Last week, the vibrant city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, hosted the inaugural Gamescom Latam event, a testament to the burgeoning gaming scene in Latin America and a celebration of the global gaming industry. The event was a hub of excitement, culminating in a prestigious awards ceremony in partnership with the BIG Festival, where winners were unveiled in a glamorous setting.
The awards spanned 13 categories, with finalists meticulously selected by a panel of 49 judges. A standout feature of Gamescom Latam was the interactive experience offered at the Sao Paulo Expo, where all nominees were available for attendees to play. Notably, mobile games were seamlessly integrated with PC titles, reflecting the growing significance of mobile gaming within the industry.
The "Best Mobile Game" category, which drew significant attention, was clinched by Triband ApS' innovative title, What the Car? This accolade underscores the game's unique appeal, as previously noted by our own Jupiter Hadley in her feature on under-the-radar gems. With this win, What the Car? is poised to transition from an indie favorite to a more widely recognized name in gaming circles.
While What the Car? took home the top prize, it's important to acknowledge the other nominees, each of which represents a high-quality gaming experience:
- Junkworld – Ironhide Game Studio
- Bella Pelo Mundo – Plot Kids
- An Elmwood Trail – Techyonic
- Sibel's Journey – Food for Thought Media
- Residuum Tales of Coral – Iron Games
- SPHEX – VitalN
In addition to the mobile category, the event celebrated excellence across various genres. Here are the winners in other categories:
- Game of the Year – Chants of Sennar - Rundisc
- Best Game from Latin America – Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure – Furniture & Mattress
- Best Brazilian Game – Momodora: Moonlit Farewell - Bombservice
- Best Casual Game – Station to Station – Galaxy Groove Studios
- Best Audio – Dordogne - UMANIMATION and UN JE NE SAIS QUOI
- Best Art – Harold Halibut – Slow Bros. UG.
- Best Multiplayer – Extremely Powerful Capybaras – Studio Bravarda and PM Studios
- Best Narrative – Once Upon A Jester – Bonte Avond
- Best XR/VR – Sky Climb - VRMonkey
- Best Gameplay – Pacific Drive – Ironwood Studios
- Best Pitch from Regional Game Development Associations – Dark Crown – Hyper Dive Game Studio
For those eager to dive into the award-winning What the Car?, it's readily available on the App Store via Apple Arcade. This subscription service, priced at $6.99 per month (or the equivalent in your local currency), offers a gateway to a plethora of engaging games, including this standout title. Simply click the button below to start your gaming adventure.
