BAFTA Games Awards: God Of War Ragnarok leads the way as UK rolls out red carpet for best releases of the year
Film awards season may have been and gone, but BAFTA is rolling out the red carpet once again this week.
This time, video games are in the spotlight – with everything from the biggest blockbusters to some of 2022’s most celebrated indie darlings in the running.
PlayStation action epic God Of War Ragnarok leads the way with 14 nominations, but its closest rival is Stray – an inspiring debut from French studio BlueTwelve that casts players as a cute cat.
The BAFTA Game Awards take place in central London on Thursday from around 7pm.
Here’s the full list of nominees and what you need to know about each category.
Animation
Horizon Forbidden West was one of the best looking games of the year
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II
God Of War Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Sifu
Stray
Did you know: Stray‘s adorably convincing cat protagonist was animated with the help of three real felines who were invited into the studio’s office. The team closely studied Murtaugh, Oscar, and Jun for inspiration and reference points throughout development.
Artistic achievement
The scope and variety of Elden Ring’s world is unmatched. Pic: Bandai Namco
A Plague Tale: Requiem
Elden Ring
God Of War Ragnarok
Immortality
Pentiment
Tunic
Did you know: One of Tunic‘s most eye-catching features was an in-game instruction manual that evoked the retro guide books that used to come packed in with just about every video game. The pages – hidden throughout the game’s levels – were rendered in such detail that they even appear to be tainted with the odd smudge or fold.
Audio achievement
Stray features inarguably the cutest main character of the year
A Plague Tale: Requiem
God Of War Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
Metal: Hellsinger
Stray
Tunic
Did you know: Not one for the squeamish, one of A Plague Tale: Requiem‘s calling cards is a disease-carrying “tsunami of rats” that regularly obstructs the player on their journey. Asobo Studio tasked its sound engineers with coming up with what 300,000 rats scurrying around might sound like – and the results will likely haunt your dreams.
Best game
God Of War Ragnarok features all manner of great characters
Cult Of The Lamb
Elden Ring
God Of War Ragnarok
Marvel Snap
Stray
Vampire Survivors
Did you know: Elden Ring may be the favourite here if The Game Awards are anything to go by, where the open world RPG from Japanese developer FromSoftware took home the biggest prize. It received unanimous critical acclaim for its immense scope and challenge, and is widely considered one of the best games of all time.
British game
Two Point Campus tasks players with running a university. Pic: Sega
Citizen Sleeper
OlliOlli World
Rollerdrome
Total War: Warhammer III
Two Point Campus
Vampire Survivors
Did you know: If you’re ever lacking for inspiration, know that Vampire Survivors – one of the most popular video games of 2022 – was the work of a solo developer. Luca Galante quit his full-time job to work on it, and it’s now up for five awards at the BAFTAs.
Debut game
Tunic is a classic Nintendo-style adventure that casts players as a fox. Pic: Finji
As Dusk Falls
The Case Of The Golden Idol
Stray
Trombone Champ
Tunic
Vampire Survivors
Did you know: The brilliantly named Trombone Champ is essentially a fresh take on Guitar Hero – a rhythm game tasking you with playing along to songs. It went viral upon release, as people took tremendous pleasure in sharing ridiculous videos of them toot-ifying famous anthems.
Evolving game
No Man’s Sky first released in 2016 but is still going strong. Pic: Hello Games
Apex Legends
Dreams
The Elder Scrolls Online
Final Fantasy XIV
Forza Horizon 5
No Man’s Sky
Did you know: Six years after its initial release, No Man’s Sky ended up being one of the standout launch titles for PlayStation VR2 last month. Its huge galaxy, stuffed with an endless number of randomly generated planets, is now completely explorable in virtual reality.
Family
LEGO Star Wars was one of 2022’s best sellers. Pic: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Kirby And The Forgotten Land
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope
Nintendo Switch Sports
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
Did you know: The latest from British developer TT Games, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga was such a mammoth undertaking that it came six years after the previous entry in the series. It encompassed all nine core films in the iconic film franchise, and some of its most famous actors reprised their roles.
Game beyond entertainment
Gibbon: Beyond The Trees casts players as a gibbon dealing with the impact of climate change. Pic: Broken Rules
Citizen Sleeper
Endling: Extinction Is Forever
Gibbon: Beyond The Trees
I Was A Teenage Exocolonist
Not For Broadcast
We’ll Always Have Paris
Did you know: While many still come to games for film-like action and virtual warfare, the people behind them are increasingly considering how the medium could help us go greener. Gibbon: Beyond The Trees puts players into a family of endangered apes during a journey that tackles deforestation, poaching, and climate change.
Game design
Cult Of The Lamb has you starting your own cult – as a lamb. Pic: Massive Monster
Cult Of The Lamb
Elden Ring
God Of War Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
Tunic
Vampire Survivors
Did you know: Understandably keen to recognise a home-grown success story, Cult Of The Lamb cleaned up at the Australian Game Developer Awards – winning best game, music, art, and gameplay. This unusual indie game casts players as a lamb saved from death, who must then create a loyal cult in the name of the deity that spared them.
Multiplayer
Splatoon 3 offered more of the same – but it was all good. Pic: Nintendo
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II
FIFA 23
Elden Ring
Overwatch 2
Splatoon 3
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
Did you know: EA Sports will be hoping its long-running football series will be recognised, given FIFA 23 is the final instalment before the company launches a replacement franchise. EA Sports FC will debut later this year after a licensing agreement with football’s governing body came to an end.
Music
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course boasted more of the original game’s stunning retro visuals. Pic: Studio MDHR
A Plague Tale: Requiem
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course
Elden Ring
God Of War Ragnarok
Stray
Tunic
Did you know: Last year was a big one for God Of War Ragnarok composer Bear McCreary, who also penned the music for Amazon’s Lord Of The Ring series. He had help on the game, though, as popular Irish artist Hozier wrote and performed an original song called Blood Upon The Snow.
Narrative
Immortality uses film footage to tell its interactive story. Pic: Sam Barlow
A Plague Tale: Requiem
Citizen Sleeper
God Of War Ragnarok
Immortality
Pentiment
Stray
Did you know: Immortality bills itself as more of an interactive film than a traditional game, and actually premiered at Tribeca Film Festival last summer. Perhaps fittingly, one of the platforms it’s available on is Netflix.
Original property
Sifu is a tribute to classic kung-fu action films. Pic: Sloclap
Citizen Sleeper
Cult Of The Lamb
Elden Ring
Sifu
Stray
Vampire Survivors
Did you know: The kung-fu action game Sifu may have been a totally new release, but it seems to already have franchise potential. A film adaptation was announced in December, to be written by the creator of John Wick.
Performer in a leading role
Charlotte McBurney plays Amicia in A Plague Tale: Requiem. Pic: Focus Entertainment
Alain Mesa in Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Charlotte McBurney in A Plague Tale: Requiem
Christopher Judge in God Of War Ragnarok
Manon Gage in Immortality
Siobhan Williams in The Quarry
Sunny Suljic in God Of War Ragnarok
Did you know: Prepare for a long list of thank-yous if God Of War Ragnarok‘s Christopher Judge replicates his success at December’s The Game Awards, given he set a new record for the longest acceptance speech in the ceremony’s history. The actor, who plays lead character Kratos, went on for seven minutes and 59 seconds.
Performer in a supporting role
Danielle Bisutti plays Freya in God Of War Ragnarok. Pic: Sony
Adam J Harrington in God Of War Ragnarok
Alison Jaye in Horizon Forbidden West
Charlotta Mohlin in Immortality
Danielle Bisutti in God Of War Ragnarok
Laya Deleon Hayes in God Of War Ragnarok
Ryan Hurst in God Of War Ragnarok
Did you know: God Of War Ragnarok‘s Danielle Bisutti was also BAFTA nominated for her role as Freya in the franchise’s previous instalment, which released in 2018. She lost out to one of her co-stars on that occasion, so will be hoping to rise above them this time round.
Technical achievement
The Last Of Us: Part I released for PlayStation 5
Elden Ring
God Of War Ragnarok
Horizon Forbidden West
Immortality
The Last Of Us: Part I
Stray
Did you know: Developer Naughty Dog may be hoping recency bias gives The Last Of Us: Part I a boost, given the success of the recent TV adaptation. This version of the game is a big-budget remake of the 2013 original, which released just in time for the show’s premiere.
Drummer Zak Starkey has said he is “surprised and saddened” after parting ways with The Who following recent charity shows at the Royal Albert Hall.
The musician, who is the son of The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and his first wife, Maureen Starkey, had been with the band since 1996, when he joined for their Quadrophenia tour.
He was introduced to drumming as a child by “Uncle Keith” – The Who drummer and family friend Keith Moon, who died in 1978.
Pic: Carsten Koall/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
Earlier this week, the band issued a statement saying a “collective decision” had been made about his departure. It came after their Teenage Cancer Trust shows in March.
A review of one gig, published in the Metro, suggested frontman Roger Daltrey – who launched the annual gig series for the charity in 2000 – was “frustrated” with the drumming during some tracks.
Now, Starkey has issued a statement to Rolling Stone, saying he is “very proud” of his near 30 years with The Who.
“Filling the shoes of my Godfather, ‘Uncle Keith’ has been the biggest honour and I remain their biggest fan,” he said. “They’ve been like family to me.”
In January, Starkey suffered a blood clot in his right leg and a performance with his other band Mantra Of The Cosmos – which also features Shaun Ryder and Bez from Happy Mondays, and Andy Bell of Ride and Oasis – was cancelled.
Referencing this in his statement to Rolling Stone, Starkey said: “I suffered a serious medical emergency with blood clots in my right bass drum calf. This is now completely healed and does not affect my drumming or running.”
He continued: “After playing those songs with the band for so many decades, I’m surprised and saddened anyone would have an issue with my performance that night, but what can you do?”
Starkey said he planned to “take some much needed time off with my family” and focus on the release of Mantra Of The Cosmos single Domino Bones, which features Noel Gallagher, as well as his autobiography.
“Twenty-nine years at any job is a good old run, and I wish them the best,” he added.
Starkey has also previously played with Oasis, Lightning Seeds and Johnny Marr.
While Daltrey starts a solo tour at the weekend, The Who have two shows planned for Italy in July but no full tour. Details of a replacement for Starkey have not been announced.
Entertainment
Muscles from Brussels Jean-Claude Van Damme sends ‘big kiss’ to Putin with ambassadorial job request
Jean Claude Van Damme appears to have told Vladimir Putin that he wants to come to Russia as an ‘”ambassador of peace”.
In a bizarre video posted on Telegram by a pro-Russian journalist from Ukraine, a man purporting to be the Hollywood action hero said he would be “honoured” to take on such a role.
Addressing the Kremlin leader directly, he said: “We want to come to Russia. We’ll try to do this the way you want to do this – to be an ambassador of peace.”
It would not be the first time the man nicknamed “The Muscles from Brussels” has visited Russia.
In 2010, he enjoyed ringside seats alongside Putin at a mixed martial arts event in Sochi.
The Belgian-born former bodybuilder shares a love of fighting with the Russian president, who is himself a judo black belt, and they are said to have known each other for years.
Tiptoeing around the topic of Russia’s war in Ukraine and its ongoing stand-off with the West, Van Damme promised to talk “only about peace, sport and happiness” and not politics, before signing off the video with a “big kiss for Putin”.
Most celebrities have turned their back on Vladimir Putin since he launched his invasion in February 2022 but a handful continue to defend him. Of those, American actor Steven Seagal is the most high profile.
The Under Siege star, who holds a Russian passport and is a frequent visitor to the country, acts as Moscow’s special representative for Russian-US humanitarian ties.
But when we caught up with him at Putin’s latest presidential inauguration last year, he refused to say why he supports the Kremlin leader…
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Steven Seagal calls Sky’s question about Putin ‘stupid’
Entertainment
Gossip Girl and Buffy star Michelle Trachtenberg died as a result of complications from diabetes, medical examiner says
Gossip Girl actress Michelle Trachtenberg died as a result of complications from diabetes, New York City’s medical examiner has said.
The 39-year-old, who was also known for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Harriet the Spy, was found dead at her home in New York City after officers responded to a 911 call on 26 February.
According to a source quoted by Sky News’ US partner network NBC, she had recently received a liver transplant.
At the time of her death, officials said no foul play was suspected, and the medical examiner’s office had listed her death as “undetermined”.
Trachtenberg’s family had objected to a post-mortem, which the medical examiner’s office honoured because there was no evidence of criminality.
But the medical examiner’s office said in a statement on Thursday it amended the cause and manner of death for the actress following a review of laboratory test results.
Trachtenberg was best known for her role as Dawn Summers in Buffy, the younger sister of the title character played by Sarah Michelle Gellar between 2000 and 2003.
Michelle Trachtenberg. Pic: AP
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Between 2008 and 2012, she played Georgina Sparks on Gossip Girl – the malevolent rival of Blake Lively’s Serena van der Woodsen and Leighton Meester’s Blair Waldorf.
She also starred in the movie 17 Again, where she portrayed daughter Maggie O’Donnell, comedy film Eurotrip and the 2005 teen film Ice Princess.
In 2001, she received a Daytime Emmy nomination for hosting Discovery’s Truth or Scare.
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