Entertainment
Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Insomniac Games
Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition Cardboard Computer Annapurna Interactive
2021

(18th)

Unpacking Wren Brier, Tim Dawson, Annie VanderMeer Witch Beam Humble Bundle [23][24]
It Takes Two Hazelight Studios Electronic Arts
Life Is Strange: True Colors Deck Nine Square Enix
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Eidos-Montréal
Psychonauts 2 Tim Schafer Double Fine Xbox Game Studios
Returnal Housemarque Sony Interactive Entertainment
2023

(20th)

Baldur's Gate 3 Larian Studios [25]
Alan Wake 2 Remedy Entertainment Epic Games
Dredge Joel Mason, Alex Ritchie, Nadia Thorne Black Salt Games Team17
Final Fantasy XVI Kazutoyo Maehiro, Michael-Christopher Koji Fox Square Enix Creative Business Unit III Square Enix
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo EPD Nintendo
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Respawn Entertainment Electronic Arts
2024

(21st)

Metaphor: ReFantazio Studio Zero Sega
Black Myth: Wukong Game Science [26][27]
Dragon Age: The Veilguard BioWare Electronic Arts
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Square Enix
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II Ninja Theory Xbox Game Studios
Still Wakes the Deep The Chinese Room Secret Mode
  • Note: The games that don't have recipients on the table had Development Team or Writing Team credited on the awards page.

Multiple nominations and wins

Writers

Developer Nominations Wins
Neil Druckmann 3 2
Tim Schafer 3 0
Cory Barlog 2 2
Dan Houser 2 0
Jeffrey Yohalem 2 0
Li Kuo 2 0
Lucien Soulban 2 0
Matt Sophos 2 1
Richard Gaubert 2 1
Rupert Humphries 2 0
Sam Barlow 2 1
Tameem Antoniades 2 0
Todd Howard 2 0

Developers

Developer Nominations Wins
Naughty Dog 5 2
Ubisoft Montreal 5 0
BioWare 5 0
Double Fine 4 1
Bethesda Game Studios 3 0
Obsidian Entertainment 3 0
Remedy Entertainment 3 0
Santa Monica Studio 3 2
Arkane Studios 2 0
CD Projekt Red 2 0
Don't Nod 2 1
Eidos-Montréal 2 0
Fullbright 2 0
Insomniac Games 2 0
Ninja Theory 3 0
Respawn Entertainment 2 0
Rockstar North 2 0
Rocksteady Studios 2 0
Starbreeze Studios 2 0
Telltale Games 2 1
The Chinese Room 2 0

Publishers

Developer Nominations Wins
Sony Computer/Interactive Entertainment 19 6
Electronic Arts 9 0
Bethesda Softworks 7 0
Square Enix 8 0
Ubisoft 7 0
Annapurna Interactive 5 0
Microsoft/Xbox Game Studios 6 0
Rockstar Games 4 0
2k Games 3 0
505 Games 2 0
Activision 2 1
CD Projekt 2 0
Eidos Interactive 2 0
Warner Bros Interactive 2 0
Xbox Game Studios 2 0

References

  1. ^ "BAFTA Games Awards Rules and Guidelines 2022" (PDF). British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Games in 2006". BAFTA Awards. British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  3. ^ "Games in 2007". BAFTA Awards. British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  4. ^ "Games in 2009". BAFTA Awards. British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  5. ^ Beaument, Claudine (2009-02-10). "Bafta video games nominations announced". telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
  6. ^ "Games in 2010". BAFTA Awards. British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  7. ^ "Games in 2011". BAFTA Awards. British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  8. ^ "Games in 2012". BAFTA Awards. British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  9. ^ "Games in 2013". BAFTA Awards. British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  10. ^ "Games in 2014". BAFTA Awards. British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  11. ^ "Games in 2015". BAFTA Awards. British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  12. ^ Karmali, Luke (10 February 2015). "BAFTA Games Awards 2015 Nominees Revealed". IGN. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  13. ^ "British Academy Games Awards Winners in 2016". BAFTA.org. 10 March 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  14. ^ Skrebels, Joe (10 March 2016). "BAFTA Games Awards 2016 Nominees Revealed". IGN. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
  15. ^ "Games in 2017 | BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
  16. ^ Erica Webber, Jordan (9 March 2017). "Bafta games awards 2017: Inside and Uncharted 4 lead the way". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  17. ^ "Winners List for the British Academy Games Awards in 2018 (Plain Text) | BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 2018-04-23.
  18. ^ "BAFTA Games Awards winners 2019". awards.bafta.org. 11 March 2019. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
  19. ^ "2020 BAFTA Games Awards: The Nominations". BAFTA. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  20. ^ Powell, Steffan; Rahman-Jones, Imran (25 March 2021). "Bafta Games Awards 2021: Hades takes Best Game". BBC News. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  21. ^ Ankers, Adele (March 2, 2021). "BAFTA Games Awards 2021 Nominations Announced". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  22. ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (25 March 2021). "BAFTA Games Awards: Supergiant Games' 'Hades' Takes Home Top Prize – Complete Winners List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  23. ^ "2022 BAFTA Games Awards Winners". 3 March 2022.
  24. ^ Julians, Joe (8 April 2022). "BAFTA Games Awards 2022: Full list of winners as Returnal wins Best Game". Radio Times. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  25. ^ "20th BAFTA Games Awards: The Winners & Nominations". Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  26. ^ "2025-Nominations BAFTA Games Awards".
  27. ^ "BAFTA Games Awards: 'Senua's Saga: Hellblade II,' 'Astro Bot,' 'Still Wakes the Deep' Lead Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. 4 March 2025. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
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