The British Academy Video Games Award for Debut Game is an award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). It is given in honor of the best first game from any studio or individual.
Since its inception, the award has been given to eleven games. The category was first presented at the 8th British Academy Video Games Awards ceremony, held in 2012, with the Microsoft Studios-published title Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet as the inagurual recipient. The publishers Annapurna Interactive has received the most nominations in this category with six, followed by Xbox Game Studios with five. To date, no publisher has won in the category more than once.
The current holder of the award is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, developed by Sandfall Interactive and published by Kepler Interactive, which won at the 22nd British Academy Games Awards in 2026.
Winners and nominees In the following table, the years are listed as per BAFTA convention, and generally correspond to the year of game release in the United Kingdom. + Table keyIndicates the winner YearGameDeveloper(s)Publisher(s)2011 (8th) Insanely Twisted Shadow PlanetShadow Planet ProductionsMicrosoft StudiosBastionSupergiant GamesWarner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentEufloriaOmni SystemsOmni SystemsL.A. NoireTeam BondiRockstar GamesMonstermindBossa StudiosBossa StudiosRiftTrion WorldsTrion Worlds2012 (9th) The Unfinished SwanGiant Sparrow, Santa Monica StudioSony Computer EntertainmentDeadlightTequila WorksMicrosoft StudiosDear EstherThe Chinese RoomThe Chinese RoomForza HorizonPlayground Games, Turn 10 StudiosMicrosoft StudiosProteusEd Key, David KanagaValveThe RoomFireproof GamesFireproof Games2013 (10th) Gone HomeFullbrightFullbrightBadlandFrogmind OyFrogmind OyCastles in the SkyThe Tall TreesThe Tall TreesGunpointSuspicious DevelopmentsSuspicious DevelopmentsRemember MeDontnod EntertainmentCapcomThe Stanley ParableGalactic CafeGalactic Cafe2014 (11th) Never AloneUpper One Game, E-Line MediaE-Line MediaThe Banner SagaStoic StudiosVersus EvilCounterSpyDynamightySony Computer EntertainmentHitman GoSquare Enix MontrealSquare EnixShovel KnightYacht Club GamesYacht Club GamesThe Vanishing of Ethan CarterThe AstronautsThe Astronauts2015 (12th) Her StorySam BarlowKeep Talking and Nobody ExplodesSteel Crate GamesSteel Crate GamesLovers in a Dangerous SpacetimeAsteroid BaseAsteroid BaseMini MetroDinosaur Polo ClubDinosaur Polo Club, PlayismOri and the Blind ForestMoon StudiosMicrosoft StudiosPruneJoel McDonaldJoel McDonald2016 (13th)FirewatchCampo SantoPanicOvercookedGhost Town GamesTeam17OxenfreeNight School StudioNight School StudioThat Dragon, CancerNuminous GamesNuminous GamesVirginiaVariable State505 GamesThe WitnessThekla, Inc.Thekla, Inc.2017 (14th)GorogoaBuried SignalAnnapurna InteractiveCupheadStudioMDHR Entertainment Inc.StudioMDHR Entertainment Inc.Hollow KnightTeam CherryTeam CherryNight in the WoodsInfiniteFallFinjiThe Sexy BrutaleCavalier Game StudiosTequila WorksSlime RancherMonomi ParkMonomi Park2018 (15th)Yoku's Island ExpressVilla GorillaTeam17Beat SaberBeat GamesBeat GamesCultist SimulatorWeather FactoryHumble BundleDonut CountyBen EspositoAnnapurna InteractiveFlorenceMountainsAnnapurna InteractiveGrisNomada StudioDevolver Digital2019 (16th)Disco ElysiumZA/UM Ape OutGabe CuzzilloDevolver DigitalDeath StrandingKojima ProductionsSony Interactive EntertainmentKatana ZeroAskiisoftDevolver DigitalKnights and BikesFoam SwordDouble Fine PresentsManifold GardenWilliam Chyr StudiosWilliam Chyr Studios2020 (17th)CarrionPhobia Game StudioDevolver Digital Airborne Kingdom The Wandering BardCall of the SeaOut of the BlueRaw Fury GamesFactorioWube SoftwareThe FalconeerTomas SalaWired ProductionsRökiPolygon TreehouseUnited Label2021 (18th)ToemSomething We Made The Artful EscapeBeethoven and DinosaurAnnapurna InteractiveEastwardPixpilChucklefishThe Forgotten CityModern StorytellerDear VillagersGenesis NoirFeral Cat DenFellow TravellerMaquetteGraceful DecayAnnapurna Interactive2022 (19th) Tunic Finji The Case of the Golden Idol Color Gray Games Playstack Stray BlueTwelve Annapurna Interactive Trombone Champ Holy Wow Studios As Dusk Falls Interior Night Xbox Game Studios Vampire Survivors Poncle2023 (20th) Venba Abhi, Sam Elkana, Shahrin Khan Visai Gameshttps://www.bafta.org/awards/games/?award-year=2024 Cocoon Geometric Interactive Annapurna Interactive Dave the Diver Mintrocket Dredge Black Salt Games Team17 Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical Summerfall Games Humble Games Viewfinder Sad Owl Studios Thunderful Group2024 (21st) Balatro LocalThunk Playstackhttps://www.bafta.org/awards/games?award-year=2025 Animal Well Shared Memory Bigmode Pacific Drive Ironwood Studios Kepler Interactive The Plucky Squire All Possible Futures Devolver Digital Tales of Kenzera: Zau Surgent Studios Electronic Arts Thank Goodness You're Here! Coal Supper Panic Inc.2025 (22nd) Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Sandfall Interactive Kepler Interactive Blue Prince Dogubomb Raw Fury Consume Me Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson Hexacutable Despelote Julián Cordero, Sebastián Valbuena Panic Dispatch AdHoc Studio The Midnight Walk MoonHood Fast Travel Games
Multiple nominations The following publishers received two or more Debut Game nominations: NominationsPublisher 6 Annapurna Interactive 5 Microsoft/Xbox Game Studios 4Devolver Digital 3Sony Computer Entertainment/Sony Interactive Entertainment 2 Finji
References
External links British Academy Video Games Awards official website