Awards recognition "important for mobile’s reputation in the gaming community"

• Christian Lövstedt believes mobile's history with predatory and ad-ridden games has negatively impacted its reputation.

Last week industry debate stirred once again on the topic of the lack of recognition given to mobile games at awards shows. Specifically around The Game Awards - which did have a Mobile category - and the 2025 BAFTA Games Awards longlist.

Midjiwan CEO Christian Lövstedt, whose studio develops the popular strategy game Battle of Polytopia, wrote an open letter titled “the games industry is biased, it is time to fix that”, calling out the world’s most prestigious gaming award events.

PocketGamer.biz followed up with Lövstedt to get more insight into the issue, why he thinks mobile games are ignored, and if the industry can do more about it.

“Recognition is important for mobile’s reputation in the gaming community,” says Lövstedt.

“Mobile platforms have an issue with predatory and ad-ridden games. But, plenty of fantastic mobile-only games also on the platform get lumped into the same group.

“Players and awards bodies perhaps see a free-to-play game and immediately assume its poor quality. If we as an industry could highlight high quality mobile games in the same way as console and PC games, we can slowly change the reputation mobile has. Or at the very least break down the assumptions that many consumers have rightly developed.”

He adds: "Console and PC stores also have many games that are filled with bad monetisation practices or designed to rip people off. The Nintendo eShop and Steam in particular have reputations for having a lot of shovelware. But, many players don’t judge the entire platforms based on this, a courtesy that doesn’t get afforded to mobile."

Reputational change

One of Lövstedt’s claims is that the exclusion of mobile games sends a message to developers, publishers and investors that mobile is “not a place for ambition and artistry”. That narrative, he says, impacts hiring, funding and who gets the spotlight on stage.

Given the mobile games market is fueled by user acquisition and operates with differing marketing strategies from the sector’s console and PC counterparts, does a lack of awards recognition really impact studios’ investment prospects?

“Both players and developers love the award shows,” says Lövstedt. “They can help bring new games to a wider audience and give accolades to developers and studios that they can show-off as a sign of success. 

“Even just being nominated for an award can be very helpful when looking for investors and business partners, as it acts as a quick way to say ‘we can make high-quality and impactful games’.”

Lövstedt acknowledged that during the recently announced BAFTA Games Awards longlist, 11 games are available on mobile - though noted only Monument Valley 3 was mobile-first. At The Game Awards, mobile had its own category, while Mobile Legends: Bang Bang was in the esports category, and Wuthering Waves, available across platforms, won the Players’ Voice award.

“All of these games are popular and it’s good to see them nominated,” says Lövstedt.

“However, many of them are mobile games that are developed by big publishers, or with existing IP that come from the console and PC space. I do wonder how much that played a role in getting them noticed and put up for nomination.”

Asked which games he’d like to have seen receive some recognition, Lövstedt highlights titles such as What the Clash?, Battle Cars: Nitro PvP Shooter, TownsFolk and his personal game of the year: Grand Mountain Adventure.

If you don't ask...

While the debate on the lack of mobile game recognition has often centred on awards show organisers, developers and publishers in the space perhaps don’t court the accolades like their peers on other platforms. BAFTA, for example, is open to nominations and asks developers to lobby for an award - though it does charge a fee for doing so.

“With so many games out there, I can imagine that a lot of the decision makers at these shows are just simply not aware of all the great mobile games,” says Lövstedt.

“That’s why we frequently only see mobile games from recognised IP, or games that are also on console and PC. So I think mobile game companies need to get more involved to get their games acknowledged, and the industry decision makers for these awards need to actively look at the mobile industry more.”

Looking ahead, Lövstedt doesn’t believe much will change in the next year unless mobile developers and influential industry figures rally together to force a change. 

“But I do have hopes that we will see a gradual change take place,” he states. 

“A decade ago, when many of these award shows were starting up or first acknowledging games as an art form, many indie developers struggled to get noticed. It was a big deal when Celeste got nominated for Game of the Year at the 2018 game awards. 

“Now, it’s expected that at least one indie game hits that same level each year, like Balatro in 2024 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 this year.”

See mobile games get some recognition at the 12th Pocket Gamer Awards. The winners will be announced in January 2026.

You can also check out the winners of the industry-voted Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2025 here.