An open letter asserts that the mobile game development sector is "overlooked," as the industry views it as a realm of "exploitative monetization and subpar quality"

Christian Lövstedt, who serves as the CEO of Midjiwan AB, has issued an open letter directed at the "global games industry," highlighting that mobile games and their developers are frequently "overlooked."

In a message shared on LinkedIn, Lövstedt emphasized that "mobile [gaming] constitutes one of the most played and lucrative segments in gaming, currently making up 55% of the global gaming market." However, he pointed out it is often ignored due to perceptions of it being associated with "predatory monetization and low quality."

This commentary follows the announcement of BAFTA's game longlist earlier this week, with Monumental Valley 3 standing as the sole mobile-first title to be "listed."

Lövstedt remarked, "D.I.C.E., one of the few award bodies recognizing mobile gaming, has only twice nominated a mobile game for Game of the Year: Angry Birds HD and Pokémon Go. These were the only instances where a dedicated game awards organization acknowledged them, despite their significant commercial and cultural influence," expressing concern that when BAFTA eliminated platform-specific awards, "mobile games were almost entirely ignored as a result."

He added, "Awards and media play a crucial role in determining what is deemed culturally or creatively significant."

"Innovation should be celebrated in all its forms. Creativity deserves recognition no matter where players experience it. Acknowledging the future of the industry means paying attention to the platform that is shaping it."

"The future of gaming rests in the industry's hands. It can either embrace its largest and most dynamic platform or persist in valuing a narrowing scope of what defines 'real gaming.'" he concluded.