BAFTA is one of the biggest events of the year in the gaming world. Over the years (and even decades), time and time again, we have used our gaming ritual for optimal relaxation to enjoy playing video games. None of this falls out of thin air, as creative and hardworking studios have worked hard for us to enjoy and remember the game world they all create as teams for one common goal. In the gaming world, we admire seeing the developers, studios, and more contribute to classic games.
Yoko Simomura To Receive Special Award At BAFTA
Yoko Shimomura, a veteran in the gaming world, is a brilliant pianist and composer who has been a key part of games like Xenoblade Chronicles, Street Fighter, Breath of Fire, Super Mario RPG, and more. She had humble beginnings starting her gaming career with Capcom from 1988-1993, then moving on to the team of Square (now Square Enix) from 1993-2002.
At this year’s BAFTA (British Academy) Games Awards, Yoko will be honored with a well-deserved award. On April 8, 2025, the awards show will air live and be streamed live on BAFTA’s YouTube and Twitch accounts for free. It is an honor to know that the countless hours spent on some video games included the musical talent of Yoko. During her career, Yoko was highly interested in writing classical-style music for RPG games.
Working on over 40 games, Yoko’s first project was arranging two tracks on the G.S.M. 1500 series – Sweet Home. As the years continued, she added more games and series’ under her resume such as Best Student Council, Game Music Prayre II X’mas Collections II, High Score Girl, Napping Princess, Legend of Mana: The Teardrop Crystal, Ladeerless, and more.
Final Thoughts
What a great way to recognize a legend, right? What are some of your favorite games that Yoko has worked on throughout the years? Do you have any music composed or piano scores that grab your attention the first note of the song played? April 8th is sure to be a day gamers don’t want to miss in gaming events (and in the worse case that you do have to miss it live, lets just hope there will be VODs/replays available to watch in full).
