The 2020 BAFTA Game Awards pushed through amid the ongoing health crisis, crowningOuter Wildsby independent studio Mobius Digital as the Best Game.
For the first time in its history, this year’sBAFTA Games Awardswas a pre-recorded, live-streamed, online-only affair, broadcast through the British Academy of Film and Television Arts’ social media accounts on Facebook, Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube.
Dara Ó Briain, the host of the event,secureda winner’s speech from each nominee in all categories in case they won — and the night’s biggest winner wasOuter Wilds, which won the Best Game, Game Design, and Original Property awards.
InOuter Wilds, players take on the role of an alien astronaut recruit whose first mission into space was cut short after 22 minutes due to the sun going supernova. Players discover that they are trapped in a 22-minute time loop, and they will have to unravel the game’s secrets within the 22-minute cycles.
Also dominating the evening wasDisco Elysiumby another independent studio, ZA/UM. The isometric open-world RPG, featuring a detective with inner demons, took home awards for Debut Game, Narrative, and Music.
ControlandDeath Stranding, nominees for Game of the Year atThe Game Awards 2019, bothreceived11 nominations. However, they only received one award each, withControl‘s Martti Suosalo winning Performer in a Supporting Role as Ahti the janitor, andDeath Strandingwinning Technical Achievement.
The full list of winners are as follows:
Hideo Kojima receives BAFTA Fellowship
Legendary Japanese video game designer Hideo Kojima, the creator of theMetal Gearseries and most recentlyDeath Stranding, was honored with the BAFTA Fellowship, which is the highest accolade given by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
In a video message, Kojima dedicated the achievement to his parents, and said that his “determination is stronger than ever.”
“For the rest of my life I will continue to devote myself to creating for others,” said Kojima. “Games are holding their own next to films, or perhaps fusing together with them, evolving into a huge medium of digital entertainment.”
