BAFTA To Recognise Impactful or Innovative Games in New Award

Published: October 21, 2017 10:35 AM /

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BAFTA (the British Academy of Film and Television Arts) has added a new "Game Beyond Entertainment" to their game awards according to a press release from the organization.

There's no shortage of award shows out there, and among them is BAFTA, an independent arts charity that highlights what they believe to be the best in different mediums and helps new projects grow in the United Kingdom and around the world. The organization has existed for over half a century, and in 1998 the Games Awards had a beta run as the BAFTA Interactive Entertainment Awards before being reformed under its current name in 2004.

The awards are structured in a number of categories such as Multiplayer, Artistic Achievement, Debut Game, and others. Now a new category will be joining the roster: Game Beyond Entertainment. This new category will focus on games that are out to do a bit more than just entertain the player. Some examples of eligible titles would be games that raise awareness of real-world issues or seek to make the world a better place. Games in this category will be judged on their emotional impact, thematic fit, and innovative use of the medium.

BAFTA reviews its awards every year to keep things fresh and relevant to the continually-evolving entertainment mediums out there today. Any game that was released in the United Kingdom is eligible to win an award in one of the nearly two dozen categories. The 2018 BAFTA Games Awards will be taking place on April 12, 2018.

What do you think of BAFTA adding the Game Beyond Entertainment category to their game awards? Do you think a game that is not entertaining has artistic merit or is entertainment too important to the core principles of gaming? Which games do you think would make for strong contenders for the category? Let us know in the comments below!

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A photograph of TechRaptor Senior Writer Robert N. Adams.
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One of my earliest memories is playing Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System. I've had a controller in my hand since I was 4 and I… More about Robert N