BAFTA Young Game Designers Awards 2022: The 54 finalists for the accolade revealed

BAFTA recently revealed the crop of 54 finalists for this year's Young Game Designers Awards. There are four categories of finalists divided between age and the category of concept and making. The winners of the 2022 award will be presented in the last week of June.

The initiative is a curated experience that provides them with a world of creative opportunities for young people who wish to develop games. BAFTA's venture seeks to support the creators on their journey of making games.

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The finalists for this year's BAFTA Young Game Designers Awards have been revealed, winners announced later in June

The four categories for the Young Game Designers Awards are -

• Game Concept Award: 10-14 years old
• Game Concept Award: 15-18 years old
• Game Making Award: 10-14 years old
• Game Making Award: 15-18 years old

The Concept Award will be given "to the most original and best thought-out game idea" while the Game Making Award will mark "the coding skills used to create a prototype game using freely available software."

According to BAFTA's statement, finalists will be judged on the designs of the gameplay and how suitable the title is for their chosen games platform.

The winners for each category will be announced later this month on June 30 at 17.00 BST. Readers can check out the names of the finalists and their games across each category on the official website here. Speaking about this year's list of finalists and the variety of games, the organisation said in a statement:

"This year’s shortlisted entries encompass a diverse range of contemporary topics, including mental health and anxiety, climate change, computer safety, time and space travel, and gender identity, with several gender-neutral leading characters across this year’s entries. Entries also feature a plethora of challenges for players to undertake, including problem-solving activities, escape tasks, and intergalactic quests."

It continues:

"This impressive cohort of finalists demonstrate in their games the creative thinking and artistic prowess that underpins the game-making process, and provide an insight into the bright and exciting future of the British games industry."

The exciting initiative from BAFTA has provided opportunities and guidance to new game creators. It allows them a stage to showcase their creativity. The press statement from the organisation reports that their goal is not just to provide these young game designers with information regarding the game industry, but also showcase how gaming positively affects "young people and their communities, including parents, teachers, and peers."

Previous winners and finalists of this prestigious award have gone on to have successful careers in the industry. The organisation states that all finalists will:

"Receive a bundle of games goodies from YGD partners, a series of exclusive masterclasses, digital mentorship (for 13+) and careers advice from industry experts and the opportunity to showcase their game to the industry at a special event at BAFTA’s newly developed HQ in London Piccadilly. Alongside a BAFTA YGD Award, winners additionally receive bespoke advice and support in developing their game ideas."

The initiative is an exciting opportunity for any young gamer who is trying to find their footing in the world of making games and the industry. The programme seeks to nurture raw talent and guide it towards a path to success. It will be exciting to see which projects clinch the winner's title come the end of June.

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