The British Academy Video Games Award for Multiplayer is an award presented annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). It is given in honor of "the best multiplayer game experience, including social, online or offline". The award was formerly known as the British Academy Video Games Award for Online Multiplayer at the 2005, 2012 and 2013 ceremonies.
The award was first presented at the 1st British Academy Video Games Awards ceremony in 2004, with the EA Digital Illusions CE and Electronic Arts game Battlefield 1942 winning. Since its inception, the award has been given to eighteen games. Among developers, Valve has received the most awards, with three wins from four nominations, while Electronic Arts leads the publishers, with five wins from their sixteen nominations. Bungie holds the record for the developer with the most nominations without a win, with five Activision is the publisher with the most nominations without a win, with thirteen.
The current holder of the award is ARC Raiders by Embark Studios, which won at the 22nd British Academy Games Awards in 2026.
Winners and nominees In the following table, the years are listed as per BAFTA convention, and generally correspond to the year of game release in the United Kingdom. + Table keyIndicates the winner YearGameDeveloper(s) Publisher(s)2002/03 (1st) Battlefield 1942EA Digital Illusions CEElectronic ArtsEyeToy: PlayLondon StudioSony Computer EntertainmentMotoGP 2Climax BrightonTHQNeverwinter Nights: Hordes of the UnderdarkBioWareAtariProject Gotham Racing 2Bizarre CreationsMicrosoft Game StudiosWolfenstein: Enemy TerritorySplash DamageActivision2003/04 (2nd) Half-Life 2ValveValve, Sierra EntertainmentBurnout 3: TakedownCriterion GamesElectronic ArtsFar CryCrytekUbisoftHalo 2BungieMicrosoft Game StudiosRatchet & Clank: Up Your ArsenalInsomniac GamesSony Computer EntertainmentTom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora TomorrowUbisoft Shanghai, Ubisoft AnnecyUbisoft2005/06 (3rd) Dungeons & Dragons Online: StormreachTurbine, Inc.Atari, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment2006 FIFA World CupEA Canada, Exient EntertainmentElectronic ArtsAnimal Crossing: Wild WorldNintendo EADNintendoBattlefield 2: Modern CombatEA Digital Illusions CEElectronic ArtsGuild Wars FactionsArenaNetNCSOFTTom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced WarfighterUbisoft Shanghai, Red Storm Entertainment, Ubisoft Barcelona, Ubisoft Paris, Tiwak, GrinUbisoft2006/07 (4th) Wii SportsNintendo EADNintendoBattlefield 2142EA Digital Illusions CEElectronic ArtsCrackdownRealtime WorldsMicrosoft Game StudiosGuitar Hero IIHarmonixActivisionWorld in ConflictMassive EntertainmentSierra EntertainmentWorld of Warcraft: The Burning CrusadeBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard Entertainment2007/08 (5th) Left 4 DeadValveValveBuzz!: Quiz TVRelentless SoftwareSony Computer EntertainmentCall of Duty 4: Modern WarfareInfinity WardActivisionGears of War 2Epic GamesMicrosoft Game StudiosMario Kart WiiNintendo EADNintendoRock BandHarmonixMTV Games2009 (6th) Left 4 Dead 2ValveValveBattlefield 1943EA Digital Illusions CEElectronic ArtsThe Beatles: Rock BandHarmonixMTV GamesCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 2Infinity WardActivisionHalo 3: ODSTBungieMicrosoft Game StudiosUncharted 2: Among ThievesNaughty DogSony Computer Entertainment2010 (7th) Need for Speed: Hot PursuitCriterion GamesElectronic ArtsAssassin's Creed: BrotherhoodUbisoft MontrealUbisoftBattlefield: Bad Company 2EA Digital Illusions CEElectronic ArtsCall of Duty: Black OpsTreyarchActivisionHalo: ReachBungieMicrosoft StudiosStarCraft II: Wings of LibertyBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard Entertainment2011 (8th) Battlefield 3EA Digital Illusions CEElectronic ArtsAssassin's Creed: RevelationsUbisoft MontrealUbisoftCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3Infinity Ward, Sledgehammer GamesActivisionDark SoulsFromSoftwareNamco Bandai GamesGears of War 3Epic GamesMicrosoft StudiosLittleBigPlanet 2Media MoleculeSony Computer Entertainment2012 (9th) JourneyThatgamecompanySony Computer EntertainmentAssassin's Creed IIIUbisoft MontrealUbisoftBorderlands 2Gearbox Software2K GamesCall of Duty: Black Ops IITreyarchActivisionHalo 4343 IndustriesMicrosoft StudiosNeed for Speed: Most WantedCriterion GamesElectronic Arts2013 (10th) Grand Theft Auto VRockstar NorthRockstar GamesBattlefield 4EA Digital Illusions CEElectronic ArtsDota 2ValveValveThe Last of UsNaughty DogSony Computer EntertainmentSuper Mario 3D WorldNintendo EAD Tokyo, 1-Up StudioNintendoWorld of TanksWargamingWargaming2014 (11th) Hearthstone: Heroes of WarcraftBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard EntertainmentCall of Duty: Advanced WarfareSledgehammer GamesActivisionDestinyBungieActivisionMario Kart 8Nintendo EADNintendoMinecraft: Console EditionsMojangMojang, Microsoft StudiosTitanfallRespawn EntertainmentElectronic Arts2015 (12th) Rocket LeaguePsyonixPsyonixDestiny: The Taken KingBungieActivisionLovers in a Dangerous Spacetime Asteroid BaseSplatoonNintendo EADNintendoTom Clancy's Rainbow Six SiegeUbisoft MontrealUbisoftWorld of WarshipsLesta Studio, WargamingWargaming2016 (13th)OverwatchBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard EntertainmentBattlefield 1EA DICEElectronic ArtsForza Horizon 3Playground GamesMicrosoft StudiosOvercookedGhost Town GamesTeam17Titanfall 2Respawn EntertainmentElectronic ArtsTom Clancy's The DivisionMassive EntertainmentUbisoft2017 (14th)Divinity: Original Sin IILarian StudiosLarian StudiosFortniteEpic GamesEpic GamesGang BeastsBoneloafDouble Fine ProductionsPlayerUnknown's BattlegroundsPUBG CorporationBluehole Inc.Splatoon 2Nintendo EPDNintendoStar Trek: Bridge CrewRed Storm EntertainmentUbisoft2018 (15th)A Way OutHazelightEA OriginalsBattlefield VEA DICEElectronic ArtsOvercooked 2Ghost Town Games & Team17Team17Sea of ThievesRareMicrosoft StudiosSuper Mario PartyNDcubeNintendoSuper Smash Bros. UltimateNintendo, Bandai Namco & Sora Ltd.Nintendo2019 (16th)Apex LegendsRespawn EntertainmentElectronic Arts Borderlands 3Gearbox Software2K GamesCall of Duty: Modern WarfareInfinity WardActivisionLuigi's Mansion 3Next Level GamesNintendoTick Tock: A Tale for Two Other Tales InteractiveTom Clancy's The Division 2Massive EntertainmentUbisoft2020 (17th)Animal Crossing: New HorizonsNintendo EPDNintendo Deep Rock GalacticGhost Ship GamesCoffee Stain PublishingFall GuysMediatonicDevolver DigitalGhost of TsushimaSucker Punch ProductionsSony Interactive EntertainmentSackboy: A Big AdventureSumo DigitalSony Interactive EntertainmentValorantRiot Games2021 (18th)It Takes TwoHazelight StudiosElectronic Arts Back 4 BloodTurtle Rock StudiosWarner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentCall of Duty: VanguardSledgehammer GamesActivisionForza Horizon 5Playground GamesXbox Game StudiosHalo Infinite343 IndustriesHell Let LooseBlack MatterTeam172022 (19th) Elden Ring FromSoftware Bandai Namco Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Infinity Ward Activision FIFA 23 EA Sports Overwatch 2 Blizzard Entertainment Splatoon 3 Nintendo Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge Tribute Games Dotemu2023 (20th) Super Mario Bros. Wonder Nintendo EPD Nintendo Baldur's Gate 3 Larian Studios Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Sledgehammer Games Activision Diablo IV Blizzard Entertainment Forza Motorsport Turn 10 Studios Xbox Game Studios Party Animals Recreate Games Source Technology2024 (21st) Helldivers 2 Arrowhead Sony Interactive Entertainment Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Treyarch/Raven ActivisionLego Horizon AdventuresGuerrillaStudio GoboSuper Mario Party Jamboree Nintendo CubeTekken 8Bandai NamcoArikaWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Saber InteractiveFocus Entertainment2025 (22nd) ARC Raiders Embark Studios Dune: Awakening FuncomElden Ring NightreignFromSoftwareBandai Namco EntertainmentLego Party SMG Studio FictionsPeakAggro CrabLandfall GamesSplit Fiction Hazelight StudiosElectronic Arts
Multiple wins and nominations Developers
The following developers received two or more Multiplayer awards: WinsDeveloper3Valve2Blizzard EntertainmentEA Digital Illusions CEHazelight Studios
The following developers received three or more Multiplayer nominations: NominationsDeveloper10Nintendo EAD/Nintendo9EA Digital Illusions CE6Blizzard Entertainment5BungieInfinity Ward4Ubisoft MontrealValve3Criterion GamesHarmonixMassive EntertainmentRespawn Entertainment
Publishers
The following publishers received two or more Multiplayer awards: WinsPublisher5Electronic Arts3NintendoValve2Blizzard Entertainment
The following publishers received three or more Multiplayer nominations: NominationsPublisher16Electronic Arts 15ActivisionNintendo11Microsoft Studios10Ubisoft10Sony Computer Entertainment/Sony Interactive Entertainment6Blizzard Entertainment4Valve
References
External links British Academy Video Games Awards official website