PocketGamer.biz opens Top 50 Mobile Game Makers nominations ahead of October reveal

Nominations remain open for PocketGamer.biz's 2026 Top 50 Mobile Game Makers, giving developers and publishers worldwide an opportunity to be considered for the annual industry ranking. The list focuses specifically on companies creating and publishing mobile games rather than middleware, advertising or service providers. Criteria include commercial performance, quality and quantity of releases, innovation, cultural impact and future potential.

Public nominations remain open until August 31, with the final Top 50 scheduled for presentation during Pocket Gamer Connects Nordics in Helsinki on October 20 and 21. Rankings like this are increasingly useful because the mobile industry is geographically fragmented. Studios capable of generating major revenue in Türkiye, China, Japan, South Korea or the Middle East may still receive comparatively little attention in Western mainstream games coverage.

The 2026 edition will also arrive during a period of major structural change around direct-to-consumer payments, rising user-acquisition costs and cross-platform development. Developers have another eleven days to submit nominations before the editorial selection process moves into its next phase.