Clair Obscur Tops BAFTA Nominations, Followed Closely by Dispatch

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is leading the charge at yet another awards event, dominating the nominations for the U.K.’s BAFTA Games Awards. However, there’s an unexpected contender in the runner-up spot: not Death Stranding 2 or Ghost of Yōtei, but Dispatch, the indie superhero comedy from AdHoc Studio that has taken the gaming world by storm. With nine nominations, Dispatch has achieved its best showing of the awards season, reflecting its growing viral popularity since The Game Awards in December, where it only received two nods.

In the realm of AAA titles, Ghost of Yōtei boasts eight nominations, followed closely by Death Stranding 2 with seven, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle with six. Also making waves is the late-breaking extraction shooter Arc Raiders, which has garnered five nominations thanks to BAFTA’s timing in the awards calendar.

All five of these games are in the running for Best Game, alongside the indie hit Blue Prince. Interestingly, the indie favorites from The Game Awards, Hades 2 and Hollow Knight: Silksong, have been overlooked in this category. Clair Obscur is the frontrunner, but BAFTA is known for surprising outcomes with unexpected winners.

BAFTA categorizes its performance awards into leading and supporting roles, allowing Troy Baker to receive two nominations for his work in Indiana Jones and as Higgs in Death Stranding 2. Meanwhile, Clair Obscur has secured an impressive four acting nominations.

The BAFTA Games Awards, scheduled for April 17, marks the conclusion of the Big Five gaming award ceremonies, largely due to its thorough nomination and voting process. The Best Game category can often yield surprising results, even when there’s a clear consensus for Game of the Year. For instance, in 2017, BAFTA was the only major awards body not to select The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, opting instead for What Remains of Edith Finch. This year, it might just be the event that disrupts Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s winning streak—unless that happens first at tonight’s Game Developers Choice Awards.

Here’s the complete list of nominees for the 2026 BAFTA Games Awards: