Bafta Games Awards 2024: Phil Wang to host ceremony

Phil Wang has been revealed as the host of this year's Bafta Games Awards.

The comedian, known for his Netflix stand-up special and appearances on shows including 8 out of 10 Cats, will present the show in London on 11 April.

Dungeons and Dragons-inspired RPG Baldur's Gate 3 and PS5 hit Spider-Man 2 dominate the nominations this year.

Phil tells BBC Newsbeat he doesn't envy the judging panel, as picking between all the titles up for awards must be "an impossible decision".

The Bafta Games Awards - which turn 20 this year - honour gaming creatives including developers, artists, actors and composers from around the world, with categories also dedicated to UK-made titles.

Big-budget games and smaller independent titles often appear in the same categories, and there have been some surprise wins in the past.

And this year it's a competitive field, with all the eligible titles released in 2023 - widely considered one of the best years for new games in a long time.

In an exclusive interview, Phil tells Newsbeat the range of nominees is "really a testament to the breadth and width of the industry and the kind of creativity and the ideas that can become video games these days".

But despite being a huge year for critically acclaimed games from big and small developers, the industry also saw thousands of job losses which have continued into 2024.

Phil acknowledges that the ongoing layoffs, studio closures and cancellations will be an "elephant in the room" at this year's event, and one he won't shy away from.

"It's very, very sad," says Phil, when asked about the mass job losses.

"But you know what? The Bafta Games Awards are about celebrating those people, celebrating their work and their creativity and their output and their artistry."

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts - which also runs the prestigious film awards - is behind the ceremony.

As someone who "spent his childhood trying to convince his parents games are art, and to not much success", Phil says having the backing of a body like Bafta is important for games as a medium, which are still "not really taken seriously by the culture at large".

But he does feel things are changing and says recent video game adaptations, such as the Last Of Us TV show, have helped to "draw into focus just how creatively rich video games can be" for a wider audience.

You might have seen Phil talking about how he fell through a table and cracked his right elbow while filming a dance sequence in Wonka.

He admits his big-screen appearance - with fellow gaming fan Timothée Chalamet - did affect his hobby for a bit.

"That's my gaming elbow," he says.

"That's my trigger-shooting, my X-pressing arm. But look, you don't create beautiful art without sacrifice, right?"

But Phil says he'll be fighting fit on the night of the Baftas, and is still finding time while he preps for the show to play best game nominees Baldur's Gate 3 and Dave the Diver.

And as a life-long gamer he admits he's "absolutely thrilled" to be hosting.

"It feels like a very privileged and apt, long time coming thing for me, after spending so much of my life in front of a screen and on a controller, to be presenting awards to people who have worked really hard and really deserve it."

The Bafta Games Awards will be shown live on Bafta's YouTube, Twitch, and X channels on 11 April.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.