Where’s mobile on the BAFTA longlist?

As we come to the end of the year, plenty of places are publishing their annual “best of” lists. And for gaming journals, news sites and more, that’s going to be their top picks of 2023. But, we did notice a few things about one of the lists being published by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) - in particular the amount, or lack thereof, of mobile games.

2023 has certainly been a tremendously stacked year for gaming in general. Whether it’s the mega-hit of Baldur’s Gate 3, indie darling Lethal Company, rhythm action platformer Hi-Fi Rush or even the final form of CDPR’s massively controversial Cyberpunk 2077. But out of 60 games, the BAFTAs have only four mobile titles in total - with two of those being perennial favourites Genshin Impact and Fortnite, and space exploration game No Man’s Sky being incorrectly marked as mobile.

In a year stacked with big hits, it’s a shame to see the long list lacking some top picks for mobile…

Moving on from mobile?

The BAFTA longlist is not an awards list in and of itself, of course. Rather, it’s the list from which the BAFTAs will then select their top picks next year. And there are undeniably a lot of worthy contenders, but as we noted, not many from mobile.

Now, that’s not to say the BAFTAs are at all ignorant of mobile gaming, far from it in fact! Earlier this year, over on PocketGamer.biz we got the chance to speak with Luke Hebblethwaite, who explained the BAFTAs' reasoning behind eschewing a specific mobile category in their awards ceremony for games…

“[For example] Monument Valley is an outstanding game and well deserving of the BAFTA it won [Best British Game in 2014] and it’s perfectly formed on a mobile device, Genshin Impact is able to stand out across multiple platforms, we don’t want to separate those things from the inherent nature of those games.”

All very fair from an artistic point of view. But for many hoping to see the best of mobile highlighted, the list may be a bit of a disappointment. With some unusual picks like the interactive documentary “The Making of Karateka” making the cut for consideration, it’s not hard to think that mobile is conspicuous by its absence.

At a time when there’s been some widespread controversy over picks for categories at events such as The Game Awards. With the supposed indie title Dave the Diver being hotly debated for inclusion due to it being published by gaming giant Nexon. It can’t escape notice that some games, such as mobile titles, are being somewhat overlooked when it comes to broad lists like what BAFTA publishes.

That’s not to make even the slightest comparison between the BAFTAs and heavily commercial events like The Game Awards. In the UK especially, the work the BAFTAs have done to integrate games has been monumental and should very much be respected. But while some, like our editor-in-chief Dann Sullivan, believe a platform-agnostic, ‘single screen singularity’ where mobile-first titles sit alongside AAA console releases is not far away, it’s certainly not here yet.

You only need to look as far as PocketGamer.com’s own awards to see that there is a myriad of games on mobile worth pointing out and praising for their design and contributions to the gaming landscape, but many more besides that may not be the most popular but have value that we simply aren’t able to include. Naturally, there’s the old chestnut that lumps all mobile titles in with the money-gouging time-killers, unworthy of consideration…but to that, we would have to ask “If we don’t encourage games that break the mould, what’s the incentive for developers to try to?”

Case in point

For example, consider Baldur’s Gate 3. A breakout hit on PC and console, and one from a genre few would expect to produce this kind of game. The CRPG (computer roleplaying game) has long since fallen from the best-sellers list - despite dedicated developers and enthusiasts keeping the genre alive - but what Larian Studios did with BG3 is prove that this format is far from dead in terms of mainstream commercial success, and has reminded both press and audiences that the genre can produce spectacularly artistic, fun and exciting games.

Suitably, then, we’re seeing many outlets championing the cause of more games like Baldur’s Gate 3. And this influence can’t be understated, because the next time someone tries to pitch a CRPG they can simply point to this kind of coverage, this type of praise and say “See, we know this CAN sell, and if we do it right it WILL sell, and it WILL win awards if we do it properly.”

And while we’d never downplay the importance of our awards, we’re only one outlet, and we’re covering for an audience already invested in mobile gaming. If mobile could work in tandem with institutions that can garner more mainstream attention, like BAFTA, it could highlight truly spectacular games.

More mobile, please

Now, instead of going fully knives-out, we should clarify that the behind-the-scenes decision-making at the BAFTAs is something we’re not privy to. And there are plenty of amazing titles, such as Baldur’s Gate 3 and Hi-Fi Rush, that we highlighted in the introduction which have made the list. The BAFTAs do draw on thousands of contributors to create an exhaustive list, so it’s a shame more didn’t choose to highlight their favourites from the device that every gamer likely has in their hand or pocket.

But, in short, at a time when mobile is still relegated to being a product more than a piece of art, the role of groups like the BAFTAs to highlight those that take a risk is crucial to providing studios and developers who might otherwise fall by the wayside with visibility. That’s not to say our own can lay claim to that kind of lofty goal, but in covering the entire industry there’s a need to highlight the biggest and the best that most readers will know.

The BAFTAs do have an opportunity to highlight the largest platform in gaming. And within that platform there are hundreds, thousands even, of great games that won't make the kind of massive profits brought in by big players like Supercell or Rovio, but are just as worthy of attention, the kind which the BAFTAs could bring them.

And if we look at the mobile gaming landscape there’s plenty to consider. Just look at Apple Arcade or Netflix Games if you need titles that don’t feature any of the common sticking points such as in-app purchases or adverts. Terra Nil, one mobile addition to the BAFTA list itself, is uniquely available via Netflix’s service, allowing a whole new segment of players access to it.

This is especially vital when you consider recent reports that indicate almost half of mobile games in development get the axe, and more than 83% don’t even last three years. At a time when turnaround and profits are put ahead of player experience, being able to show a different way should be a top priority for institutions that have cultural sway over players and decision-makers alike.

And, if after this, you're still not sure of some mobile games to include, we're right here.