The Bafta Games Awards – voted for by the academy’s more than 1,400 industry members – were founded to highlight “an outstanding level of creative excellence from a broad range of UK and international development teams”.
British developers represent nine of the studios nominated this year, with six of those in the dedicated British game category.
They include Atomfall, the survival game set in an alternative history version of the Lake District, as well as Mafia: The Old Country and Powerwash Simulator 2 – both developed in Brighton.
In the game beyond entertainment category, which celebrates titles that deliver “a transformative experience”, teams from Japan, Poland, the UK, the US, Ecuador and Ukraine are nominated.
They include And Roger, a narrative told through the eyes of a woman with dementia, Consume Me, which has been praised for its depiction of eating disorders, and Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, developed by a Ukranian team as Russia’s invasion of the country raged.
Bafta Games Committee chair Tara Saunders said the 42 nominated games “highlight the very best of the global games industry”.
She said the nominations reflected a games industry “reshaping itself”, with established studios and first-time nominees filling out the lists.
“The exceptional craft, artistry and innovation behind these titles shines through,” she said.
“A nomination is an extraordinary achievement, and I extend my warmest congratulations to every nominee for their innovation, hard work and resilience.”
Alexis Garavaryan, chief executive of Clair Obscur publisher Kepler Interactive, said it was “an honour that Sandfall’s exceptional work has been recognised by Bafta”.
“We’re deeply proud of what the team has achieved and that the game has resonated with so many others, as it did with us.”