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Your guide to the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2021

How to help celebrate the best of the global mobile games industry

Your guide to the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2021

With a year that's proved more than a little rough for everyone, it perhaps feels more important than usual to celebrate achievements where and when we find them. 

Magnificently, helping us go from doom to boom are the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards - the nomination process of which we heartily encourage you to join.

What are the PG Mobile Games Awards?

The Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards, which in this pandemic-affected year take place a little later than usual on Tuesday, July 20th (updated), recognise the work of the top games companies in the industry over the whole of 2020.

As you'll see below, these 22 awards represent firms spanning the whole industry, from the games developers and publishers to the tools companies, service providers, support agencies, investors and recruiters that all make this sector the largest and most pervasive in gaming.

How do I nominate and am I eligible?

To nominate your company and/or game, or to lobby on someone else’s behalf, scan the guide below to spot the awards the game and/or company is eligible for. You can lobby for a game, service, or company in as many categories as you like.

Once you’re ready, head on over to our online form which will guide you through the process: www.mobilegamesawards.com/nominate.

Please note that lobbying does not guarantee a place on the list of finalists. Oh, and the deadline for nominations is Tuesday, May 18th

What are the categories?

We get into them in proper detail further down, but if you’re after a quick glimpse, here are the categories for the fourth Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards:

  1. Pocket Gamer People's Choice
  2. Best Advertising & UA
  3. Best Analytics / Data Tool
  4. Best Developer
  5. Best GAAS Tools & Tech
  6. Best Audio/Visual Accomplishment
  7. Best Game Engine
  8. Best Storytelling
  9. Rising Star
  10. Best Tools Provider
  11. Best Games Industry Law Firm [new for 2021]
  12. Best Service Provider
  13. Best Live Ops
  14. Best QA and Localisation Service Provider
  15. Best Indie Developer
  16. Best PR / Marketing Team
  17. Best Influencer Marketing Agency [new for 2021]
  18. Investor of the Year [new for 2021]
  19. Best Publisher
  20. Best Innovation
  21. Game of the Year
  22. Mobile Legend

What happens after the lobbying phase?

Once the lobbying deadline passes, the PocketGamer.biz team whittles down the longlist to a shortlist of finalists. A panel of mobile games industry experts from across the sector then vote for what they feel is the best company or game in each category. Those who receive the most votes are named the winner of that category, which will be announced during the PG Mobile Games Awards live in July.

The Rising Star and Mobile Legend awards, which recognise industry newcomers and icons/heavyweights for their achievements and contributions to moving the mobile sector forward, will be specially chosen by the team at PocketGamer.biz/Steel Media.

When and where will the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards be held?

The Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards take place on Tuesday, July 20th 2021. 

How can I attend?

Pandemic permitting, the Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards 2021 live audience event will take place in a soon-to-be-announced central London venue. Tickets will be available to purchase via the official website: www.mobilegamesawards.com

What if I want to sponsor the event?

For sponsorship details, please email Steel Media CEO Chris James at chris@pocketgamer.co.uk.

And without further ado… here’s the full lobbying guide for the fourth Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards!

1. Pocket Gamer People’s Choice
This is the only award voted for by consumers and recognises the best new game that received a full release during the past year. This award will be open for voting through PocketGamer.co.uk, with the winner revealed on the night of the ceremony.

2. Best Advertising And UA
This accolade is for companies that support the ecosystem through enabling user acquisition or monetisation through advertising and are helping to drive this fast-growing business in games and developers to acquire more users.

3. Best Analytics Or Data Tool
Any company that supports developers and publishers develop their games and run marketing campaigns through analytics tools and/or providing data on market performance.

4. Best Developer
Any mobile games company with 11 or more staff that has released a game, or successfully grown an existing game, during the last year, as well as successfully expanded their business and made an impact on the industry through innovation, creativity and other initiatives.

5. Best GAAS Tools & Tech
This award recognises the companies that are supporting live games on the market through back-end services to ensure game servers run smoothly and help developers implement special online features.

6. Best Audio/Visual Accomplishment
This accolade is for any game pushing the boundaries of the medium through audio and/or visual accomplishments. To be eligible for this award, games must have been given a full release from January 1st 2020 onwards.

7. Best Game Engine
This award is open to third-party tech companies that provide game engines that help power mobile games development.

8. Best Storytelling
This award recognises games that show stellar writing and narrative design. To be eligible for this award, games must have been given a full release during 2020, or for titles released before this date that have received significant new content in the last year.

9. Rising Star
This special award recognises a person from any corner of the globe who has demonstrated a considerable amount of success, influence, and impact despite their relatively recent arrival within the mobile games industry.

10. Best Tools Provider
This award is open to any company providing tools for developers to help make games for mobile platforms. This does not include game engines.

11. Best Games Industry Law Firm
A brand new inclusion in this year's line-up, and one that shines the light on the legal team with the games industry's most effective, ace attorneys.

12. Best Service Provider
This award is for any third-party service provider or outsourcer that supports developers in making games, whether through art, audio, trailers, UX, or other services.

13. Best Live Ops
This award recognises the impact of significant updates, in-game events or excellent community management over the last year for games released in 2020 or before, that have helped take a game to the next level and sustain a title’s life.

14. Best QA + Localisation Service Provider
This accolade awards companies that have supported mobile games over the last year in the areas of quality assurance and localisation, ensuring that both new releases and updates go live with as few problems as possible and are localised appropriately for target markets.

15. Best Indie Developer
This accolade recognises the achievements of a team of up to 10 developers that have released a game, or successfully grown an existing game, during the last year.

17. Best Influencer Marketing Agency
Successfully connecting brands with their target audience in an age of increased digital noise is no mean feat. This new award recognises and celebrates the team that has managed its influencer outreach better than its competitors.

16. Best PR / Marketing Team
This award recognises the best third-party PR agency or internal marketing team that has created campaigns fueling the growth of games over the last year. This can be through any medium, including online, TV or other.

18. Investor of the Year
Another new category for 2021, which aims to showcase either an investor or investment within the mobile games industry that has played a vital role in the success and growth of a company.

19. Best Publisher
Any company that has supported another developer in releasing a game on mobile devices during the last year, whether through publishing support, marketing, co-development or investment.

20. Best Innovation
Any developer, or technology company that is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on mobile devices through a new technology, be it hardware or software. This can be an innovative tool or service, or unique use of technology that benefits the industry as a whole.

21. Game of the Year
This award recognises the best mobile game released last year based on creativity, innovation and success. To be eligible for this award, games must have been given a full release during 2020.

22. Mobile Legend
This special lifetime achievement award recognises a person from anywhere in the world who has achieved a considerable amount of success in their career and has acted as a pioneer in the mobile games space.

The Mobile Legend is a special award to recognise an outstanding contribution to the mobile games industry selected directly by the organisation committee of the PG Mobile Games Awards.

Submissions now open at www.mobilegamesawards.com - see you on July 20th 2021!