Each year, the BAFTA Games Awards celebrate the best of gaming, both inside and outside the UK, and it was a delight to see so many games available on Xbox platforms make their mark on the nominations list for this years awards, which take place on Tuesday, April 8. From games by our own first-party studios, like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Diablo IV, Sea of Thieves and World of Warcraft, to pioneering ID@Xbox titles like Animal Well, Balatro, Botany Manor, and more, theres a huge range of BAFTA-nominated games available on Xbox platforms right now.But today, we wanted to shine a light on Senuas Saga: Hellblade II, which picked up a staggering 11 nominations across a wide variety of categories, covering practically every element of the art of making games, and beyond. Its a major moment for developer Ninja Theory (which previously picked up 9 nominations, winning in 5 categories, for Hellblade: Senuas Sacrifice), a testament to the hard work and care that went into creating this singular experience.To celebrate this moment, we spoke to developers across the studio about the work that went into their nominated category, and what it means to see this recognition.AnimationThe whole animation team was thrilled to be specifically recognised in the Animation category. Were glad that the all the hard work, love and specific vision for Senuas Saga: Hellblade II has been received so well.Our aim was to bring Senua, her cohort and adversaries to life as vividly as possible , whether it was the up-close nuance of an intimate moment between friends or life and death struggle against her deepest fears.Guy Midgley, Ninja Animation DirectorPhoto Credit: Gareth DuttonArtistic AchievementThe team at Ninja Theory has always had such a passion for taking the art to new places in our games, but to have the recognition from BAFTA is incredible and means so much to everyone here. For Senuas Saga we learnt so much on the journey, whether it was getting to grips with new features of UE5 and understanding how they could allow us to present our vision like never before, working with costume designers to build the real-life outfits for us to scan and understand their movements, or training how to fly professional drones so that we could capture meaningful data from the beauty of the Iceland landscape.Mark Slater-Tunstill, Ninja VFX DirectorAudio AchievementTo bring to life the world, the reality of Senua through sound is a privilege, a journey that requires a strong vision and a certain bravery that leads to finding a unique voice. Receiving this nomination brings a lot of joy to the whole Ninja audio team, who have worked tirelessly and with such craftsmanship to deliver an experience like no other.David Garca Daz, Ninja Audio DirectorPhoto Credit: Gareth DuttonBritish GameWere very proud to receive a nomination for Best British Game and have Hellblade II sit alongside such a diverse and creative group of nominees in the category. Best British Game is a particularly special category for me, as I see it as a vehicle for inspiring the next generation of developers in my home country. I like to think that there will be a kid out there somewhere that will see the wonderful games being created in the UK and it will spark in them a dream to one day feel the same pride that I do in receiving a BAFTA nomination of their own.Dom Matthews, Ninja Studio HeadPhoto Credit: Gareth DuttonGame Beyond EntertainmentIn Senuas Saga, Ninja Theory have represented one of the most misunderstood of conditions with incredible skill, respect and sensitivity. Their depiction of psychosis was crafted with unerring attention to the underlying clinical neuroscience and, more importantly, to the personal experiences of those who have themselves carried the burden of psychosis.Ninja Theory have told the story, and amplified the voice, of people who are frequently unheard or dismissed. It has been an enormous privilege to play a small part in their work and to observe the depth and range of its impact in challenging stigma.Paul Fletcher, Bernard Wolfe Professor of Health Neuroscience, University of CambridgePhoto Credit: Gareth DuttonMusicTo tell a story without words that connects the emotions with the listener, that is the quest of all the musicians involved in the creation of the soundtrack for the game. At the core of it is the word collaboration: From Heilung, Ren and Arunka, the fantastic voices and talent of Helen and Abbi, plus our own composers here at Ninja. Its an honour for us to receive this nomination for a work that is done with great passion and care.David Garca Daz, Ninja Audio DirectorPhoto Credit: Gareth DuttonNarrativeOur heroine Senua faces down both inner and outer conflicts with persistence and strength of heart, and I feel fortunate to be part of the team sharing her unique perspective with the world.Storytelling is always foremost in our minds with all of Ninja Theorys games, and Im deeply honoured and grateful that the teams work in this area has been recognised by BAFTA with a nomination in the Narrative category.Lara Derham, Writer and Stage DirectorPhoto Credit: Gareth DuttonPerformer in a Leading Role Melina Juergens as SenuaI am deeply honored to be nominated at this years BAFTA Games Awards as Performer in a Leading Role for my portrayal of Senua for the second time. It means the world to have my work as a performer recognized in such a meaningful way.BAFTA Games Awards play a vital role in elevating gaming as an art form, putting it on the same cultural stage as film and television. Their commitment to celebrating creativity, storytelling, and innovation in games is incredible, and their charity work, supporting new talent and making the industry more accessible is truly inspiring.In Senuas Saga, we managed to push the performance tech further than ever before, which gave me the freedom to pour everything into my performance, knowing that every emotion and every little nuance would come through on screen. It was an incredible and rewarding experience.Melina JuergensPhoto Credit: Gareth DuttonPerformer in a Supporting Role Alds Amah Hamilton as strrIts hard to put into words how much this nomination means to me and how grateful I am to everyone involved in creating this beautiful game, and for allowing me to be a part of that creation. Every step of the process has been an unforgettable experience. Ive made dear friends, learned new skills, worked abroad for the first time, and taken part in making something meaningful. As a gamer from the age of 5, I couldnt have imagined what my future would hold. And to receive this recognition for our work goes beyond what I could ever have dreamed of. Thank you dearly dear Ninjas and Xbox for giving me the honor of working with you.Alds Amah HamiltonPhoto Credit: Thelma ArngrimsPerformer in a Supporting Role Abbi Greenland and Helen Goalen as The FuriesWe are delighted to be jointly nominated for our role as the Furies. Working on Senuas Saga was a joy thanks to the brilliance of David Garca Daz and his dream team. We are a theatre company who work a lot with vocal improvisation and it was really exciting to collaborate with David in this way. It was fascinating for us to get an insight into how games are made. Everyone works so incredibly hard and its wonderful to see the team receiving such recognition for this.Helen Goalen and Abbi GreenlandTechnical AchievementIts a great honour to receive a Technical Achievement BAFTA nomination for Hellblade II, alongside a shortlist of excellent and varied nominees. This nomination celebrates not just the technology itself, but the vision and perseverance of the entire team; its a testament to the detail, artistry and technical effort we poured into crafting Senuas world and its inhabitants, as part of our dedication to pushing the boundaries of interactive storytelling. Were immensely grateful to BAFTA for this acknowledgement, and it fuels our passion to continue creating experiences that aim to resonate on a profound level. Thank you.Gavin Costello, Ninja Technical DirectorCongratulations to everyone at Ninja Theory for their work on Senuas Saga: Hellblade II, and to all the recipients of BAFTA nominations this year.You can watch the BAFTA Games Awards live on Tuesday, April 8 at 11am Pacific / 2pm Eastern / 7pm UK via YouTube and Twitch.