Sandfall Interactive’s visually stunning RPG, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, has emerged as the clear frontrunner for the upcoming British Academy (BAFTA) Games Awards. While the title’s dominance was somewhat expected, the real shocker is the runner-up: AdHoc Studio’s Dispatch. This subversive, episodic superhero comedy outperformed several industry heavyweights to secure nine nominations—a remarkable feat considering it only received two nods at December’s Game Awards. Its viral momentum has clearly resonated with the BAFTA voting body.
Mainstream blockbusters remain well-represented in the lineup. Sony’s Ghost of Yōtei follows closely with eight nominations, while Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding 2: On the Beach earned seven. Bethesda’s Indiana Jones and the Great Circle also made a strong showing with six. Additionally, the extraction shooter Arc Raiders capitalized on its early 2025 release window, garnering five nominations across various categories.
The “Best Game” category features a mix of high-budget spectacles and indie darlings, including Arc Raiders, Blue Prince, Clair Obscur, Dispatch, Ghost of Yōtei, and Indiana Jones. However, the list is notable for its exclusions; indie powerhouses Hades 2 and Hollow Knight: Silksong were conspicuously absent from the top flight. While Clair Obscur is the statistical favorite, BAFTA is notorious for its idiosyncratic choices and often rewards unconventional titles over the expected winners.
In the acting categories, the organization’s decision to separate leading and supporting roles has led to some interesting overlaps. Troy Baker has achieved a double nomination for his work as the titular hero in Indiana Jones and the enigmatic Higgs in Death Stranding 2. Meanwhile, the ensemble of Clair Obscur dominated the performance sector with four individual nominations.
Scheduled for April 17, the BAFTA Games Awards serves as the final major event of the gaming awards circuit. Known for its rigorous, peer-reviewed voting process, the ceremony often breaks from the established “Game of the Year” consensus. A prime example occurred in 2017 when the Academy famously chose What Remains of Edith Finch over The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Whether Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 can maintain its streak or fall to a dark horse like Dispatch remains the evening’s biggest question.
Below is the complete list of nominees for the 2026 BAFTA Games Awards:
Best Game
- Arc Raiders
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Dispatch
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Animation
- Battlefield 6
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Dispatch
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Hades 2
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
Artistic Achievement
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Dispatch
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- South of Midnight
Audio Achievement
- Arc Raiders
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Dispatch
- Ghost of Yōtei
- 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
- And Roger
- Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector
- Consume Me
- Despelote
- STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl
- The Alters
Game Design
- Ball x Pit
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Hades 2
- Split Fiction
Multiplayer
- Arc Raiders
- Dune: Awakening
- Elden Ring Nightrein
- Lego Party!
- Peak
- Split Fiction
Music
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Dispatch
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Narrative
- Blue Prince
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
- The Alters
New Intellectual Property
- Arc Raiders
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Dispatch
- South of Midnight
- Split Fiction
- The Alters
Performer in a Leading Role
- 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 2
- Troy Baker as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Performer in a Supporting Role
- Alex 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
Technical Achievement
- Arc Raiders
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
- Doom: The Dark Ages
- Ghost of Yōtei
- Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
- Split Fiction
Source: Polygon
