Vampire Survivors, Balatro shine at BAFTA Games Awards

The BAFTA Games Awards concluded last night, spotlighting some remarkable winners like Balatro and Vampire Survivors. However, the absence of platform-specific categories raises questions about visibility for different gaming platforms, particularly mobile.

While the BAFTA Games Awards may not match the reach of Geoff Keighley's Game Awards, they arguably surpass it in prestige, if not in glitz and glamour. The 2024 awards did not feature specific mobile categories, yet we witnessed notable wins from major mobile releases over the past year.

Balatro, a standout roguelike deckbuilder from Localthunk, clinched the Debut Game award. This victory has sparked excitement within the industry, though it's also led to concerns that publishers are now frantically searching for the next big indie hit, which may not exist.

Vampire Survivors, which previously won Best Game in 2023, was honored with the Best Evolving Game award this year. This is a significant achievement, especially considering the competition from heavyweights like Diablo IV and Final Fantasy XIV Online.

What, No Mobile?

The BAFTA Games Awards take a distinctive approach by not featuring platform-specific accolades, a decision made back in 2019. Despite significant wins by top mobile and multiplatform titles such as Vampire Survivors and Genshin Impact, the awards format has remained consistent.

In a past conversation with Luke Hebblethwaite from the BAFTAs game team, he explained that the organization believes platform-specific categories are unnecessary because games should be evaluated on their merit regardless of the platform they're released on.

It's undeniable that mobile platforms have significantly boosted the reach of games like Balatro and Vampire Survivors. This broader exposure can be seen as a form of recognition, even if it's not through a dedicated mobile category.

These are just my thoughts, of course. If you're interested in diving deeper into mobile gaming and more, why not check out the latest episode of the Pocket Gamer Podcast, where Will and I discuss these topics and more?