Free entry for games entered in month of release*
New categories confirmed*
Streamlined campaigning offered to entrants*

London, 28 July 2014: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has opened for entries for the British Academy Games Awards, celebrating the very best games and talent of the year.

The Awards, presented in 2015, will consist of 16 categories, including British Game and the BAFTA Ones To Watch Award in association with Dare To Be Digital, recognising and rewarding emerging talent.

Reflecting the ever-changing landscape of the gaming industry, BAFTA introduces two new categories this year: _Original Property_ and _Persistent Game._ Two genre-based categories have been withdrawn – _Action and Adventure_ and _Strategy and Simulation_ – as such games will be recognised across a number of other categories.

In a first for BAFTA’s Games Awards, first entry is free for any game entered in the month of its release, or if it was released before the end of August 2014. Entries are invited from both games developers and publishers; any game is eligible as long as it has been, or will be, released in the UK between 1 January and 31 December 2014. The deadline for entries is 17 November 2014.

BAFTA has streamlined the process for offering review copies of entries to its Game-voting members. Entrants will no longer need to administrate individual email campaigns to voters, instead they will be able to upload information to BAFTA’s online portal and enable automatic distribution of one-time download keys where required.

Kelly Smith, Head of Television and Games at BAFTA, said: “We’re delighted to announce two new categories at this year’s Games Awards, namely _Original Property_, for games that aren’t part of established series, and _Persistent Game_, for those that have received significant updates since their original release. We’ve also made the first entry free, provided the entry is made in the same month of the game’s release, because we’re committed to making the Awards as accessible as possible. It’s really important that BAFTA adapts and evolves alongside such a creative, dynamic industry.”

For further information on the Awards categories, rules and entry walkthrough guides can be found on the Entry Information Page. All entries are made via the Entry Website.

Further Information

For further information, please contact:

Kelly Smith
Head of Television & Games
BAFTA
T: 020 7292 5821
E: [email protected]

For photography requests:

Janette Dalley
BAFTA Photography Director
E: [email protected]

About BAFTA

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image by identifying and rewarding excellence, inspiring practitioners and benefiting the public. In addition to its Awards ceremonies, BAFTA has a year-round Learning & Events programme that offers unique access to some of the world’s most inspiring talent through workshops, masterclasses, lectures and mentoring schemes, connecting with audiences of all ages and backgrounds across the UK, Los Angeles and New York. BAFTA relies on income from membership subscriptions, individual donations, trusts, foundations and corporate partnerships to support its ongoing outreach work. To access the best creative minds in film, TV and games production, visit www.bafta.org/guru. For further information, visit www.bafta.org.