From games to productivity and even immersive experiences, there’s something for everybody in the App Store 2 — a feat celebrated annually with Apple’s App Store Awards, recognising the talented developers who have crafted outstanding experiences across the apps on the platform.
This year, 17 winners were chosen from 45 finalists across 12 different categories for excellent user experience, design, and innovation. “We are thrilled to honour this impressive group of developers who are harnessing the power of Apple devices and technology to deliver experiences that enrich the lives of users and have a profound impact on their communities,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “The remarkable achievements of this year’s winners demonstrate the incredible ingenuity that can be unlocked through apps.”
Asian representation is also strong this year, with India’s Raja V clinching an award for Apple Watch App of the Year with Lumy, China’s Farlight Games earning iPhone Game of the Year for AFK Journey and Taiwan’s Gamtropy Co., Ltd winning an award for Cultural Impact with Do You Really Want to Know? 2.
Here are the 17 winners of the Apple App Store Awards 2024, spanning across games, apps and cultural impact categories.
Games
- iPhone Game of the Year: AFK Journey (Farlight Games)
- iPad Game of the Year: Squad Busters (Supercell)
- Mac Game of the Year: Thank Goodness You’re Here! (Panic, Inc)
- Apple Vision Pro Game of the Year: THRASHER: Arcade Odyssey (Puddle, LLC)
- Apple Arcade Game of the Year: Balatro+ (Playstack Ltd)
Expanding upon the universe created by Lilith Games’ 2019 mobile title AFK Arena, Farlight Games’ AFK Journey is a captivating fantasy adventure that combines its unique storybook art style with addictive idle RPG gameplay and a rich storyline. This year also marks the introduction of the Apple Vision Pro category, recognising the immersive experiences that push the boundaries of virtual and mixed reality. THRASHER: Arcade Odyssey by Puddle, LLC secures the title of Game of the Year for the platform with its vibrant, cosmic world and visceral audiovisual experience.
Apps
- iPhone App of the Year: Kino (Lux Optics Inc)
- iPad App of the Year: Moises (Moises Systems Inc)
- Mac App of the Year: Adobe Lightroom (Adobe Inc)
- Apple Vision Pro App of the Year: What If…? An Immersive Story (Disney)
- Apple Watch App of the Year: Lumy (Raja V)
- Apple TV App of the Year: F1 TV (Formula One Digital Media Limited)
Earning the title of Apple Watch App of the Year is Lumy by Raja V, which tracks the movements of the sun to allow for efficient planning of outdoor activities, from planning the perfect golden hour Instagram shot to checking weather forecasts for the week. Meanwhile, Adobe Lightroom continues to innovate in the photo editing scene, incorporating AI assistance to give photos a professional touch, while Disney’s What If…? An Immersive Story brings the beloved animated series to life and transports players into the otherworldly universe of mixed reality.
Cultural Impact Winners
- Oko (AYES BV)
- EF Hello (Signum International AG)
- DailyArt (Zuzanna Stanska)
- NYT Games (The New York Times Company)
- The Wreck (The Pixel Hunt)
- Do You Really Want to Know? 2 (Gamtropy Co., Ltd.)
In addition to recognising games and applications for creative innovation, Apple also honours the games that have a lasting impact on the community and champion accessibility. Do You Really Want to Know? 2, a text adventure game by Gamtropy Co., Ltd, does just that by bringing light to the nuances of living with HIV, educating the general public about a sensitive subject while offering the resources needed to navigate conversations. Similarly, Oko by AYES BV provides an AI-driven navigation tool to assist visually impaired users in navigating their environment with confidence.
As technologies advance, there’s no doubt that developers will continue to push the boundaries by crafting not only visually stunning and engaging experiences on the App Store, but also tools designed to meet the wide range of needs of the public to foster an accessible, inclusive society. There’s virtually no limit to creativity, and the future seems bright for next year’s iteration of the Apple App Store Awards.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
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