Vampire Survivors and Balatro Shine at BAFTA Games Awards

The BAFTA Games Awards concluded last night, with notable victories for Balatro and Vampire Survivors. However, the absence of platform-specific categories raises questions about visibility for mobile games.

While the BAFTAs may not boast the extensive reach of Geoff Keighley's Game Awards, they arguably outshine them in prestige, if not in glitz and glamour. Despite the lack of mobile-specific categories at the BAFTA Games Awards 2024, we witnessed significant achievements from two major mobile titles from the past year.

Balatro, a captivating roguelike deckbuilder, clinched the Debut Game award. This victory has sparked a frenzy within the industry, with publishers scouring for the next potential megahit. On the other hand, Vampire Survivors, which won Best Game in 2023, was honored with the Best Evolving Game award. This is a remarkable feat, considering it competed against formidable titles like Diablo IV and Final Fantasy XIV Online.

The Absence of Mobile Categories

The BAFTA Games Awards have taken a unique approach by eliminating platform-specific accolades, a decision made in 2019. This move has continued despite significant wins by prominent mobile and multiplatform releases like Vampire Survivors and Genshin Impact.

In a past conversation with Luke Hebblethwaite, a member of the BAFTAs game team, he explained that the organization believes platform-specific categories are unnecessary, as games should compete on equal footing regardless of the platform. This perspective underscores the BAFTAs' commitment to recognizing quality over platform.

While opinions may vary, it's undeniable that Balatro and Vampire Survivors have greatly benefited from their mobile availability, expanding their reach and impact. This can be seen as a form of recognition, even without dedicated mobile categories.

In my view, the absence of mobile-specific categories at the BAFTAs is a nuanced issue. If you're interested in delving deeper into this topic and the broader world of mobile gaming, consider tuning into the latest episode of the Pocket Gamer Podcast, where I and Will discuss these matters in detail.