BAFTA Games Awards 2026: Shortlist revealed with 42 games in the running

The shortlists for the BAFTA Game Awards 2026 have been revealed, with 42 nominations left in the running, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leading the pack with a whopping twelve nominations.

Indie darling Dispatch received nine nominations, with Ghost of Yōtei hot on its heels with eight, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach just behind with seven, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle getting six and ARC Raiders in the running for five.

With so many great games in 2025, the Academy will have had a tough time narrowing it down, and 2026 looks to offer little respite, with so many great games coming out this year.

255 games were initially under consideration, and this has now been whittled down to the last 42, who are split across seventeen categories.

Be sure to check back in often, as the Radio Times Gaming team will be covering the event.

But, as for the shortlist of BAFTA Game Awards 2026 nominations, read on!

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 ‘best game’ nominees

In alphabetical order, the games in the running for best game are:

• ARC Raiders
• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Dispatch
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 animation nominees

• Battlefield 6
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
• Dispatch
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Hades II
• Hollow Knight: Silksong

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 artistic achievement nominees

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
• Dispatch
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• South of Midnight

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 audio achievement nominees

• ARC Raiders
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
• Dispatch
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 British game nominees

• Atomfall
• Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
• Mafia: The Old Country
• Monument Valley 3
• PowerWash Simulator 2
• Two Point Museum

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 debut game nominees

• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Consume Me
• despelote
• Dispatch
• The Midnight Walk

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 evolving game nominees

• Fallout 76
• Helldivers 2
• Hitman World of Assassination
• No Man's Sky
• Vampire Survivors
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 family nominees

• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Is This Seat Taken?
• LEGO Party!
• Mario Kart World
• PowerWash Simulator 2
• Two Point Museum

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 game beyond entertainment nominees

• The Alters
• and Roger
• Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
• Consume Me
• despelote
• STALKER 2

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 game design nominees

• BALL x PIT
• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Hades II
• Split Fiction

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 multiplayer nominees

• ARC Raiders
• Dune: Awakening
• ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN
• LEGO Party!
• PEAK
• Split Fiction

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 music nominees

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
• Dispatch
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 narrative nominees

• The Alters
• Blue Prince
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 new intellectual property nominees

• The Alters
• ARC Raiders
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Dispatch
• South of Midnight
• Split Fiction

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 performer in a leading role nominees

• Aaron Paul as Robert Robertson IN Dispatch
• Ben Starr as Verso IN Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Erika Ishii as Atsu IN Ghost of Yōtei
• Jennifer English as Maelle IN Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Tom McKay as Henry of Skalitz IN Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Troy Baker as Indiana Jones IN Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 performer in a supporting role nominees

• Alix Wilton Regan as Lea Florence Monad IN Lies of P: Overture
• Charlie Cox as Gustave IN Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Jane Perry as Lia Cain IN Dead Take
• Jeffrey Wright as Chase IN Dispatch
• Kirsty Rider as Lune IN Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Troy Baker as Higgs IN Death Stranding 2: On The Beach

BAFTA Games Awards 2026 technical achievement nominees

• ARC Raiders
• Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
• DOOM: The Dark Ages
• Ghost of Yōtei
• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
• Split Fiction

At last year's BAFTA Games Awards, it was Astro Bot that won 'best game', but there was a decent spread of winners among the other categories. We also got treated to the sight of Ben Starr dressed as a Balatro joker.

Of course, only time will tell which games come up on top this year. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won big at The Golden Joysticks, but BAFTA does sometimes throw up some surprises.

We'll be sure to keep you updated with all the latest as April nears! Until then, check out our interview with last year's BAFTA host Phil Wang.

Check out more of our Gaming coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.