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The latest and most interesting mobile games in soft launch. [UPDATE]

The latest and most interesting mobile games in soft launch. [UPDATE]

Last checked; October 9 2023

Developers and publishers alike champion the need for thorough design documents at every stage of the development cycle, but it all counts for nothing if the players don't want to, well... play!

Now a near-essential part of the modern games-as-a-service approach, the soft launch process provides game creators with actionable data based on the responses of an engaged and often well-informed audience. Somewhere between beta and live status, a soft launch gives a window for feedback, revisions and improvements with the aim of producing the most polished end product at time of release.

Some titles just need a fine-tune for meta-game mechanics such as time gates, in-game resources and psychological components, while others see devs go back to the drawing board and start over.

In this regular feature, we add the most interesting new soft launches for you to keep an eye on - or even try for yourself - as you look for learnings and inspiration that could inform your own development journey.

If you've got a game in Soft Launch right now, and want to let us know then do get in touch with us through Editorial[at]steelmedianetwork.com and we'll get you added to the list in no time.


Click here to view the list »
  • Oh my Anne

    Oh my Anne logo

    Developer: Neowiz
    Where: Canada
    Platforms: Android and iOS
    Live since: December 3
    Updates: N/A

    Oh my Anne is a Match 3 game based on the popular novel Anne of Green Gables, and sees players progress through the story by completing levels.

    Interspersed with the match 3 elements, Oh my Anne features decoration and makeover elements, falling in line with several other Match 3 titles that have also incorporated mechanics from other genres. What makes Oh my Anne different is the fact that it takes inspiration from a classic novel.


  • World of Warships: Legends

    World of Warships: Legends logo

    Developer: Wargaming
    Where: Canada, The Phillippines
    Platforms: iOS
    Live since: September 7th, 2022
    Updates: N/A

    This multiplayer title puts players in control of historical warships as they fight for dominance alongside - and against players from all around the world, with 9V9 battles and players in control of destroyers, cruisers, and battleships, each suited for a different playstyle - whether you want to go in all guns blazing or take a more methodical approach.


  • Ultimate Draft Soccer

    Ultimate Draft Soccer logo

    Developer: First Touch Games Ltd.
    Where: Britain
    Platforms: Android, iOS
    Live since: August 3 2022
    Updates: N/A

    Ultimate Draft Soccer is the latest to bring the world of football to mobile devices, letting you create a team of players before playing matches. If you're looking for a new football simulator to get your head around while you wait for the release of Fifa 23, this might be right up your alley.


  • Metalstorm

    Metalstorm logo

    Developer: Starform

    Where: Canada, Sweden, Norway, and the Philippines
    Platforms: iOS, Android
    Live since: January 2022
    Updates: N/A

    The reimaging of Metalstorm, the F2P title from former King and Z2 veterans, not only has an open beta operating on iOS and Android, but a Windows and OSX closed beta.

    The 3D flight combat game, derived from Z2’s Metalstorm: Online, which was shuttered after Z2 was acquired by King, is a spiritual successor to the franchise.


  • Subway Surfers Match

    Subway Surfers Match logo

    Developer: SYBO Games
    Where: Indonesia and the Philippines
    Platforms: iOS and Android
    Live since: June 1 2022
    Updates: N/A

    The latest iteration of the Subway Surfers franchise – the original being the most downloaded game of all time – has entered soft launch, with players in Indonesia and the Philippines able to access SYBO's puzzle game, according to Sensor Tower.


  • Cricket Manager Pro 2022

    Cricket Manager Pro 2022 logo

    Developer: Wicket Gaming
    Where: Australia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka
    Platforms: Android
    Live since: June 5 2022
    Updates: N/A

    The latest in the Cricket Manager Pro series is now available in Australia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. Players take on the role of manager and coach, and guide their teams through a "live premium transfer market".

    Wicket Gaming is planning to release in other regions in the near future.


  • Ragnarok V: Returns OC

    Ragnarok V: Returns OC logo

    Developer: GRAVITY
    Where: Australia and New Zealand
    Platforms: iOS and Android
    Live since: May 24 2022
    Updates: N/A

    The sequel to Ragnarok: Valkyrie is now available in soft launch in Australia and New Zealand.  Developer and publisher GRAVITY is implementing pets, mercenaries, guilds, maps, and cute monsters in a title that remains faithful to "the vibe of the original".

    You can find more information on the performance of the soft launch at Sensor Tower.

     


  • Worldscapes

    Worldscapes logo

    Publisher: PeopleFun
    Where: Australia and the Philippines
    Platforms: iOS
    Live since: March 29 2022
    Updates: Three

    Discover Worldscapes, a new puzzle game from the makers of the global smash hit Wordscapes! Solve epic block puzzle levels with match-3 style gameplay. Travel around the world and discover rare locations. New adventures await you as you build the exotic places you visit. Holiday in rare dreamlands such as Paris, Bora Bora island and the Alps! Decorate rare landscapes with luxurious features!

    Sensor Tower data reveals the soft launch began on March 29 2022, and the title has received three updates since.


  • Frostpunk

    Frostpunk logo

    Developer: 11 Bit Studios and NetEase
    Where: The Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand
    Platforms: Android
    Live since: April 20, 2022
    Updates: N/A

    The Android version of Frostpunk, originally released on PC in 2018, is now available in the Philippines, New Zealand, and Australia.

    Frostpunk is a city-builder survival game, where players guide a settlement – the Last City – in an alternate-history 19th century struck by a perpetual winter. Frostpunk seeks to challenge players with hard questions about retaining your morality in authority, and seamingly straightforward queries such as should we force children to work in the mines becomes more pressing when taxed by the enduring cold.

    At least, you will in Endurance Mode, which aligns with the challenge of the original release. The mobile release also includes Serenity Mode, which dramatically tapers the difficulty for a more relaxed experience.

    Soft launch began on April 20 2022.


  • Moomin: Puzzle & Design

    Moomin: Puzzle & Design logo

    Developer: Rovio
    Where: Finland
    Platforms: iOS and Android
    Live Since: December 8th, 2021
    Updates: (5) March 21st, 2022

    Rovio has soft launched Moomin: Puzzle & Design on iOS and Android in Finland.

    Set in the home of the Moomin characters, Moominvalley, players will help the characters from Finnish author Tove Jansson's children's books decorate the valley and garden following a long winter.

    Players will help Moomintroll and complete puzzles through a unique Moomin storyline to help bring the Moomin's magical world back to life. Puzzle consist of Match-Three gameplay and include several types of boosters to help with tricky levels.

    Each story chapter involves several tasks, such as greeting new faces or helping characters build a tent, which upon completion will provide various rewards.


  • Don of Dons

    Don of Dons logo

    Developer: Mountain Lions
    Where: Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, and the Philippines
    Platforms: Android
    Live Since: November 23rd, 2021
    Updates: (2) March 4th, 2021

    Mountain Lions has soft launched mafia strategy game Don of Dons on Android in select countries.

    In Don of Dons, players must do whatever it takes to reach the top of the "evil underworld" of the mafia families through various illicit activities.

    Players will recruit new mafia candidates to battle against friends and foes alike for underworld supremacy. Fight sequences focus on a marching mechansim, where the trajectory of troops is directed to achieve victory.

    After a victorious battle, players can capture enemy players and interrogate them for information. This may include a trip to the torture chamber to get rivals to leak secrets.

    Outside of the killing, racketeering, and smuggling, players can date various women, which can lead to more secrets being discovered.

     


  • Football Battle - Touchdown

    Football Battle - Touchdown logo

    Developer: Miniclip
    Where: United States, Mexico and Portugal
    Platforms: Android
    Live since: August 27th, 2021
    Updates: (11) March 18th, 2022

    Miniclip has soft-launched Football Battle - Touchdown, a multiplayer American football card game.

    In Football Battle - Touchdown, players create teams and recruit friends to play against other real players around the world. By placing cards players can attack their rivals to score a touchdown and steal their experience to level up themselves.

    Teams can compete in major American football competitions to become the top team worldwide.

    The second update introduced daily rewards that stack to give players greater rewards.


  • The Witch Diaries

    The Witch Diaries logo

    Developer: Proxima Beta (Tencent)
    Where: Australia, Canada and New Zealand
    Platforms: Android
    Live since: August 12th, 2021
    Updates: (6) March 23rd, 2022

    Proxima Beta has soft-launched The Witch Diaries in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

    Players are tasked with helping Betty the witch renovate and decorate an old castle by completing hundreds of match-three levels that award gems. The gems collected from levels are used to unlock and decorate areas of the castle that unveil the castle’s mystery.

    A worldwide release date is yet to be announced.


  • Gundam Supreme Battle

    Gundam Supreme Battle logo

    Developer: Bandai Namco
    Where: Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Macau
    Platforms: Android and iOS
    Live since: November 2nd, 2020
    Updates: (7) January 28th, 2022

    Bandai Namco Entertainment has soft-launched Gundam Supreme Battle across several countries in Southeast Asia.

    Players will pilot a Gundam with access to all of the weapons and abilities that come with it, including the beam sabre, beam rifle and the mega particle cannon and battle against other Gundams' in real-time battles.

    The game features key locations and voice acting from the original voice actors from across the multiple animated Gundam series.

     

  • XCOM Legends

    XCOM Legends logo

    Developer: Iridium Starfish (Take-Two)
    Where: Malaysia and the Philippines
    Platforms: Android
    Live since: July 13th, 2021
    Updates: (12) November 10th, 2021

    Take-Two has soft-launched a new XCOM game, developed by Iridium Starfish, in the Philippines.

    The game is called XCOM Legends and is a turn-based RPG featuring a campaign mode involving battling waves of enemies, earning new heroes that can be brought into a PvP mode. Daily challenges and unique hero specific "war stories" are also ways for players to gather experience.

    The setting for the game is a post-alien invasion Earth where the aliens, known as ADVENT, have claimed victory over humanity. The player is tasked with fighting back against the aliens in an alien versus human war.

     


  • Transformers: Heavy Metal

     Transformers: Heavy Metal logo

    Developer: Very Very Spaceship (Niantic)
    Where: New Zealand, Denmark, and the Netherlands
    Platforms: Android
    Live since: June 29th, 2021
    Updates: (11) November 30th, 2021

    Niantic has partnered with Hasbro on Transformers: Heavy Metal, a new augmented reality mobile game now in the works.

    Players will join the Guardian Network, a group of humans who have banded together with the Autobots in a war against the Decepticons. From here, players will uncover hidden regions across Earth to find resources and battle Decepticons in turn-based battles, either solo or with friends.

    Takara Tomy will publish the game in Japan and Seattle-based studio Very Very Spaceship will handle development while utilising Niantic's Lightship platform.

    Transformers: Heavy Metal will roll out sometime in June for those in New Zealand, before launching globally later this year.

    The fourth update added a condensed tutorial for new players of the game and updated sound effects for most of the characters.

    The tenth update introduced ultimate abilities for the Autobots and Decepticons that can be used once fully charged, as well as new combat audio.


  • Tom and Jerry: Chase

    Tom and Jerry: Chase logo

    Developer: NetEase
    Where: Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines
    Platforms: iOS and Android
    Live since: March 1st, 2021
    Updates: (21) January 27th, 2022

    After previously launching Tom and Jerry: Chase in a number of countries, NetEase has now soft-launched the title in Japan and South Korea.

    Tom and Jerry: Chase is a one versus four casual mobile experience that recreates the art style of the original classic TV show. The gameplay revolves around four people controlling Jerry and his friends while the singular controls Tom and tries to catch the mice.

    Already a huge success in China, Tom and Jerry: Chase has surpassed more than 100 million users in its first year of release. It is also available in the following regions: Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.


  • King of Worlds

    King of Worlds logo

    Developer: 7Senses
    Where: Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Taiwan, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Indonesia, US, and India
    Platforms: iOS and Android
    Live since: November 2nd, 2020
    Updates: (11) December 8th, 2021

    King of Worlds is a free-to-play strategy title from 7senses with an increased pace surrounding the main gameplay.

    It's up to players to recruit and train ancient heroes to fight for the kingdom. Whoever occupies the Wonder, which can be found at the centre of the map, will be crowned King and will receive further benefits.

    According to the developer, players can master the gameplay in 60 seconds, conquer the region in 24 hours, obtain Tier 3 soldiers in 48 hours and form the strongest alliance in 72 hours.


  • eFootball

    eFootball logo

    Developer: Konami
    Where: The UK and Ireland
    Platforms: iOS and Android
    Live since: November 13th, 2020
    Updates: N/A

    Konami has announced that it is working on a new real-time strategy football game designed for mobile, outside of its core PES series.

    Players stack their deck with player cards, design a game plan and watch players simulate your strategy with live match play. Go head-to-head in Quick Match mode or dominate the pitch against 15 other players in an online tournament. Lead your team with tactical skill through competitive group stages to win.

    A limited closed beta is expected to take place from November 11th to December 2nd, 2020.

    On July 21st, 2021, Konami revealed that the new project would be titled eFootball and would act as a replacement for the long-running PES series.

    The game will be cross-platform, include free-to-play mechanics and will be built on Unreal Engine 4. The game will launch with nine licensed teams with more to be added in the future. It will initially launch on consoles and PC, eventually making its way to mobile devices in Winter 2021.


  • Blade Runner Rogue

    Blade Runner Rogue logo

    Developer: Next Games
    Where: United Kingdom, Poland, Netherlands, Finland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
    Platforms: iOS and Android
    Live since: July 10th, 2018
    Updates: (36) October 25th, 2021

    Blade Runner Rogue is a role-playing game with a story that will no doubt be indulgent should you be a fan of the original films, or even the book if you’re a Philip K Dick fan. As a fresh-faced blade runner, you’re tasked with collecting evidence to aid you in hunting down rogue replicants.

    Staple characters from the series are collectable and will aid you in overcoming threats. Freshly formed teams can also be powered up to take on more challenging targets with proportionate awards.

    You don’t have to go it alone though as friends and blade runners alike can be enlisted to help you accomplish a mission. 

    During Next Games' financial report for 2020, the developer confirmed that Blade Runner Rogue will launch in key markets

    The 17th update added a selection of new characters from the Blade Runner universe as well as performance and usability improvements.

    The 18th update saw the game enter early access while adding new case files, a new Patrol game mode and improved the user interface.

    The 19th update added a tutorial for new players, new animations, bigger health bars for boss battles, push notifications, UI enhancements and bug fixes.

    The 21st update introduced rogue-like gameplay, as well as "multi-branched cases" where each choice makes a difference. Players need to collect clues to improve their team and to gain an advantage over enemies.

    The 23rd update added a whole host of minor improvements, such as progress rewards, tutorial changes, new dialogue, skills and bug fixes.

    The 25th update renamed the game from Blade Runner 2049 to Blade Runner Rogue.

    The 27th update rolled out a battle pass where players earn Battle Points to claim rewards, alongside several bug fixes.

    The 29th update added guilds, where you and friends can squad up to take down replicants together, alongside a new boss mode across the city known as The Hunt. Further changes were made to the battle pass as well as a number of bugs being eradicated too.

    The 32nd update reworked the established Amplification feature to allow any amplifier of the correct faction to raise characters’ rarities, with the rarer amplifiers providing more progress. The Hunt now drops amplifiers with the amount increasing the further players progress. Drop rates for amplifiers have been altered and four-star characters can only be obtained via amplification.

    The 35th update introduced the Episodes feature, which allows players to play with rare and powerful characters not yet in their roster.


  • Watcher of Realms

    Name: Watcher of Realms
    Developer: Moonton
    Where: Australia, Canada, Indonesia, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, Turkey, United Kingdom, Ukraine
    Platforms: Google Play, iOS and PC
    Live Since: [Unknown]


  • Snowbreak: Containment Zone

    Name: Snowbreak: Containment Zone
    Developer: SEASUN Games
    Where: Google Play, iOS, PC
    Platforms: China
    Live Since: [Unknown]


  • Starship Survivor

    Name: Starship Survivor
    Developer: Brainium Studios
    Where: Canada, Australia
    Platforms: iOS
    Live Since: [Unknown]

    You can view some gameplay below, courtesy of Azeemjaffer Gaming


  • Rebel Riders

    Name: Rebel Riders
    Developer: King
    Where: Google Play, iOS
    Platforms: Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Malaysia
    Live Since: [Unknown]


  • Rainbow Six Mobile

    Name: Rainbow Six Mobile
    Developer: Ubisoft Entertainment
    Where: Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico, Philippines, Singapore, United States
    Platforms: Google Play, iOS
    Live Since: [Unknown]


  • Avatar: Reckoning

    Name: Avatar: Reckoning
    Developer: Archosaur Games
    Where: Canada, Philippines
    Platforms: Google Play, iOS
    Live Since: [Unknown]


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