Bafta Games Awards 2021: Animal Crossing wins two trophies

Animal Crossing: New Horizons won two big awards at the 2021 Bafta Games Awards.

After a year of huge sales - it was the second best-selling game in the UK behind this year's Fifa - and big records - it sold five million digital units last March, just as lockdown began, the most ever - Animal Crossing has been recognised for more than it's numbers.

Bafta's Game Beyond Entertainment award recognisees "games that made us think and made us feel," and this year Animal Crossing took the title. It also scooped the Multiplayer award - probably not a surprise to all of you who passed all those lockdown hours playing the game with your friends.

Best British Game

Sackboy, seen here in 2014's Little Big Planet, had a big return on the PlayStation 5 in 2020

Sackboy: A Big Adventure won the Best British Game and best Family Game title.

It was one of the few titles to launch on the PlayStation 5 - something Elle Osili-Woods referenced in the show.

"[In 2020] we've launched a whole new generation of consoles. We've had video games come out that we've been waiting for years and years. We've had reboots of really beloved franchises," she declared.

Big year for gaming

"Games, and the developers behind them, have proven themselves to be more essential than ever," declared host Elle Osili-Wood.

"In 2020, games connected us in a way that wouldn't have been possible a decade ago."

With everyone stuck at home gaming saw a huge boost last year. Sales rose 30% to an incredible £7 billion, according to Ukie, a group which represents the UK games and interactive entertainment sector.

Jo Twist, Chief Executive of Ukie, explained, "games offered a real opportunity for people to socially connect," during lockdown.