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Pocket Gamer Awards 2021

Published

4 years ago

March 17, 2021

Reading Time: 4 minutes

PocketGamer.com – the leading and longest-running site for mobile gamers – 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 are sponsored by RedMagic.

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 Pocket Gamer 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.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

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. 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.”

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

Launched by Steel Media, Pocket Gamer has been delivering news, reviews, tips, guides and features that inform and entertain mobile and handheld gamers since 2006.

Enthusiast Gaming, the largest gaming network in North America, has owned Steel Media and Pocket Gamer since 2019. Since 2020, Pocket Gamer has hosted quarterly LaunchPad online events celebrating new and updated mobile games to an audience of three million viewers on Twitch.

For more information, visit https://www.pocketgamer.com/pgawards2021/ now. A recording of the Pocket Gamer Awards ceremony will be available soon on the site and also on the official YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/PocketGamerVideo/videos.

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

Additional Quotes

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.”

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!”

Anna Mackney Head of Regional Sales US at Play’n GO

Play’n GO announce US network release of hit title Piggy Blitz Disco Gold

Published

10 hours ago

February 6, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

play’n-go-announce-us-network-release-of-hit-title-piggy-blitz-disco-gold

Following period of exclusivity with DraftKings and Golden Nugget, smash-hit Play’n GO title is now available in five US states

Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, has announced the general US network release of its hit title, Piggy Blitz Disco Gold.

Piggy Blitz Disco Gold is a sequel to Piggy Blitz, and was just one Play’n GO title that took the US by storm in 2024. Piggy Blitz Disco Gold sees the piggies move from breaking piggy banks to busting disco moves on the dance floor in a bid to collect Cash Coins and pile up Instant Rewards in a high-stakes dance-off.

The game had been exclusively available with DraftKings and Golden Nugget in the states of Michigan, New Jersey, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut until February 5th, but is now available to all operators in those aforementioned states.

Anna Mackney, Head of Regional Sales US at Play’n GO added ��Piggy Blitz has been one of our biggest successes in the US, and it’s exciting to welcome its sequel, Piggy Blitz Disco Gold, to our wider US network. The game has been a revelation in its exclusivity period with DraftKings and Golden Nugget, much like its predecessor, and we have similarly high expectations for the sequel now it’s available to an even larger audience. .”

The post Play’n GO announce US network release of hit title Piggy Blitz Disco Gold appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Canada

CasinoCanada Started a New Partnership With Ocean Spin by LaLa Stars

Published

11 hours ago

February 6, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

casinocanada-started-a-new-partnership-with-ocean-spin-by-lala-stars

CasinoCanada, the number one gambling guide for players in Canada, is thrilled to announce its new partnership with Ocean Spin a brand under the umbrella of LaLa Stars.

This collaboration marks an exciting step in CasinoCanada’s mission to provide its audience with the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on top gaming experiences.

The partnership agreement will grant LaLa Stars premium visibility across high-traffic sections of CasinoCanada’s website, which has been a trusted source for Canadian players for over 20 years.

LaLa Stars presents itself as an affiliate program that generates double-digit profits by making it easy and enjoyable to promote the brands. The program features a memorable design, a player-centric retention system, top-tier payment options, and game providers. Fast payments, flexible commission models, high-converting brands, powerful reporting, no middlemen, and outstanding conversion make LaLa Stars a popular choice. Additional company benefits are: a revenue share of up to 60%, a CPA of up to €500, hybrid CPA.

Ocean Spin Casino, a brand of LaLa Stars company, despite being quite new on the iGaming market, is a huge online gambling platform where all casino newcomers are greeted with a welcome bonus of 100% for up to €500, and 200 free spins plus one Bonus Crab. It comes as a first deposit bonus for a minimum deposit amount of €20. Sports-betting enthusiasts can also claim a welcome bonus of 100% for up to €100.

Ocean Spin Casino’s games include: gaming machines, roulette blackjack, betting, video poker, bingo, baccarat, jackpot games, and live games.

“We are excited to meet our new partner Ocean Spin Casino, and hope to bring maximum use and value to our community,” said Aleksandra Drigo, Sales Director at CasinoCanada. “This partnership perfectly reflects our dedication to highlighting the best in the gaming industry while offering our audience valuable insights and chances to experience top-notch gaming. We hope for a productive and long-term partnership!”

The partnership is now live, featuring LaLa Stars reviews and exclusive offers on the CasinoCanada website. This collaboration is set to deliver even more thrilling updates, exclusive content, and personalized promotions for the Canadian gambling community.

The post CasinoCanada Started a New Partnership With Ocean Spin by LaLa Stars appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Gaming

Portside Game Assembly: Studios behind Dead Cells, Dungeon Clawler, Dorfromantik, Blasphemous on board and ticket sales for brunch and party launched

Published

12 hours ago

February 6, 2025

George Miller

portside-game-assembly:-studios-behind-dead-cells,-dungeon-clawler,-dorfromantik,-blasphemous-on-board-and-ticket-sales-for-brunch-and-party-launched

Reading Time: 2 minutes

With Portside Game Assembly, Gamecity Hamburg is welcoming studio heads and directors from successful indie game studios on a conference ship and other extraordinary locations in Hamburg on June 27. Benjamin Laulan, Co-Founder of Evil Empire, (Dead Cells, The Rogue Prince of Persia) will give a keynote on the Triple-i Initiative started by the French studio. At the Triple-i Showcase 2024, over 30 “iii games” were announced in 45 minutes, and 150,000 views were achieved on YouTube alone. Further speaker on board is Philomena Schwab, Founder of Stray Fawn Studio (Dungeon Clawler, The Wandering Village).

Portside Game Assembly celebrates its premiere as B2B-conference for international indie game leaders on June 27. There will be no direct ticket sales for the conference; instead, a curated list of participants will ensure that only studio heads and decision makers attend the conference on board a ship sailing through the port of Hamburg.

At the same time, the Networking Brunch and the Games Industry Party are open as networking events for interested contacts from the games industry to bring platform holders, publishers, and game companies into contact with the international conference participants. Studio leads from Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, France, Spain, Canada, the USA, and Germany are already on board for the conference.

Portside Game Assembly is set to be a platform for decision makers and studio leads to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and face the challenges of the games industry through collaboration.

As the first announced talk of the conference, Benjamin Laulan (Co-Founder of Evil Empire) will present a keynote on the Triple-i Initiative and how to create your own announcement space and talk directly to your audience when you can’t really relate to other existing showcases. In addition, Philomena Schwab (Founder of Stray Fawn Studio & Publishing) will give a short talk about ways for game idea validation.

The program of the Portside Game Assembly will consist of keynotes, short talks, and roundtables.

Selection of already confirmed participants: