Vampire Survivors, Balatro Shine at BAFTA Games Awards

The BAFTA Games Awards concluded last night, celebrating the best in the industry, with standout winners like Balatro and Vampire Survivors. However, the absence of platform-specific categories raises questions about visibility, especially for mobile games.

While the BAFTAs may not have the extensive reach of Geoff Keighley's Game Awards, they are often regarded as more prestigious, if less flashy. This year, despite no specific mobile categories at the BAFTA Games Awards 2024, two notable mobile releases made significant impacts.

Balatro, a roguelike deckbuilder from Localthunk, clinched the Debut Game award. Its success has sparked a frenzy among publishers, eager to find the next big indie hit. On the other hand, Vampire Survivors, which won Best Game in 2023, took home the Best Evolving Game award, impressively outperforming giants like Diablo IV and Final Fantasy XIV Online.

What, no mobile?

The BAFTA Games Awards take a unique approach by not featuring platform-specific accolades. This decision, made back in 2019, has remained consistent despite notable wins from mobile and multiplatform games like Vampire Survivors and Genshin Impact.

In a previous conversation with Luke Hebblethwaite from the BAFTAs game team, he shared that the organization believes games should be judged on merit regardless of platform. This perspective aims to level the playing field, allowing games like Balatro and Vampire Survivors to compete directly with titles from other platforms.

The mobile reach has undoubtedly played a significant role in the success of these games, providing a broader audience and, arguably, a form of recognition. While the lack of mobile-specific categories might seem like a missed opportunity, the broader inclusivity could be seen as a positive step.

For more insights on this topic and all things mobile gaming, tune into the latest episode of the Pocket Gamer Podcast, where I join Will to discuss the latest developments in the gaming world.