BAFTA Games Awards 2025 nominations show the rise of indie games as serious rivals to AAA dominance

The 21st BAFTA Games Awards will take place on 8 April, and the nominations highlight the growing presence of indie developers in the gaming industry. Indie titles have secured nearly half of all nominations this year.

Representing 41 nominations in 17 categories, smaller studios are challenging the dominance of AAA studios and showing that creativity and innovation can thrive without a blockbuster budget (see our guide to the best game development software and the best laptops for game development if you're building your own setup).

Although Microsoft-owned Ninja Theory’s Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II leads with 11 nominations in the shortlist for the 2025 BAFTA Games Awards, indie games are notably well represented. Coal Super's Thank Goodness You’re Here! has 7 nominations, while Billy Basso's Metroidvania Animal Well and LocalThunk's roguelike deck builder Balatro both have four. Slow Bros's stop motion sci-fi Harold Halibut and Nomada's Neva are nominated for Artistic Achievement.

The games all show in very different ways how indie devs can stand out by innovating and creating highly original and memorable games, whether it's employing niche concepts and quirky humor or clever, engaging mechanics. (see our interview with Harold Halibut art director Ole Tillman about how a small team made such a unique-looking game.)

Meanwhile, With 6 nominations, Black Myth: Wukong shows how the line between independent and AAA gaming is becoming more fluid – and how Unreal Engine can allow indie developers to create the kind of stunning visuals associated with AAA games (see our interview with lead performance director Beth Park).

The BAFTA Games Awards also has specific indie-focused categories such as British Game and Debut Game designed to spotlight emerging talent.

The increasing recognition of indie game developers is reflected in market stats. According to VG Insights, 18% of American PC and console gamers now engage with indie games, up from 13% in 2021. In 2024, indie games generated as much revenue as AAA and AA titles on Steam for the first time, and and indie titles on Steam averaged a 72% rating, close to AAA games (74%).

A spokesperson for the US gaming platform Mobile Premier League (MPL) said: “The success of indie titles at BAFTA proves creative innovation isn’t limited by budget. These games resonate globally because they prioritize bold storytelling and emotional depth. With gamers craving authenticity and innovation, indie developers are poised to shape the industry’s future, proving passion and vision can rival even the largest studios."