PocketGamer.com – the leading and longest-running site for mobile gamers – have revealed the winners of this year’s Pocket Gamer Awards. The top game of the year prize went to Genshin Impact, whilst Rovio’s seminal Angry Birds picked up the prestigious Hall Of Fame gong.

Other winners across the 16 categories included platform games like Little Orpheus, hypercasual titles like Clusterduck, big-name RPGs like Knighthood and AAA franchises like Pokemon and Call Of Duty. Riot Games, famous for League Of Legends, picked up the best developer category. The full list of winners is below. This year, the Pocket Gamer Awards were sponsored by RedMagic.

The Winners

• Best Platform Game: Little Orpheus
• Best Simulation Game: Transport City: Truck Tycoon
• Best Sports Game: Retro Bowl
• Best Game Narrative: There Is No Game: Wrong Dimension
• Best ‘Quick Play’ Game: Clusterduck
• Best Mobile Conversion: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
• Best Apple Arcade Game: Alba: A Wildlife Adventure
• Best Educational Game: Dish Life: The Game
• Best Strategy Game: Company of Heroes
• Best RPG: Knighthood
• Most Innovative Game: HoloVista
• Best Gaming Accessory: Razer Kishi Controller
• Best Gaming Tablet: Apple iPad Pro
• Best Battle Royale Game: Garena Free Fire
• Best AR Game: LEGO Hidden Side
• Best Puzzle Game: Pokemon Cafe Mix
• Best Racing Game: Dirt Bike Unchained
• Best Google Play Pass Game: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
• Best Mobile Publisher: Garena
• Best Action Game: Pascal’s Wager
• Best Digital Board Game: The Game of Life 2
• Best Gaming Phone: Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
• Best Multiplayer Game: EVE Echoes
• Best Shooter: Warface: Global Operations
• Best Game We’re Still Playing: Call of Duty Mobile
• Best Mobile Developer: Riot Games
• Hall Of Fame: Angry Birds
• Mobile Game of the Year: Genshin Impact

The award ceremony itself took place on 16th March 2021, on Twitch and PocketGamer.com and broadcast across YouTube and the Enthusiast Gaming network of sites.

The Pocket Gamer Awards are a celebration of the best in mobile games. Organised and hosted by industry experts but voted on by gamers themselves, the Awards reward the passion and effort that developers pour into making games. Over 350,000 votes were cast in the last two months, a phenomenal outpouring of love for the best iOS and Android games of the last 12 months.

A new Hall Of Fame category celebrates landmark titles that have had a major impact on the mobile games industry over the years. It’s the only category picked by the editorial experts rather than put to a public vote and Angry Birds, Rovio’s classic franchise first launched in 2009, is the first recipient.

Editor of PocketGamer.com, Dann Sullivan, said of Angry Birds: “No IP has done more for mobile games than Angry Birds, and while we might remember it as a lightning-strike for touch controls, over the years Rovio’s flagship franchise forged the way into social gaming and was one of the first mobile games to pioneer major licensing deals in the mobile space. The birds have also had more movies and TV episodes than Mario and Sonic combined.”

Sullivan continued: “While some of these milestones might not have anything to do with the small touchscreen, it’s impossible to deny that Rovio’s Red & Co managed to become a cultural powerhouse, and played a critical role in getting mobile gaming to where it is today.”

Editor of PocketGamer.com, Dann Sullivan, added: “We’re overjoyed with the reaction from the fans in the voting process. Just looking at the sheer variety of games that have been championed by their players and communities really cements how diverse and rapidly-evolving the mobile games sphere is. The development speed and growth of the mobile games industry is truly amazing – every year is a milestone year, as can be seen from the amazing selection of winners.”

Chris James, CEO of Steel Media, said: “We’re genuinely thrilled by how many people voted in this year’s awards, and how many tuned in to watch the ceremony streamed live. When we launched Pocket Gamer 15 years ago, mobile gaming was still niche. But now – thanks to the success of games like Hall Of Fame inductee Angry Birds – mobile is THE dominant force in the games industry. Over the last 12 months, iOS and Android titles saw further huge surges in popularity as people hunted for experiences to keep them occupied during lockdown. And the quality has never been higher. Games like Genshin Impact prove that the device in your pocket can match the addictiveness and playability of the best consoles have to offer.”

• For more information, visit pocketgamer.com/pgawards2021. A recording of the Pocket Gamer Awards ceremony will be available soon on the site and also on the official YouTube channel

James added: “As well as celebrating the best of the current crop of games, we’re always on the lookout for the next generation of blockbuster mobile titles. That’s why we’ve invented activities like the Big Indie Pitch and Pocket Gamer LaunchPad to champion new arrivals. So if you want to get an inside track on the next hidden gaming gem in 2021, there’s really nowhere else to go!”

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.

Categories: downthetubes News, Games, Other Worlds

Tags: Angry Birds, downthetubes News, Genshin Impact, Pocket Gamer Awards