The BAFTA Games Awards concluded last night, celebrating some of the most impactful games of the year. Among the top winners were Balatro and Vampire Survivors, showcasing the diversity and quality of recent releases. However, the absence of platform-specific categories raises questions about visibility, especially for mobile games.

While the BAFTAs may not match the reach of Geoff Keighley's Game Awards, they hold a significant level of prestige, often considered more esteemed than the glitz and glamour of other events. The 2024 BAFTA Games Awards did not feature specific mobile categories, yet two notable mobile titles made significant impacts.

Balatro, a roguelike deckbuilder developed by Localthunk, won the Debut Game award. This victory has sparked industry-wide interest, with many publishers now on the hunt for the next big indie hit. On the other hand, Vampire Survivors, which was crowned Best Game in 2023, took home 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 adopt a unique approach by not including platform-specific awards. This decision was made back 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 compete on equal footing, regardless of the platform. This perspective aims to highlight the quality of the games themselves rather than the devices they are played on.

The success of Balatro and Vampire Survivors on mobile platforms cannot be overlooked. These games have leveraged the wide reach of mobile gaming to achieve broader recognition, suggesting that even without specific categories, mobile games can still shine on prestigious stages like the BAFTAs.

That's just my take on the situation. If you're interested in diving deeper into mobile gaming and more, don't miss the latest episode of the Pocket Gamer Podcast, where Will and I discuss these topics and more in detail.