Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC will not be eligible for BAFTA Best Game Award

FromSoftware’s Elden Ring DLC ​​expansion Shadow of the Erdtree will not be eligible for the BAFTA Best Game award as it is only for full games.

There has been a lot of debate about whether expansions should be considered worthy of awards, and The Game Awards in particular noted that they were eligible.

However, BAFTA took a different approach, confirming to Eurogamer that the Best Game award only goes to full-length games, but that DLC and other updates are part of consideration in the Emerging Game category.

“Our Best Game category specifically recognizes full-length games released for the first time last year,” a BAFTA spokesperson told Eurogamer. “DLC, along with other updates and improvements made to games released before November 25, 2023, are part of our Evolving Games category.

The news comes as BAFTA revealed the long list of games nominated for next year’s awards ceremony, with 58 games taking home 17 awards.

All games on the list were released between November 25, 2023 and November 15, 2024. Remasters are not eligible for consideration; Complete remakes are only allowed in craft categories.

The DLC is suitable for the Developing Game category and some Crafting categories.

It’s a worthy choice considering Shadow of the Erdtree was nominated in several categories including Game of the Year at The Game Awards this week. The Game Awards clarified to Eurogamer that there have been no major rule changes this year, although a public notice regarding DLC ​​eligibility was only recently added to their website.

Shadow of the Erdtree is currently a finalist for the Players’ Voice Award in the public vote against Black Myth: Wukong, Genshin Impact, Wuthering Waves and Zenless Zone Zero. Many comments note the dominance of current gacha games and the dominance of DLC in this category.

BAFTA will avoid this. From the long list, 10 are vying for the best game: Animal Well, Astro Bot, Balatro, Black Myth: Wukong, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Helldivers 2, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Thank God. Are you here! and Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2.

“The BAFTA Games Awards longlist is our opportunity to celebrate a wide range of outstanding games ahead of the BAFTA nominations on 4 March next year,” said Tara Saunders, Chair of the BAFTA Games Committee. “Today we are highlighting 58 games voted for by our amazing BAFTA members – the 1,300 industry professionals whose work brings games to life.”

Baldur’s Gate 3 was a big winner at last year’s BAFTA Game Awards. Cyberpunk 2077 won the award in the Evolving Game category, thanks in part to the Phantom Liberty expansion.

Of course, Eurogamer will soon have its own Game of the Year list, in which DLC and expansions will also not be eligible. Sorry guys!