The British Academy Video Games Award for Narrative is an award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). It is given to recognize "excellence in the creation and delivery of the best story or narrative that captivates and engages the player". The award is given to the writers/development team, the developer and the publisher of the winning game. The award was first presented at the 3rd British Academy Games Awards under the name Screenplay. The following year it was renamed into Story and Character. From the 6th edition to the 12th, it was presented as Story. Since the 13th British Academy Games Awards, it has been presented with its current name.
Naughty Dog and Santa Monica Studio are the only developers with two wins in the category, while Ubisoft Montreal are the developer with the most nominations without a win, with five. Among publishers, Sony Interactive Entertainment has a leading nineteen nominations, with six wins. Bethesda Softworks, Ubisoft and Electronic Arts are tied for most nominations without a win, with seven each. To date, two writers (Neil Druckmann and Cory Barlog) have won the BAFTA twice for their work on The Last of Us and God of War franchises respectively. With three nominations, Tim Schafer is the most nominated writer without a win.
The current holder of the award is Kingdom Come: Deliverance II by Warhorse Studios and Deep Silver, 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 YearGameRecipient(s)Developer(s)Publisher(s)2005/06 (3rd) Psychonauts Double Fine Productions Majesco 24: The Game SCE Studio Cambridge Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Rogue Trooper Rebellion Developments Eidos Interactive Tomb Raider: Legend Crystal Dynamics The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Bethesda Game Studios Bethesda Softworks Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter Ubisoft Paris Ubisoft2006/07 (4th) God of War II Cory Barlog, James Barlog and Marianne Krawczyk Santa Monica Studio Sony Computer Entertainment Final Fantasy XII Daisuke Watanabe, Miwa Shoda and Yasumi Matsuno Square Enix Heavenly Sword Tameem Antoniades, Rhianna Pratchett and Andrew S. Walsh Ninja Theory Sony Computer Entertainment Ōkami Hideki Kamiya Clover Studio Capcom The Darkness Denby Grace, Lars Johansson, Jerk Gustafsson Starbreeze Studios 2K Games The Simpsons Game Matt Selman, Scot Amos EA Redwood Shores Electronic Arts2007/08 (5th) Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Infinity Ward Activision Assassin's Creed Jade Raymond, Patrice Desilets, Claude Langlais Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft Fable II Lionhead Studios Microsoft Game Studios Mass Effect Casey Hudson, Drew Karpyshyn, Derek Watts BioWare Fallout 3 Todd Howard, Emil Pagliarulo Bethesda Game Studios Bethesda Softworks Grand Theft Auto IV Rockstar North Rockstar Games2009 (6th) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment Assassin's Creed II Corey May, Joshua Rubin, Jeffrey Yohalem Ubisoft Montréal Ubisoft Batman: Arkham Asylum Rocksteady Studios Eidos Interactive and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – The Director's Cut Charles Cecil, Neil Richards, Tony Warriner Revolution Software Ubisoft Brütal Legend Tim Schafer Double Fine Productions Electronic Arts Dragon Age: Origins Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, Mike Laidlaw BioWare2010 (7th) Heavy Rain David Cage, Guillaume de Fondaumiere, Scott Johnson Quantic Dream Sony Computer Entertainment Alan Wake Remedy Entertainment Microsoft Game Studios BioShock 2 Jordan Thomas, Zak McClendon 2K Marin 2K Games Call of Duty: Black Ops Dave Anthony, Craig Houston Treyarch Activision Fallout: New Vegas John Gonzalez, Eric Fenstermaker, Travis Stout Obsidian Entertainment Bethesda Softworks Mass Effect 2 BioWare Electronic Arts2011 (8th) Portal 2 Valve Corporation Batman: Arkham City Rocksteady Studios Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Deus Ex: Human Revolution Jean-François Dugas, Marie DeMarle, James Swallow Eidos-Montréal Square Enix Europe L.A. Noire Brendan McNamara Team Bondi Rockstar Games The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Todd Howard Bethesda Game Studios Bethesda Softworks Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment2012 (9th) The Walking Dead Telltale Games Journey thatgamecompany Sony Computer Entertainment Far Cry 3 Jeffrey Yohalem, Lucien Soulban, Li Kuo Ubisoft Montréal Ubisoft Dishonored Arkane Studios Bethesda Softworks Mass Effect 3 Mac Walters BioWare Electronic Arts Thomas Was Alone Mike Bithell Mike Bithell2013 (10th) The Last of Us Bruce Straley, Neil Druckmann Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment The Stanley Parable Galactic Cafe Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch Akihiro Hino Level-5 Namco Bandai Games Grand Theft Auto V Dan Houser, Rupert Humphries Rockstar North Rockstar Games Gone Home Fullbright Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Starbreeze Studios 505 Games2014 (11th) The Last of Us: Left Behind Neil Druckmann Naughty Dog Sony Computer Entertainment Europe 80 Days Joseph Humfrey, Jon Ingold, Meg Jayanth Inkle Broken Age Tim Schafer Double Fine Productions Far Cry 4 Mark Thompson, Lucien Soulban, Li Kuo Ubisoft Montréal Ubisoft The Wolf Among Us Telltale Games Never Alone (Kisima Inŋitchuŋa) Upper One Games E-Line Media2015 (12th) Life Is Strange Dontnod Entertainment Square Enix Europe Everybody's Gone to the Rapture The Chinese Room Sony Computer Entertainment Until Dawn Supermassive Games Her Story Sam Barlow Sam Barlow Undertale Toby Fox The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt CD Projekt Red CD Projekt2016 (13th) Inside Arnt Jensen Playdead Dishonored 2 Arkane Studios Bethesda Softworks Firewatch Campo Santo Panic Mafia III Hangar 13 2K Games Oxenfree Night School Studio Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Neil Druckmann, Josh Scherr Naughty Dog Sony Interactive Entertainment2017 (14th) Night in the Woods Scott Benson, Alec Holowka, Bethany Hockenberry Infinite Fall Finji Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice Tameem Antoniades Ninja Theory Horizon Zero Dawn Guerrilla Games Sony Interactive Entertainment Tacoma Steve Gaynor, Karla Zimonia Fullbright What Remains of Edith Finch Giant Sparrow Annapurna Interactive Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Jens Matthies, Tommy Tordsson Björk, Tom Keegan MachineGames Bethesda Softworks2018 (15th) God of War Cory Barlog, Matt Sophos, Richard Zangrande Gaubert Santa Monica Studio Sony Interactive Entertainment Florence Mountains Annapurna Interactive Frostpunk 11 bit studios Marvel's Spider-Man Insomniac Games Sony Interactive Entertainment Red Dead Redemption 2 Dan Houser, Rupert Humphries, Michael Unsworth Rockstar Games Return of the Obra Dinn Lucas Pope Lucas Pope2019 (16th) Disco Elysium ZA/UM Control Remedy Entertainment 505 Games Life Is Strange 2 Dontnod Entertainment Square Enix Outer Wilds Mobius Digital Annapurna Interactive The Outer Worlds Obsidian Entertainment Private Division Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Aaron Contreras, Matt Michnovetz, Stig Asmussen Respawn Entertainment Electronic Arts2020 (17th) Hades Greg Kasavin Supergiant Games Assassin's Creed Valhalla Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft Cyberpunk 2077 CD Projekt Red CD Projekt Ghost of Tsushima Nate Fox, Ian Ryan, Writing Team Sucker Punch Productions Sony Interactive Entertainment Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Insomniac Games Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition Cardboard Computer Annapurna Interactive2021 (18th) Unpacking Wren Brier, Tim Dawson, Annie VanderMeer Witch Beam Humble Bundle It Takes Two Hazelight Studios Electronic Arts Life Is Strange: True Colors Deck Nine Square Enix Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Eidos-Montréal Psychonauts 2 Tim Schafer Double Fine Xbox Game Studios Returnal Housemarque Sony Interactive Entertainment2023 (20th) Baldur's Gate 3 Larian Studios Alan Wake 2 Remedy Entertainment Epic Games Dredge Joel Mason, Alex Ritchie, Nadia Thorne Black Salt Games Team17 Final Fantasy XVI Kazutoyo Maehiro, Michael-Christopher Koji Fox Square Enix Creative Business Unit III Square Enix The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo EPD Nintendo Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Respawn Entertainment Electronic Arts2024 (21st) Metaphor: ReFantazio Studio Zero Sega Black Myth: Wukong Game Science Dragon Age: The Veilguard BioWare Electronic Arts Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Square Enix Senua's Saga: Hellblade II Ninja Theory Xbox Game Studios Still Wakes the Deep The Chinese Room Secret Mode2025 (22nd) Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Warhorse Studios Deep Silver Blue Prince Tonda Ros Dogubomb Raw Fury Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Guillaume Broche, Jennifer Svedberg-Yen Sandfall Interactive Kepler Interactive Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Hideo Kojima, Kenji Yano, Ray Khalastchi Kojima Productions Sony Interactive Entertainment Indiana Jones and the Great Circle MachineGames Bethesda Softworks The Alters Tomasz Kisilewicz, Katarzyna Tybinka 11 Bit Studios
Note: The games that don't have recipients on the table had Development Team or Writing Team credited on the awards page.
Multiple nominations and wins Writers Developer Nominations Wins Neil Druckmann 3 2 Tim Schafer 3 0 Cory Barlog 2 2 Dan Houser 2 0 Jeffrey Yohalem 2 0 Li Kuo 2 0 Lucien Soulban 2 0 Matt Sophos 2 1 Richard Gaubert 2 1 Rupert Humphries 2 0 Sam Barlow 2 1 Tameem Antoniades 2 0 Todd Howard 2 0
Developers Developer Nominations Wins Naughty Dog 5 2 Ubisoft Montreal 5 0 BioWare 5 0 Double Fine 4 1 Bethesda Game Studios 3 0 Obsidian Entertainment 3 0 Remedy Entertainment 3 0 Santa Monica Studio 3 2 Arkane Studios 2 0 CD Projekt Red 2 0 Don't Nod 2 1 Eidos-Montréal 2 0 Fullbright 2 0 Insomniac Games 2 0 Ninja Theory 3 0 Respawn Entertainment 2 0 Rockstar North 2 0 Rocksteady Studios 2 0 Starbreeze Studios 2 0 Telltale Games 2 1 The Chinese Room 2 0
Publishers Developer Nominations Wins Sony Computer/Interactive Entertainment 19 6 Electronic Arts 9 0 Bethesda Softworks 7 0 Square Enix 8 0 Ubisoft 7 0 Annapurna Interactive 5 0 Microsoft/Xbox Game Studios 6 0 Rockstar Games 4 0 2k Games 3 0 505 Games 2 0 Activision 2 1 CD Projekt 2 0 Eidos Interactive 2 0 Warner Bros Interactive 2 0 Xbox Game Studios 2 0
References
External links Official website