BAFTA has opened entries for the British Academy Games Awards 2021, and has announced it will be piloting the BFI Diversity Standards across the British Games category. 

The trial is being undertaken with the aim of introducing Diversity Standards as part of the rules and regulations for future awards, and will challenge applicants to assess whether they could be doing more to foster diversity. 

Broadly speaking, the guidance calls on everyone in the sector to make meaningful changes to their projects to become more inclusive and create opportunities for under-represented groups across four key areas: in-game representation, themes and narratives; creative leadership and development team; industry access and opportunities; and player base development. 

"We’re really happy to be working with BAFTA to widen the reach of BFI Diversity Standards -- and in particular to be working with the games community whose output is so culturally important," said BFI chief executive, Ben Roberts. 

"This pilot allows us to not only road test a set of the Standards that have been newly adapted for games, but will also introduce them to a huge number of developers and publishers as a framework for adopting more inclusive practices at all stages of a projects development."

BAFTA has also published additional guidance to help game developers prevent bullying, harassment, and racism in the workplace, and will be asking Games Awards applicants whether they have read the advice and have any procedures in place to prevent abuse.

"Anyone with a UK game project at any stage of development and production is strongly recommended to engage with the Standards as soon as possible and consider what changes can be made to meet as many of the Standards’ criteria as possible," adds BAFTA. 

"The earlier inclusion and representation are considered in the lifecycle of a project, the easier it will be to meet the Standards and create more representative work."

You can read the BFI Standards in full by clicking here, and check out BAFTA's bullying, harassment and racism guidance right here.