The BAFTA Games Awards concluded last night, celebrating the best in gaming with notable wins for Balatro and Vampire Survivors. However, the absence of platform-specific categories, including mobile, raises questions about visibility for games on different platforms.
While the BAFTAs may not have the extensive reach of Geoff Keighley's Game Awards, they arguably surpass it in prestige, if not in spectacle. Despite the lack of a dedicated mobile category since 2019, the 2024 BAFTA Games Awards highlighted two significant mobile successes from the past year.
Balatro, a roguelike deckbuilder, clinched the Debut Game award. This victory has sparked industry-wide interest, with many publishers now scouring for the next potential indie hit. On the other hand, Vampire Survivors, which won Best Game in 2023, was honored with the Best Evolving Game award this year, impressively competing against titles like Diablo IV and Final Fantasy XIV Online.
What, no mobile? The BAFTA Games Awards take a unique approach by not recognizing platform-specific achievements. This decision was made in 2019, and despite the success of mobile and multiplatform games like Vampire Survivors and Genshin Impact, the format has remained unchanged.
In a past conversation, Luke Hebblethwaite from the BAFTAs game team explained that the organization believes games should be judged on their merit, regardless of the platform they are released on. This perspective suggests that games like Balatro and Vampire Survivors, which have benefited significantly from their mobile reach, are still recognized for their overall quality and impact.
While opinions on this approach may vary, the success of these games on mobile platforms cannot be overlooked. For further discussion on mobile gaming and more, tune into the latest episode of the Pocket Gamer Podcast, where I and Will delve into the latest trends and insights.
