It must be one of the biggest shock wins in the history of the Bafta Games Awards. Up against huge blockbuster titles such as Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarök, the best game winner at this year’s ceremony, which took place on Thursday evening, was Vampire Survivors, a shoot-’em-up largely developed by lone coder Luca Galante.
There were gasps in the crowd at Queen Elizabeth Hall, London when the title was read out, with Galante’s small team accepting the award on his behalf and looking shaken. The game, in which players attempt to survive as long as possible in an ever-changing landscape swarming with monsters, had earlier won the game design award.
Elsewhere, epic mythological adventure God of War Ragnarök took home the most Bafta masks. The game, nominated in a record 14 categories, took home six awards, including the EE game of the year, voted for by the public, as well as best audio, animation, music, performer in a leading role and performer in supporting role.
But it was a night that belonged to smaller, more offbeat titles. Beautiful role-playing adventure Tunic – another title initially developed by a single designer, Andrew Shouldice – took artistic achievement and debut. Meanwhile, the narrative award went to Immortality, an innovative interactive movie created by British designer Sam Barlow.
From Software’s acclaimed fantasy adventure Elden Ring received multiple nominations and claimed two awards: original property and, to the surprise of many, best multiplayer, defeating more traditional online titles such as Overwatch 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Best evolving game went to Final Fantasy XIV Online, technical achievement to Horizon Forbidden West, and British game to Rollerdrome.
One more surprise was that cyberpunk adventure Stray went home emptyhanded, despite having received multiple nominations.
This year’s winner of the Bafta games fellowship, recognising outstanding contributions to the industry, was Shuhei Yoshida, head of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Independent Developer Initiative, and previously president of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios. An immensely popular industry figure known for his enthusiastic endorsement of independent games on social media, Yoshida received a standing ovation and drew heartfelt endorsements from a range of developers.
“Ever since his involvement with the original PlayStation console he has been at the heart of PlayStation,” said Siobhan Reddy, director of UK studio Media Molecule. “He has guided and influenced so many teams over the years. His love of the bold and quirky was daring for a senior executive, but this made every developer love him more.”
Accepting his award, Yoshida said: “Indie developers, dream on, because your next game could change the face of the industry for ever.” A sentiment no doubt now also shared by the creators of Vampire Survivors.
A full list of winners can be found here.
• This article was amended on 31 March 2023. Rollerdrome won in the Best British Game category, not the Family category as an earlier version said. And the main image shows Laurence Phillips, not George Morgan, accepting the game design award; Morgan and Julie Craig are to his right.
