British Academy Games Award for Narrative
# British Academy Games Award for Narrative

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 holders of the award are Sam Barlow, Amelia Gray and Allan Scott, writers of Immortality by Half Mermaid Productions, which won at the 19th British Academy Games Awards in 2023.

## 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 key :

* Indicates the winner

| Year | Game | Recipient(s) | Developer(s) | Publisher(s) |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| 2005/06 (3rd) | Psychonauts | Psychonauts | Double Fine Productions | Majesco Entertainment |
| 2005/06 (3rd) | 24: The Game | 24: The Game | SCE Studio Cambridge | Sony Computer Entertainment Europe |
| 2005/06 (3rd) | Rogue Trooper | Rogue Trooper | Rebellion Developments | Eidos Interactive |
| 2005/06 (3rd) | Tomb Raider: Legend | Tomb Raider: Legend | Crystal Dynamics | Eidos Interactive |
| 2005/06 (3rd) | The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion | The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion | Bethesda Game Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2005/06 (3rd) | Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter | Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter | Ubisoft Paris | Ubisoft |
| 2006/07 (4th) | God of War II | Cory Barlog, James Barlog and Marianne Krawczyk | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2006/07 (4th) | Final Fantasy XII | Daisuke Watanabe, Miwa Shoda and Yasumi Matsuno | Square Enix | Square Enix |
| 2006/07 (4th) | Heavenly Sword | Tameem Antoniades, Rhianna Pratchett and Andrew S. Walsh | Ninja Theory | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2006/07 (4th) | Ōkami | Hideki Kamiya | Clover Studio | Capcom |
| 2006/07 (4th) | The Darkness | Denby Grace, Lars Johansson, Jerk Gustafsson | Starbreeze Studios | 2K Games |
| 2006/07 (4th) | The Simpsons Game | Matt Selman, Scot Amos | EA Redwood Shores | Electronic Arts |
| 2007/08 (5th) | Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | Infinity Ward | Activision |
| 2007/08 (5th) | Assassin's Creed | Jade Raymond, Patrice Desilets, Claude Langlais | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft |
| 2007/08 (5th) | Fable II | Fable II | Lionhead Studios | Microsoft Game Studios |
| 2007/08 (5th) | Mass Effect | Casey Hudson, Drew Karpyshyn, Derek Watts | BioWare | Microsoft Game Studios |
| 2007/08 (5th) | Fallout 3 | Todd Howard, Emil Pagliarulo | Bethesda Game Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2007/08 (5th) | Grand Theft Auto IV | Grand Theft Auto IV | Rockstar North | Rockstar Games |
| 2009 (6th) | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2009 (6th) | Assassin's Creed II | Corey May, Joshua Rubin, Jeffrey Yohalem | Ubisoft Montréal | Ubisoft |
| 2009 (6th) | Batman: Arkham Asylum | Batman: Arkham Asylum | Rocksteady Studios | Eidos Interactive and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment |
| 2009 (6th) | Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars – The Director's Cut | Charles Cecil, Neil Richards, Tony Warriner | Revolution Software | Ubisoft |
| 2009 (6th) | Brütal Legend | Tim Schafer | Double Fine Productions | Electronic Arts |
| 2009 (6th) | Dragon Age: Origins | Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, Mike Laidlaw | BioWare | Electronic Arts |
| 2010 (7th) | Heavy Rain | David Cage, Guillaume de Fondaumiere, Scott Johnson | Quantic Dream | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2010 (7th) | Alan Wake | Alan Wake | Remedy Entertainment | Microsoft Game Studios |
| 2010 (7th) | BioShock 2 | Jordan Thomas, Zak McClendon | 2K Marin | 2K Games |
| 2010 (7th) | Call of Duty: Black Ops | Dave Anthony, Craig Houston | Treyarch | Activision |
| 2010 (7th) | Fallout: New Vegas | John Gonzalez, Eric Fenstermaker, Travis Stout | Obsidian Entertainment | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2010 (7th) | Mass Effect 2 | Mass Effect 2 | BioWare | Electronic Arts |
| 2011 (8th) | Portal 2 | Portal 2 | Valve Corporation | Valve Corporation |
| 2011 (8th) | Batman: Arkham City | Batman: Arkham City | Rocksteady Studios | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment |
| 2011 (8th) | Deus Ex: Human Revolution | Jean-François Dugas, Marie DeMarle, James Swallow | Eidos-Montréal | Square Enix Europe |
| 2011 (8th) | L.A. Noire | Brendan McNamara | Team Bondi | Rockstar Games |
| 2011 (8th) | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | Todd Howard | Bethesda Game Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2011 (8th) | Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception | Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2012 (9th) | The Walking Dead | The Walking Dead | Telltale Games | Telltale Games |
| 2012 (9th) | Journey | Journey | thatgamecompany | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2012 (9th) | Far Cry 3 | Jeffrey Yohalem, Lucien Soulban, Li Kuo | Ubisoft Montréal | Ubisoft |
| 2012 (9th) | Dishonored | Dishonored | Arkane Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2012 (9th) | Mass Effect 3 | Mac Walters | BioWare | Electronic Arts |
| 2012 (9th) | Thomas Was Alone | Mike Bithell | Mike Bithell | Mike Bithell |
| 2013 (10th) | The Last of Us | Bruce Straley, Neil Druckmann | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2013 (10th) | The Stanley Parable | The Stanley Parable | Galactic Cafe | Galactic Cafe |
| 2013 (10th) | Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch | Akihiro Hino | Level-5 | Namco Bandai Games |
| 2013 (10th) | Grand Theft Auto V | Dan Houser, Rupert Humphries | Rockstar North | Rockstar Games |
| 2013 (10th) | Gone Home | Gone Home | Fullbright | Fullbright |
| 2013 (10th) | Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons | Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons | Starbreeze Studios | 505 Games |
| 2014 (11th) | The Last of Us: Left Behind | Neil Druckmann | Naughty Dog | Sony Computer Entertainment Europe |
| 2014 (11th) | 80 Days | Joseph Humfrey, Jon Ingold, Meg Jayanth | Inkle | Inkle |
| 2014 (11th) | Broken Age | Tim Schafer | Double Fine Productions | Double Fine Productions |
| 2014 (11th) | Far Cry 4 | Mark Thompson, Lucien Soulban, Li Kuo | Ubisoft Montréal | Ubisoft |
| 2014 (11th) | The Wolf Among Us | The Wolf Among Us | Telltale Games | Telltale Games |
| 2014 (11th) | Never Alone (Kisima Inŋitchuŋa) | Never Alone (Kisima Inŋitchuŋa) | Upper One Games | E-Line Media |
| 2015 (12th) | Life Is Strange | Life Is Strange | Dontnod Entertainment | Square Enix Europe |
| 2015 (12th) | Everybody's Gone to the Rapture | Everybody's Gone to the Rapture | The Chinese Room | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2015 (12th) | Until Dawn | Until Dawn | Supermassive Games | Sony Computer Entertainment |
| 2015 (12th) | Her Story | Sam Barlow | Sam Barlow | Sam Barlow |
| 2015 (12th) | Undertale | Undertale | Toby Fox | Toby Fox |
| 2015 (12th) | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | CD Projekt Red | CD Projekt |
| 2016 (13th) | Inside | Arnt Jensen | Playdead | Playdead |
| 2016 (13th) | Dishonored 2 | Dishonored 2 | Arkane Studios | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2016 (13th) | Firewatch | Firewatch | Campo Santo | Panic |
| 2016 (13th) | Mafia III | Mafia III | Hangar 13 | 2K Games |
| 2016 (13th) | Oxenfree | Oxenfree | Night School Studio | Night School Studio |
| 2016 (13th) | Uncharted 4: A Thief's End | Neil Druckmann, Josh Scherr | Naughty Dog | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2017 (14th) | Night in the Woods | Scott Benson, Alec Holowka, Bethany Hockenberry | Infinite Fall | Finji |
| 2017 (14th) | Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice | Tameem Antoniades | Ninja Theory | Ninja Theory |
| 2017 (14th) | Horizon Zero Dawn | Horizon Zero Dawn | Guerrilla Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2017 (14th) | Tacoma | Steve Gaynor, Karla Zimonia | Fullbright | Fullbright |
| 2017 (14th) | What Remains of Edith Finch | What Remains of Edith Finch | Giant Sparrow | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2017 (14th) | Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus | Jens Matthies, Tommy Tordsson Björk, Tom Keegan | MachineGames | Bethesda Softworks |
| 2018 (15th) | God of War | Cory Barlog, Matt Sophos, Richard Zangrande Gaubert | Santa Monica Studio | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (15th) | Florence | Florence | Mountains | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2018 (15th) | Frostpunk | Frostpunk | 11 bit studios | 11 bit studios |
| 2018 (15th) | Marvel's Spider-Man | Marvel's Spider-Man | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2018 (15th) | Red Dead Redemption 2 | Dan Houser, Rupert Humphries, Michael Unsworth | Rockstar Games | Rockstar Games |
| 2018 (15th) | Return of the Obra Dinn | Lucas Pope | Lucas Pope | Lucas Pope |
| 2019 (16th) | Disco Elysium | Disco Elysium | ZA/UM | ZA/UM |
| 2019 (16th) | Control | Control | Remedy Entertainment | 505 Games |
| 2019 (16th) | Life Is Strange 2 | Life Is Strange 2 | Dontnod Entertainment | Square Enix |
| 2019 (16th) | Outer Wilds | Outer Wilds | Mobius Digital | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2019 (16th) | The Outer Worlds | The Outer Worlds | Obsidian Entertainment | Private Division |
| 2019 (16th) | Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order | Aaron Contreras, Matt Michnovetz, Stig Asmussen | Respawn Entertainment | Electronic Arts |
| 2020 (17th) | Hades | Greg Kasavin | Supergiant Games | Supergiant Games |
| 2020 (17th) | Assassin's Creed Valhalla | Assassin's Creed Valhalla | Ubisoft Montreal | Ubisoft |
| 2020 (17th) | Cyberpunk 2077 | Cyberpunk 2077 | CD Projekt Red | CD Projekt |
| 2020 (17th) | Ghost of Tsushima | Nate Fox, Ian Ryan, Writing Team | Sucker Punch Productions | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2020 (17th) | Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales | Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales | Insomniac Games | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2020 (17th) | Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition | Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition | Cardboard Computer | Annapurna Interactive |
| 2021 (18th) | Unpacking | Wren Brier, Tim Dawson, Annie VanderMeer | Witch Beam | Humble Bundle |
| 2021 (18th) | It Takes Two | It Takes Two | Hazelight Studios | Electronic Arts |
| 2021 (18th) | Life Is Strange: True Colors | Life Is Strange: True Colors | Deck Nine | Square Enix |
| 2021 (18th) | Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy | Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy | Eidos-Montréal | Square Enix |
| 2021 (18th) | Psychonauts 2 | Tim Schafer | Double Fine | Xbox Game Studios |
| 2021 (18th) | Returnal | Returnal | Housemarque | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2022 (19th) | Immortality | Sam Barlow, Amelia Gray, Allan Scott | Half Mermaid Productions | Half Mermaid Productions |
| 2022 (19th) | Citizen Sleeper | Gareth Damian Martin | Jump Over the Age | Fellow Traveller |
| 2022 (19th) | God of War Ragnarök | Matt Sophos, Richard Gaubert | Santa Monica | Sony Interactive Entertainment |
| 2022 (19th) | A Plague Tale: Requiem | A Plague Tale: Requiem | Asobo | Focus |
| 2022 (19th) | Pentiment | Josh Sawyer, Kate Dollarhyde, Zoe Franznick | Obsidian | Xbox Game Studios |
| 2022 (19th) | Stray | Stray | BlueTwelve | Annapurna Interactive |

* 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 | 4 | 0 |
| Double Fine | 4 | 1 |
| Bethesda Game Studios | 3 | 0 |
| Obsidian 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 | 2 | 0 |
| Remedy Entertainment | 2 | 0 |
| Rockstar North | 2 | 0 |
| Rocksteady Studios | 2 | 0 |
| Starbreeze Studios | 2 | 0 |
| Telltale Games | 2 | 1 |

### Publishers

| Developer | Nominations | Wins |
| - | - | - |
| Sony Computer/Interactive Entertainment | 19 | 6 |
| Bethesda Softworks | 7 | 0 |
| Electronic Arts | 7 | 0 |
| Ubisoft | 7 | 0 |
| Square Enix | 6 | 0 |
| Annapurna Interactive | 5 | 0 |
| Microsoft/Xbox Game Studios | 5 | 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 |
