The BAFTA Games Awards 2026 opens registrations with new rules

The BAFTA has opened registrations for the BAFTA Games Awards 2026, revealing the new voting rules and deadlines for participation. The award celebrates the creativity and technical achievements of the gaming industry.

In its 21st edition, the award attracted over 5 million online views. The big winner was Astro Bot, which took home 5 awards, including the Best Game. Still Wakes the Deep won 3 awards, and Thank Goodness You’re Here! was chosen as the Best British Game.

One of the main changes for the 2026 edition is in the voting process. With the growth of the member base, BAFTA is creating chapters for members with expertise in art, audio, and performance areas. These members will vote in the first round of Artistic Achievement, Audio Achievement, and the two Performance categories. Previously, all members of BAFTA Games voted in these categories in the first round.

BAFTA encourages all developers to register their games within 30 days after release, allowing judges enough time to play them. Those who register within this period pay half the registration fee, which is £220 + VAT. The standard fee is £440 + VAT. The deadline for registration is November 6, 2025. Eligible games must have been released between November 16, 2024 and November 14, 2025.

Check out the important dates for the BAFTA Games Awards 2026:

• August 11, 2025: Registrations open
• November 6, 2025: Registrations close
• December 9, 2025: Longlist revealed
• March 12, 2026: Nominations announced
• April 17, 2026: Award ceremony
   

Tara Saunders, the chair of the BAFTA games committee, highlighted the moment as "special" for the award, emphasizing the "incredible resilience, collaboration, and creative brilliance" of the industry.

The new voting rules of BAFTA may give more voice to industry experts in choosing the winners. Do you think this is a good initiative to ensure a fairer award?