Vampire Survivors takes home Best Game at 2023 BAFTA Games Awards

Vampire Survivors

Ragnarok wins the most BAFTAs, but Vampire takes the top prize

The 2023 BAFTA Games Awards have concluded, and with a bit of a surprise to close out the night. God of War Ragnarok won the most awards at the show, but the BAFTA Best Game winner for 2023 was a different game entirely: Vampire Survivors.

Poncle’s reverse bullet hell (bullet heaven?) game made a surprising impact early in 2022, and seeing it recognized by the BAFTAs is pretty cool. Vampire Survivors spawned a legion of imitators and became an instant Steam Deck hit, and it’s nice to see the studio get some recognition for a stellar year, even when up against some heavy-hitters.

Those heavyweights still took home hardware, though. God of War Ragnarok received the most accolades of the night, including Performer in a Leading Role for Christopher Judge and Performer in a Supporting Role for Laya DeLeon Hayes. Elden Ring, meanwhile, tallied up two trophies, as did Tunic and Vampire Survivors.

Other winners include the haunting FMV story Immortality, the PlayStation graphical powerhouse Horizon Forbidden West, and a BAFTA Fellowship for Shuhei Yoshida, which recognizes an individual’s outstanding and exceptional contribution to the medium. Here’s the full run-down.

2023 BAFTA Games Awards winners

  • Best Game: Vampire Survivors
  • Game Design: Vampire Survivors
  • Original Property: Elden Ring
  • Multiplayer: Elden Ring
  • Animation: God of War Ragnarok
  • Audio Achievement: God of War Ragnarok
  • Music: God of War Ragnarok
  • Artistic Achievement: Tunic
  • Debut Game: Tunic
  • Narrative: Immortality
  • Technical Achievement: Horizon Forbidden West
  • Performer in a Leading Role: Christopher Judge (God of War Ragnarok)
  • Performer in a Supporting Role: Laya DeLeon Hayes (God of War Ragnarok)
  • British Game: Rollerdrome
  • Evolving Game: Final Fantasy XIV
  • Family: Kirby and the Forgotten Land
  • Game Beyond Entertainment: Endling – Extinction is Forever
  • BAFTA Fellowship: Shuhei Yoshida
  • EE Game of the Year (public vote): God of War Ragnarok
About The Author
Eric Van Allen
Senior Editor - While Eric's been writing about games since 2014, he's been playing them for a lot longer. Usually found grinding RPG battles, digging into an indie gem, or hanging out around the Limsa Aethryte.
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