Balatro and Infinity Nikki Win Big at 2025 Apple Design Awards

image: Balatro and Infinity Nikki

Apple has announced the winners of its 2025 Apple Design Awards, recognizing some of the most creative and technically impressive apps and games developed across its platforms. Among the standout winners this year are Infinity Nikki by Infold Games and Balatro by LocalThunk, both taking home awards for their unique approaches to game design and visuals.

Infinity Nikki received the award in the Visuals and Graphics category. Developed by Singapore-based Infold Games, the game impressed Apple for its detailed, open-world graphics and its innovative focus on collecting clothes instead of weapons—offering a fresh take on exploration-based gameplay. The game runs on Unreal Engine 5 and is recognized as the world’s first cross-platform open-world title built using this advanced engine.

At the award ceremony, Infold Games founder Yao Runhao was present to accept the award. Apple praised the game as “lavish yet cozy,” and a prime example of what mobile graphics are capable of in 2025. During its global beta phase, the game earned a 9/10 rating from IGN, which called it “deep open-world exploration” with “some of the most beautiful in-game outfits you’ll ever see.” The game also achieved a Metacritic score of 80, based on reviews from nearly 30 international media outlets.

However, Infinity Nikki has recently faced backlash following its Version 1.5 update in late April. According to player feedback, the update introduced several technical issues such as game crashes, login problems, and lag across platforms. It also altered key story elements, which many long-time fans felt weakened the emotional connection to the narrative. The monetization model also changed, introducing expensive limited-time outfits and features seen by some as “pay-to-win.” These changes led to a wave of negative reviews and a significant drop in the game’s Steam rating.

In response, Infold Games issued a public apology, delayed Version 1.6 by a week to address stability issues, and provided in-game compensation such as Diamonds and event rewards. While some players welcomed the improvements in the new update released on June 12, others remained cautious about the studio’s future direction.

Meanwhile, Balatro, developed by Canadian solo developer LocalThunk, won in the Delight and Fun category. The poker-themed roguelike deck-building game was praised for its clever mechanics, simple yet deep gameplay, and retro pixel art style. Released in February 2024 and later on mobile in September, Balatro has sold over 5 million copies and gained critical acclaim, including Game of the Year at the 25th Game Developers Choice Awards.

Balatro mixes standard poker hands with roguelike structure, where players use Joker cards and other modifiers to boost their scores and progress through increasingly difficult rounds. The game's complexity is deepened by over 150 unique Jokers, along with tarot, planet, and spectral cards that allow players to create unexpected and powerful synergies.

Despite being poker-themed, Balatro carefully avoids gambling mechanics. The developer, who reportedly doesn’t play poker himself, ensured that money resets every run and included no real gambling features. Even after concerns over its initial 18+ PEGI rating, the rating was recently revised to PEGI 12 following appeals.

Full List of 2025 Apple Design Award Winners

Delight and Fun

• App: CapWords by HappyPlan Tech (China) – A playful language-learning app that turns real-world objects into interactive vocabulary tools.

• Game: Balatro by LocalThunk (Canada) – A hit roguelike deck-builder that combines poker mechanics with clever strategy.

Innovation

• App: Play by Rabbit 3 Times (USA) – A sleek prototyping tool built with SwiftUI, optimized for seamless cross-device collaboration.

• Game: PBJ – The Musical by Philipp Stollenmayer (Germany) – A quirky, rhythm-based narrative game retelling Romeo and Juliet using condiments.

Interaction

• App: Taobao by Zhejiang Taobao Network (China) – A visually rich shopping experience on Apple Vision Pro with detailed 3D product models.

• Game: DREDGE by Black Salt Games (New Zealand) – A narrative-driven adventure with refined controls and a mysterious fishing world.

Inclusivity

• App: Speechify by Speechify (USA) – A text-to-speech app supporting over 50 languages and accessibility features like VoiceOver and Dynamic Type.

• Game: Art of Fauna by Klemens Strasser (Austria) – A nature-themed puzzle game with inclusive design and full VoiceOver support.

Social Impact

• App: Watch Duty by Sherwood Forestry Service (USA) – A real-time wildfire tracking app offering essential updates for residents in fire-prone regions.

• Game: Neva by Devolver Digital (USA) – A poignant adventure exploring environmental themes through a journey of a girl and her wolf companion.

Visuals and Graphics

• App: Feather: Draw in 3D by Sketchsoft (South Korea) – A creative tool for transforming 2D drawings into 3D models with Apple Pencil support.

• Game: Infinity Nikki by Infold Games (Singapore) – A visually spectacular open-world fashion adventure with magical environments and detailed animations.

Apple’s Vice President of Worldwide Developer Relations, Susan Prescott, praised the winners, stating, “Developers continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, creating apps and games that are not only beautifully designed but also deeply impactful. We’re excited to celebrate this incredible group at WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference).”

For a full list of finalists and to learn more about the Apple Design Awards, visit Apple’s official website.