Independent arts charity BAFTA has revealed all 64 games that have made it onto the Longlist for the 2026 BAFTA Game Awards.
Among the selected titles, several have established their esports ecosystem this year, from shooters such as Marvel Rivals to sport simulators like EA FC 26.
Marvel Rivals, one of the nominated esports titles, Marvel Rivals is a popular hero shooter that has fostered a competitive scene in 2025. It has held community events such as the seasonal Championships and has invited the best teams from around the world to compete in its professional circuit, Marvel Rivals Ignite.
Another featured title, Battlefield 6, is a large-scale first-person shooter game that was released back in October this year. Following the launch of REDSEC battle royale mode, EA revealed a $1m (~£763,850) esports circuit featuring a community-driven Open Series and a competitive Elite Series.
Call of Duty also made it to the Longlist thanks to the latest installment in the franchise, Black Ops 7. The longstanding series boasts an extensive esports history due to the Call of Duty League, which is now entering its 2026 season and continues to foster a franchised competitive ecosystem.
Various sports simulators were also including such as EA FC 26 and F1 25. EA FC 26 holds various esports circuits, including the FC Pro series, which hosted its inaugural World Championship in Germany in 2024. Additionally, EA has rolled out plans for next year, including a refreshed format for the ePremier League.
F1 25 was one of the last esports titles, which is a home to events such as the F1 Sim Racing World Championship, featuring the world’s best racing esports teams and players.
The full list of games that have been selected can be found at the BAFTA Game Awards website.
What are the BAFTA Game Awards?
Founded in 2004, the BAFTA Game Awards is an annual show celebrating the best games released within the year.
This year’s Longlist was selected by more than 1,700 BAFTA members, which is comprised of professionals from across the gaming industry. A total of 64 titles are nominated across 17 award categories, including Game Design, Narrative, Artistic Achievement, Best Game and more.
Tara Saunders, chair of BAFTA’s Games committee, said: “The BAFTA Games Awards
longlists offer a fantastic opportunity to spotlight the creativity and craft shaping this year’s
games.
“This list showcases a wide range of games to dive into over the holiday season, honours the teams behind these standout titles, and shines a light on the incredible skill across our whole industry.”
Voting for nominations will begin in February, and the shortlisted titles will be announced on March 12th, 2026. BAFTA members will then vote on Best Game and British Game, while the jury will decide the winners of the remaining categories.
All the winners will be revealed at the 2026 BAFTA Games Awards on April 17th, 2026.
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