BAFTA Makes Vidgames 'Third Arm'

The British Academy of Films & Television Arts will make video games the “third arm” of the organization – giving games the same status in the org as film and television.

The change has been driven by newly-formed BAFTA Games committee consisting of representatives of Europe’s largest publishers, developers and trade associations.

“We have moved to re-emphasize video games as an art form of the moving image on a par with film and TV as a result of a strategic review we conducted last year,” said BAFTA chairman Duncan Kenworthy.

BAFTA will start by raising the profile of the British Academy Video Game Awards, which were moved from March to October to coincide with London Games Week, the industry’s premier European event.

The first hurdle – tweaking the award show’s 17 categories and giving it some good ol' fashion award show glamour.