In a video game year dominated by dark, bloody fantasy adventures – and continued job losses and studio closures – it was a cute robot that stole the night at the 2025 Bafta video game awards. Sony’s family-friendly platformer Astro Bot won in five categories at yesterday evening’s ceremony, including best game and game design.The rest of the awards were evenly spread across a range of Triple A and independent titles. Oil rig thriller Still Wakes the Deep was the next biggest winner with three awards: new intellectual property, performer in a leading role and performer in a supporting role. Clearly actors looking for Bafta-winning roles need look no further than the North Sea. The only other multiple winner was online shooter Helldivers 2, which won in multiplayer and music. The night’s most nominated title, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, was victorious in just the one category: technical achievement.Still from Still Wakes the Deep. Photograph: Secret ModeElsewhere, the British game award was taken by perhaps the most British game ever made, the Yorkshire-based adventure Thank Goodness You’re Here. Smash-hit card puzzler Balatro may have won only a single award – debut game – but it was surely also victorious in the non-existent best acceptance speech of the night category, thanks to actor Ben Starr’s appearance in full jester make-up and three-pronged hat.There were a couple of surprise triumphs. Hardcore role-playing adventure Metaphor: ReFantazio won in the highly competitive narrative category, while sumptuous side-scrolling platformer Neva claimed artistic achievement and Vampire Survivors swooped in for Evolving game. The game beyond entertainment award went to Tales of Kenzera: Zau, a magical adventure inspired by the death of creative lead Abubakar Salim’s father and based on Bantu mythologies.Finally, the Bafta fellowship was awarded to legendary soundtrack composer Yoko Shimomura, who has scored games such as Street Fighter II, Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy XV. “Music has always been there with me, when things were sad or when I was filled with anger, shifting my mood from negative to positive,” she said in her acceptance speech. “I’ve sometimes felt I have no talent for music, when I’ve been unable to write or play in the way I wanted. But now I am working in my dream job, writing music for the games I love.”The full list of Bafta games awards winnersAnimation Astro BotArtistic achievement NevaAudio achievement Astro BotBest game Astro BotBritish game Thank Goodness You’re HereDebut game BalatroEvolving game Vampire SurvivorsFamily Astro BotGame beyond entertainment Tales of Kenzera: Zauskip past newsletter promotionSign up to Pushing ButtonsFree weekly newsletterKeza MacDonald's weekly look at the world of gamingPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionGame design Astro BotMultiplayer Helldivers 2Music Helldivers 2Narrative Metaphor: ReFantazioNew intellectual property Still Wakes the DeepPerformer in a leading role Alec Newman, Caz McLeary in Still Wakes the DeepPerformer in a supporting role Karen Dunbar, Finlay in Still Wakes the DeepTechnical achievement Senua’s Saga: Hellblade IIBafta fellowship Yoko Shimomura