It feels like an age since we began hosting digital pitches in response to the global situation. However, despite the circumstances that necessitated this move, our digital pitches have only gone from strength to strength, allowing us to host an ever-increasing range of diverse brand new gaming experiences from some of the world's most exciting indie developers.

Most recently that meant hosting The Big Indie Pitch as a part of the second Pocket Gamer Connects Digital conference, a conference that welcomed over 1,400 virtual visitors representing almost 680 companies and 68 countries from across the globe. 

Once again, the demand was high for these pitches, with this meaning that the quality was as strong as ever. All in all, this meant that we were still able to bring together 15 of the most exciting mobile developers from all over the world to showcase their latest works to some of our most established judges and journalists.

Given the amazing talent we had just waiting for an opportunity, this meant that there was lots of feedback from the judges, and an equal amount of positivity in the voting. Nevertheless, three games rose to the top, with the winner, Xigma Games' The Bonfire 2: Uncharted Shores, gaining just short of the maximum available votes. A fantastic achievement within The Big Indie Pitch.

For those not in the know, The Big Indie Pitch is a regular event run by the makers of PocketGamer.biz. It gives indie developers the chance to pitch their games to industry experts and journalists in a speed-dating-style format. Teams get the opportunity to get valuable feedback on their games, as well as win great prizes such as promotional packages and, more importantly, the coveted Big Indie Pitch bat.

Of course, The Bonfire 2: Uncharted Shores, as you already know, was the winner, but we always award prizes for the top three. So read on to not only find out more about The Bonfire 2: Uncharted Shores but also our runners-up from The Big Indie Pitch at Pocket Gamer Connects Digital #2 sponsored by Kwalee and TastyPill.

1st Place - The Bonfire 2: Uncharted Shores by Xigma Games

The Bonfire 2: Uncharted Shores is the sequel to the award-winning The Bonfire: Forsaken Lands. In this sequel, players will have to build, craft, and explore in order to help their settlement to both thrive and ultimately survive.

Of course, in the process of achieving this, you'll be given full control of your settlement, including the ability to design the city to your preferences, manage resource chains, send your workers out on jobs and create industries, along with sailing out for new shores to trade with other settlements and explore uncharted territory. Finally, there will also be the opportunity to uncover the secrets of a long lost civilisation.

On top of the engrossing gameplay, the game looks absolutely stunning, whilst also being accessible and easy to understand. As such, this makes it an easy jump-in game for beginners to the strategy genre, whilst also welcoming veterans with open arms. All in all, The Bonfire 2 is a strategy game all about survival and prosperity through achievement. In many ways, it's also a game about the strength of humanity.

2nd Place - Super Nova Boy by Waken Games

Super Nova Boy is a bright, colourful, and inviting maze runner. One in which players step into the shoes of the titular character Super Nova Boy as he navigates an alien planet in a quest to and rescue the ancient Elemental beings and stop the evil black hole, Collossavoid, from devouring the universe.

Gameplay takes the form of fast and frantic 2D puzzle action. One that blends maze running, with collecting and puzzle-solving. It's a unique mix and one that hides a deep and complex amount of gameplay that is both inviting and challenging at the same time. Of course, on top of this, the game also features power-ups, boss battles, and an inviting cute and polished presentation.

3rd Place - Ready Set Goat by Subpixel

In Subpixel players will be challenged with taking down wave after wave of dastardly enemies known as Creeps. You see, this is because these Creeps are causing all manner of trouble in the serene mountain wilderness that is also the home to the mountain goat and its peaceful existence. So, what else is there left to do than to send them back to where they came from.

To achieve this, Ready Set Goat utilises a one-button gameplay mechanic that is both a homage to the game's retro game roots whilst also being a mechanic that optimises a mobile-centric audience. Of course though, as with any good mobile game, our heroic goat's task isn't going to be as simple as it seems thanks to challenging gameplay and the increasingly complex enemies faced.

Want to show off your exciting new game? We host Big Indie Pitch events throughout the year, so be sure to keep an eye on our events page for an event near you.

Upcoming BIPs include:

• July 15th - The Digital Big Indie Pitch (Mobile Edition) #2

Plus the rest of our 2020 digital season to be announced in the coming weeks. So make sure to regularly check our upcoming events page here and over on BigIndiePitch.com.