Soft launch reporting by Matthew Forde and Ric Cowley.
PocketGamer.biz is regularly rounding up the most interesting games that are currently in soft launch.
An important part of the games-as-a-service approach, the soft launch process enables developers to fine-tune their game, particularly in relation to meta-game mechanics such as time gates, in-game resources and psychological components.
Behind the scenes
Of course, some games require more time in soft launch than others; something that can reveal a game experiencing more serious issues than mere fine-tuning.
But, of course, the main point of the feature is to get you excited about the games you'll soon be able to play...
Developer: Rovio Where: UK, Sweden and Finland Platforms: Android Live since: March 28th, 2020 Updates: N/A
Angry Birds moves into turn-based RPG with Angry Birds Legends, a new mobile game that sees mysterious dark forces being thrown into the world as the ongoing battle between the creatures and their piggy nemesis rages on.
Players must assemble an unstoppable team of heroes from all races to take down the evil forces that are threatening life as they know it. Collect a huge roster of Angry Birds characters and new faces, earn treasures and level up your Heroes to make your team even more powerful.
Pick teammates with complementary abilities, choose the right team for every battle and decide which skills to unleash or merge during the mayhem.
Interestingly, Rovio has also soft-launched a near-identical game called Chronicles of Legends, which excludes the Angry Birds property entirely.
Disorder
Developer: NetEase Where: Thailand, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: February 28th, 2020 Updates: (1) March 19th, 2020
NetEase has soft-launched its squad-based team shooter with anti-nuclear war imagery Disorder that takes place in the year 2030 after revealing the game at GDC 2019.
Seasons will roll out accordingly with a new ranking system that will reward players at the end. Characters can be unlocked and customised as well as several modes being available such as battle royale and capture the flag.
Maps take place across deserted cities, radar stations, train stations, missile pits and more to replicate the realities of war.
Tiles & Tales
Developer: Kuuhubb Where: Finland, Croatia, Netherlands, The Philippines and Australia Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: March 19th, 2020 Updates: N/A
Tiles & Tales looks to combine two of the most popular genres within the female gaming community; match-three and visual novels.
"Tiles and Tales is our flagship second-generation game and Kuuhubb’s key focus in calendar year 2020," said Kuuhubb CEO Jouni Keränen.
"I am extremely proud of our talented development team for all the dedication, hard work and love they have poured into the game. I am confident that this is the beginning of a new long-term franchise and an important growth driver for Kuuhubb in the future".
Naruto: Slugfest
Developer: Cubinet Where: Laos, Thailand, The Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Australia and India Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: March 19th, 2020 Updates: N/A
Naruto: Slugfest, the first Naruto mobile MMORPG, sees the protagonist return to his home of Hidden Leaf Village following years of training with Jiraiya, before heading out on adventure yet again through the Shippuden alongside his friends.
Recreating the anime setting, the title utilises animated cutscenes and features the original voice actors from the popular show.
The core gameplay revolves around mastering powerful ninjutsu combat with one of four character classes. These include: Earth Keeper, a broadsword-swinging powerhouse; Blazing Lotus, a pyromancer with healing abilities; Wind shooter, a fast-moving ranged class; and Thunder Assassin, a high-mobility fighter with a range of surprise attacks.
Tom Clancy's Elite Squad
Developer: Ubisoft Where: The Philippines, Canada, Australia and New Zealand Platforms: Android Live since: March 10th, 2020 Updates: (1) March 13th, 2020
Ubisoft has soft-launched Tom Clancy's Elite Squad, a new five versus five squad battler that will feature a campaign, PvP and guild versus guild modes.
Taking characters from universes spanning the Splinter Cell, Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, The Division series players can collect various popular figures to fight in battle. These include Sam Fisher, Nomad, Caveira, Megan, El Sueno, Walker and more
The title is being developed by Ubisoft's Paris-based Owlient studio, which it acquired back in 2011.
Hay Day Pop
Developer: Supercell Where: Australia, Finland, New Zealand Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: March 16th, 2020 Updates: (3) March 25th, 2020
Breaking away from its usual hardcore fare, Supercell has soft-launched a casual match-3 puzzler called Hay Day Pop.
Based around its farming game, Hay Day Pop sees players tapping connected cubes to score points and clear boards, among other objectives.
On top of that, there looks to be a base-building aspect, as players develop their farm however they see fit with new animals and buildings.
Soccer Rally: Arena
Developer: Lava Skull (IceFlame) Where: US Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: March 6th, 2020 Updates: (2) March 21st, 2020
Soccer Rally: Arena, the third entry in the now eight-year-old series, has soft-launched in the US.
The mobile car football game features three versus three multiplayer matches, with cross-platform online play. Cars boost themselves into the giant football to try and score and ultimately win the match.
As players progress they can expand their lineup of vehicles. Each has different top speeds, acceleration, boost speeds and handing.
The second update upgraded the servers for faster matchmaking, added new music tracks, rolled out a Discord server and made it so 12 fuel cans are available with a lower refill time.
Royal Idle: Medieval Quest
Developer: Kongregate Where: New Zealand, Australia, Denmark, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Finland and the UK Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: February 19th, 2020 Updates: (5) March 24th, 2020
As the king or queen of the land, players summon their bravest subjects to follow you into the unknown, build prosperous new towns, and explore the valley’s secrets in search of magical trinkets and treasure in Royal Idle: Medieval Quest.
Explore the Forbidden Valley and build your kingdom to unlock the secrets of the fallen empire. The free-to-play title allows businesses to earn gold while offline as well as invest in townships to multiply the currency.
Special events will take place throughout where players compete across various leaderboards.
Angry Birds Casual
Developer: Rovio Where: Finland, Poland, Sweden and the US Platforms: iOS Live since: March 2nd, 2020 Updates: (1) March 9th, 2020
Red, Bomb, Chuck, Stella and co. return in Angry Birds Casual which sees Rovio go back to its roots by utilising the classic slingshot mechanic.
As opposed to taking out the Bad Piggies, players will instead look to free caged Hatchlings across hundreds of levels and multiple worlds. Coins can be collected by completing levels which in turn can be used to unlock rewards.
The new free-to-play title will feature in-app purchases as well as leaderboards to compete against fellow Angry Birds users. Rovio has confirmed this is "early market testing" that will last approximately one to two months.
Survive Together
Developer: Gameloft Where: The Netherlands and the Philippines Platforms: iOS Live since: February 12th, 2020 Updates: (1) February 26th, 2020
Set in a world controlled by powerful witches driven by evil motives, players journey in Survive Together begins in their own base
From here, users can craft, build and repair weapons in preparation to explore the land and take down any zombies and monsters encountered.
By conquering unexplored map areas and defeating bosses, survivalists can level up and help expand your faction to win the war.
Pirate Evolution
Developer: Gram Games Where: Singapore, Netherlands, Austria and South Africa Platforms: Android Live since: December 2nd, 2019 Updates: (3) March 10th, 2020
Gram Games' new sea-based adventure has players captaining their own pirate ship in Pirate Evolution.
Over 140 islands are accessible with treasure scattered throughout. Battle enemies you encounter along the way to collect loot and thus upgrade your ship and weapons.
Another component allows bases to be expanded while pirate crews can be frown to increase overall power to help take over the high seas.
Arcane Showdown
Developer: Big Huge Games (Nexon) Where: Canada and the UK Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: June 16th, 2019 Updates: (10) February 25th, 2020
Arcane Showdown tests your magical might in a showdown of spells, strategy and creatures in this real-time card-based strategy title.
Create your deck of spells, devise a winning strategy and capture your opponent’s territory by overwhelming them with spells and creatures. Fantastical creatures and powerful spells can be unlocked as well as the ability to upgrade powers.
Players can join guilds with friends or fight against one another in online multiplayer battles.
Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
Developer: Zynga Where: The Philippines Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: March 5th, 2020 Updates: N/A
Zynga has partnered with Portkey Games and Warner Bros. to license the Harry Potter IP for a new match-three puzzler.
This is the first match-three puzzler based in the Harry Potter universe and will feature iconic characters and moments from the series played out via a narrative structure surrounding the main gameplay.
This marks the third license utilised since Zynga began its "strategic relationship" with Warner Bros. following its use of the Willy Wonka and The Wizard of Oz IP.
Plants vs. Zombies 3
Developer: PopCap Games (EA) Where: Ireland, Romania and the Philippines Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: February 25th, 2020 Updates: N/A
The Plants vs. Zombies series returns with its third official iterations, bringing back lots of fan-favourite plant and zombie characters as well as several faces.
Players will defend their town in classic, lane-based tower defence combat, while also encountering new zombie bosses that will put user skills to the test.
Team up with friends and other players to share seeds, share strategies, and compete for prizes.
Angry Birds Tennis
Developer: Rovio Where: US and Mexico Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: February 8th, 2020 Updates: (3) February 22nd, 2020
Finnish mobile studio Rovio has soft-launched a new Angry Birds game in the US and Mexico.
Angry Birds Tennis is a new free-to-play sports title that features real-time PvP, multiple different game modes as well as dozens of characters to unlock. The description suggests that "super abilities" will be incorporated into the mechanics in some way.
No global launch date has been revealed for the title however testing is expected to occur for two weeks.
Stellaris: Galaxy Command
Developer: Paradox Interactive Where: Sweden, New Zealand, Australia and Canada Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: October 15th, 2019 Updates: (5) March 24th, 2020
After the universe barely survives an inter-dimensional invasion that devastates vast swaths of the galaxy, players must assist the United Nations of Earth in rebuilding galactic civilisation.
Stellaris: Galaxy Command has users taking control of their own space station as well as discovering new mysteries in the depths of the universe.
Work together with teammates to build an empire, occupy territories, build defensive structures, set tax rates for passing trades, sign trade deals, and work collectively to colonise planets.
The fourth update added more Stations Events, prepped for a new alien leader, now allows users to sell supplies as well as added a pirates drop event
Deer Hunter 2020
Developer: Glu Mobile Where: The Philippines Platforms: iOS Live since: October 15th, 2019 Updates: (2) February 24th, 2020
Glu Mobile's latest title sees the return of Deer Hunter. Players can team up with friends and compete in daily events to hunt down the animals in the simulator.
Users can explore exotic locations across the globe from Alaska to Zimbabwe in search of the animals, while also collecting and customising a kit to have at hand.
Further features set to return from past iterations include dogs, predators, trophy hunts and more.
The second update rolled out a new Clash game mode that pits hunters against one another to try and achieve the highest score in a fast-paced shoot-off. Furthermore, there are new event types, an overhaul of the main menu, and performance improvements and bug fixes.
Ivy: Stories We Play
Developer: Pocket Gems Where: Australia and New Zealand Platforms: iOS Live since: November 20th, 2019 Updates: (4) March 27th, 2020
The creators of the mobile game Episode return with Ivy: Stories We Play, a mature story-driven episodic adventure that is said to feature "drama" and "thrills".
Take control of protagonist Ivy across a number of stories, which introduces the character to new worlds with complex themes, fantasies and desires.
Players get to make all the choices for how the story unfolds, whether that's partying with singles in Miami or recovering from the death of your partner.
Battle Bouncers
Developer: Gamehive Where: Australia, Canada and the UK Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: October 7th, 2019 Updates: (18) March 26th, 2020
Vanquish evil monsters that terror your kingdom by banding together with a group of unlikely heroes in Battle Bouncers.
Battle through hundreds of RPG style levels, defeating enemies using your aim and ball bouncing abilities. Pull back and release to unleash an attack on the evil forces that progress towards you.
As you journey through different worlds, you'll release captive heroes from their shard prisons in order to unlock their powers. Unlock customisable characters and skill cards to assemble a team of your favourite heroes to battle hordes of enemies.
The 12th update improved the visuals for Normal and Heroic Mode, alongside adding updated UI panels, a new Tower Victory Banner to help clarify win conditions and several bug fixes.
The 17th update implemented a host of new features and updates, including new skins, a new bundle panel, updated towers UI, various skill changes and balance tweaks.
Riddleside: Fading Legacy
Developer: MyTona Where: Finland, Australia, Singapore and Russia, the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands Platforms: iOS Live since: February 20th, 2019 Updates: (16) March 12th, 2020
Russian developer MyTona's new match-three title Riddleside: Fading Legacy sees a detective storyline set in the 80s play a backdrop to the puzzle aspect.
Set in the town of Nightfall, the player's uncle Henry Walker, a world-famous detective, has disappeared, so it's up to them to investigate and find out the mysteries of the town and what Walker was really investigating.
To reveal the story, players must collect clues, interrogate suspects, solve "the most unusual cases", and discover Nightfall's secret.
The thirteenth update gives players a new storyline to see Nightfall "from the other side", as well as a new event and improved animations.
Forza Street
Developer: Turn 10 Studios (Microsoft) Where: Mexico, Germany and the Phillippines Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: August 19th, 2019 Updates: (6) March 24th, 2020
Initially set out as a premium game, Turn 10 Studios changed Forza Street to a free-to-play title before announcing that the racer would be making its way to mobile.
Drivers take part in races while upgrading and expanding their car collection. From classic muscle to modern sports to retro supercars, players can unlock iconic cars from across the decades.
Controls have been "streamlined" to help create the mobile experience, with a focus on timing your acceleration, braking and boosting to achieve victory. On launch, users can either jump into one-minute races for short bursts or dive into story-driven events.
The second update introduced a new tutorial section as well as improving upon the event map and readability of character dialogue.
The third update overhauled the map with a range of visual improvements to help drivers plan their strategy.
The fourth update added car statistics, new customisations, new track themes and new LED board animations across Miami and see Bayside, South Beach and Design District.
The fifth update rolled out multiplayer in one versus one Quickplay, alongside a number of bug fixes.
Phoenix Rangers: Puzzle RPG
Developer: Rovio Where: Finland Platforms: Android Live since: November 26th, 2019 Updates: (13) March 10th, 2020
Build the perfect team and embark on a monster-collecting puzzle-solving adventure through different locales, defeating waves of enemies along the way.
Each monster has a special skill which is powered by matching gems, then unleash their special abilities for a devastating attack.
The fourth update added 50 new levels, daily missions, a secret vault feature to claim loot, and a 'Monsterpedia' to track monsters, as well as several bug fixes.
The fifth update introduced daily trials and 50 new levels, as well as expanding the Ranger Base. An inbox has also been implemented so players don't miss out on rewards as well as several "game improvements".
The 11th update implemented Daily Missions while addressing some balance changes.
LEGO Star Wars Battles
Developer: Playdemic Where: India, Phillippines, Australia, New Zealand and Denmark Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: September 9th, 2019 Updates: (8) February 13th, 2020
Collect, build and fight in Lego Star Wars Battles, with famous characters from the series going head-to-head.
Take part in real-time multiplayer PvP battles in arenas inspired by iconic locations, while collecting and upgrading your inventory of famous faces.
Build LEGO towers on the battlefield to strategically attack, defend, and capture territory as you push towards the enemy base to claim victory.
The sixth update added in the Wookie planet of Kashyyyk as well as several new characters including BB8, BB9E and Moroff.
The eighth update made sweeping changes to balancing, most notably reducing map sizes and increasing troop movement speed to make for faster battles.
Minecraft Earth
Developer: Mojang Where: UK, US, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and large parts of Europe Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: October 18th, 2019 Updates: (12) March 25th, 2020
Mojang has launched augmented reality title Minecraft Earth in several territories across the globe, including the UK and US.
Minecraft Earth is free-to-play and will allow players to build creations with friends and place them in the real world. On top of this, Minecraft mobs will battle users, putting their survival skills to the test.
The game was announced as part of Minecraft’s 10th anniversary, releasing a video showing a young girl traversing her neighbourhood while interacting with block elements and creatures from the universe.
The 10th update added in different types of boosts, new Mobs (Glow Squid and Skeleton Wolf) alongside bugs affecting multiple device sign-in.
The 12th update rolled out measures that enable players to spawn from home and can avoid leaving the premise to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Tetris Royale
Developer: N3twork Where: New Zealand Platforms: iOS andAndroid Live since: March 25th, 2019 Updates: (9) March 28th, 2020
In Tetris Royale, 100 players compete against one another in an endless game of the puzzler to be the last one standing.
Stack Tetrominos to clear lines and become the winner. The game looks to take inspiration from Tetris 99 on the Nintendo Switch.
Daily Score Tournaments take place to see who can become the Tetris Grand Master as well as a Solo Marathon mode to practice and themes to customise your experience.
The fourth update inputted a nightly Tetris game show, taking place at 19:30 each day, which pits players against thousands globally. Also, 50 portraits were added for customisation and two themes to celebrate New Zealand.
The sixth update fixed a bug with the video player on the home screen and another with the layout of the Primetime button.
The seventh update rolled out a nightly primetime competition that allows players over the ages of 18 to compete for cash prizes once a day.
SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off
Developer: Tilting Point Where: Philippines, Canada and Australia Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: October 14th, 2019 Updates: (8) March 30th, 2020
SpongeBob SquarePants and co. set off on a culinary adventure through the restaurants and kitchens of Bikini Bottom in SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off. Fast-paced cooking gameplay sees players making all sorts of food as seen in the televisions series.
An exclusive story created for the games has Mr. Krabs expanding his food business starting with a breakfast stand outside of SpongeBob’s house. There are hundreds of levels to master on your journey to be the best fry cook in the underwater land.
Players can also visit their favourite SpongeBob landmarks and cook up grub while being able to design your own versions of your favourite Bikini Bottom restaurants.
Small Town Murders
Developer: Rovio Where: Poland, Finland, Sweden and the US Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: October 11th, 2019 Updates: (6) March 20th, 2020
Rovio has launched a new match-three puzzler under the name of Small Town Murders.
In the town of Thornton Grove, something sinister hides under the surface. As Nora Mistry, players must uncover the truth by investigating the scene, following clues and narrow down suspects to find the killer.
Find clues by solving matching puzzles – just match three or more items to clear them and finish the level. Use the clues to interrogate suspects, and solve the mystery once and for all.
In the third update, a new mystery with over 80 new levels was added. Players here must help Nora and Mike find out the secret of the Cursed Monkey's Paw and return it safely back to Mr. Gaunt's House of Curiosities.
Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls
Developer: Konami Where: Canada Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: September 18th, 2019 Updates: (6) March 25th, 2020
Taking place years after the defeat of Count Dracula, Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls sees Genya Arikado receiving a mysterious letter before venturing into the night to unravel the secrets.
Iconic characters from the classic Castlevania series return to help take on the demonic horde. Master each character's unique combat style to overcome even the fiercest of foes.
A new Bounty Hunt mode introduces multiplayer, which allows players to fight alongside one another to defeat as many enemies as possible within the time limit.
The fourth update has brought in a 'Daily Order', a special request which is updated every day for a player to fulfil, alongside various bug fixes.
Manor Matters
Developer: Playrix Where: Australia, Canada and the UK Platforms: iOS Live since: October 26th, 2019 Updates: (5) March 4th, 2020
Playrix’s new hidden object game Manor Matters sees players renovating the old manor of Castlewood while unearthing all of the building’s hidden secrets.
Inspect and renovate rooms, find curious artifacts from all over the world and find clues to solve the case.
A variety of modes and items are available for players to try out their detective skills and play through the storyline, featuring a host of characters.
The first update added new scenes and an undisclosed amount of new features.
The second update added the end of the guest quarters storyline, as well as the ability to uncover the mystery of the Goldmoor family and the ghost of Lady Lauren. Two new locations were implemented too: Smithy and Front Gate.
The fifth update added a new game mode which sees players figuring out the differences between two seemingly identical images.
EVE Echoes
Developer: NetEase (CCP Games) Where: Australia and New Zealand Platforms: Android Live since: August 22nd, 2019 Updates: (7) December 6th, 2019
EVE Echoes is a mobile spaceship MMO game based upon the EVE Online design principles.
In EVE Echoes, players will forge their own path to glory within a massive space sandbox environment, forming alliances with other pilots from across the galaxy to shape the game’s persistent universe.
Users will be free to engage in interstellar combat, exploration, piracy, resource harvesting, industrial manufacture, trade, as well as many other activities across thousands of solar systems.
Avatar: Pandora Rising
Developer: FoxNext Where: Canada, New Zealand and the Philippines Platforms: iOS Live since: September 16th, 2019 Updates: (6) March 11th, 2020
Avatar: Pandora Rising is a massive real-time strategy and social game based on James Cameron's smash hit 2009 film. Players choose to lead a flourishing Na’vi village deep in the bioluminescent forest or can build a prosperous human mining colony and base to save Earth.
Compete and play for both the human and Na'vi sides of the conflict to immerse yourself in an epic battle for survival and determine the fate of Pandora.
Build and battle in a massive, social and open world with deep combat flexibility and extensive breadth of play.
The second update brought in a host of new features and updates, including two new enemy troops, changed the user interface, updated the leaderboard UI, balance adjustments and more. Two specific bugs were also fixed concerning the commander talents and cancelling an outpost.
Darkfire Heroes
Developer: Wargaming Where: Philippines, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Norway Platforms: Android Live since: August 16th, 2019 Updates: (13) March 10th, 2020
Wargaming has soft-launched a new action RPG that sees players enter the fantasy realm of Darkfire Heroes and go on a heroic adventure.
Collect and battle with more than 50 heroes from six unique factions available. Gather your team, plan a strategy and lead the attack in real-time battles against hordes of enemies. Prove your skills as you cast magical spells and unleash powerful special attacks to save the lost realm.
Heroes can be upgraded and customised to fit your tactics which pits users against evil minions, brutal boss enemies, otherworldly beasts, and ancient dragons.
FarmVille 3 - Animals
Developer: Zynga Where: Australia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: July 17th, 2019 Updates: (10) March 19th, 2020
Zynga has soft-launched a new entry into the FarmVille series, with the aim of restoring a farm to its former glory.
Players can build the farm in the design of their choice as well as breed a number of rare animals. Farmhands are available to help pitch in with the work too.
Grow crops, decorate the farm and weather whatever Mother Nature throws your way.
The second and third updates introduced more decorations, building skins and improved upon the title’s graphics.
The fifth and sixth update added better memory optimisations.
The ninth update added co-op mode allowing players to partner up with 25 other farmers maximum and several new exotic animals including tigers, penguins, kangaroos and more.
Rivengard
Developer: King Where: Sweden Platforms: Android Live since: July 17th, 2019 Updates: (10) March 18th, 2020
King’s latest soft launch title is a new turn-based RPG that goes by the name of Valiant Heroes.
The strategic title sees players forming teams of heroes to deploy as unwavering forces on the battlefield, making use of their specific strengths to take down enemies and lead your team to victory.
Heroes can be summoned via the portal. Otherwise, by taking down bosses, you can force them into joining your team.
The sixth update added three new collectable heroes: Akio, Taro and Shun. Also, 10 new quest levels and six quest level types were brought in alongside 20 new items, 12 power levels and several bug fixes.
The seventh update changed the game's name from Valiant Heroes to Rivengard.
Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming
Developer: Yoozoo (Tencent) Where: China Platforms: iOS Live since: June 2nd, 2019 Updates: (3) December 18th, 2019
Developed by Yoozoo, the strategy war title was originally launched on PC but is now being brought to mobile devices.
Players control famous characters from the show through their respective storylines and will also experience many of the memorable moments from the series.
Marvel Super War
Developer: NetEase Where: Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, and India Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: May 28th, 2019 Updates: (15) March 25th, 2020
NetEase and Marvel Entertainment have revealed the first game to come from their collaboration deal.
Marvel Super War is a free-to-play MOBA title that brings together superheroes and supervillains from the Marvel Universe including the Avengers, X-Men, Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man.
Combat focuses on teamwork while users can combined powerful combos together to string together stronger attacks. Characters work differently off one another so mixing up heroes can turn about different outcomes.
Hills of Steel 2
Developer: Superplus Games Where: Finland, Poland, Sweden, Philippines, Singapore and United Kingdom Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: May 10th, 2019 Updates: (16) March 28th, 2020
Superplus Games has soft-launched Hills of Steel 2, a new three-versus-three real-time tank battler on iOS and Android.
Seven different tanks are accessible from the start as well as three different modes: Rampage. Star Catch and Domination.
Players must fight it out using the physics-based gameplay to see who will conquer the Hills of Steel.
The fifth update added new maps to Rampage, Star Catch and Domination mode.
The seventh update added a new Trophy Road that gives players access to lots of new in-game rewards.
The 13th update added a new electrified tank known as Sparky.
The 14th update added a new Bunker Bash event, new emotes and new tank items.
The 16th update added the ability to invite friends to your team and play together, as well as nine new languages: French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Turkish.
Anchors in the Drift
Developer: 5TH Cell Where: Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines Platforms: iOS Live since: January 24th, 2019 Updates: (4) June 20th, 2019
Anchors in the Drift takes place In a world where time and space have collapsed, with humanity forced to search for the mysterious Arc before the Domain Empire claims the item.
As part of The United Generations, the heroes (known as Anchors) must work together to recover the Arc for themselves and bring about peace to the new world.
Players can act as commanders, bounty hunters, Thieves or Tycoons in this new online RPG adventure.
The third update added a single player campaign as well as several bug fixes.
According to developer 5th Cell, the game is currently "shelved".
Puzzletown Match
Developer: Parrot Games Where: USA Platforms: iOS Live since: March 1st, 2019 Updates: (29) March 23rd, 2020
Moonlight Mystery sees players investigating the disappearance of the city of Nightwood that vanished during the 19th century.
The puzzle title is brimming with quests, puzzles and a plot that is said to feature unexpected twists and turns.
Featuring animated cutscenes and over 100 items to craft and collect, it’s up to you to solve the conundrum.
The 15th update added a diary feature that lets players follow up on old and current investigations through a new visualisation as well as several bug fixes.
The 17th update changed the visualisation for investigations, changed a number of requirements for progressing certain levels alongside several bug fixes.
The 22nd update changed the name of the game from Moonlight Mystery to Puzzletown Match, alongside adding 125 more match-three levels.
Mech Arena: Robot Showdown
Developer: Plarium Where: India, Israel and Ukraine Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: January 8th, 2019 Updates: (26) March 16th, 2020
From developer Plarium comes a new competitive multiplayer mech shooter.
Mech Arena: Robot Showdown is a five versus five PVP built upon battles that last approximately five minutes apiece.
The title boasts intuitive gameplay and unique maps with a variety of weapons.
The sixth update allows players to unlock chassis through the Prize Path, tweaked weapons, removed modules and added daily challenges.
The eighth update added a damage display toggle option, stat info, a 360-degree view of the player’s inventory along with minor fixes.
The 10th update brought in new mech abilities and challenges as well as tweaks to certain weapons and chassis. Modules were removed from the game too.
The 20th update brought in the ability to add friends and connect via Facebook. A chat feature was also implemented alongside a Holiday Hangar and several fixes.
The 22nd update added Chassis and Weapons to the Prize Path unlocks, a Ranks system for upgrades, XP bonuses for playing with friends in a team, and other fixes.
Puzzle Combat
Developer: Small Giant Games Where: Belgium, Sweden, Netherlands, Canada and the UK Platforms: Android Live since: March 8th, 2019 Updates: (39) March 25th, 2020
Zynga-owned Empires & Puzzles developer Small Giant Games has soft-launched its newest title Puzzle Combat.
Players can build an army of heroes to take down enemies while ever-growing a home base. A variety of weapons including missiles, grenades and bombs combined together for combo opportunities.
PvP battles allow users to take part in matches against others from around the world.
The 13th update rebuffed added Special Quests, changed the rarity of upgrades surrounding War Machines and solved various bug fixes.
The 19th update added four new heroes Rashan, Zidane, Logan and Aiko, while changing up the battle difficulty, progressions and skill levels. Chat rooms and advanced tutorials have been implemented too.
The 23rd update added an exclusive hero (Goldman) for the month, upgraded the weapons system and base visuals, as well as fixing several bugs and UI improvements.
Disney Sorcerer’s Arena
Developer: Glu Where: Australia, Canada, Singapore, Finland, Sweden, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland and Denmark Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: February 26th, 2019 Updates: (19) March 21st, 2020
Pulling from Disney and Pixar characters, Disney Sorcerer’s Arena is a real-time RPG strategy title.
Assemble your roster of characters by collecting cards before unlocking different worlds best off the properties. Each fighter has their own special abilities to be unleashed upon opponents.
Community events take place with global chat, clubs and leaderboards all accessible.
The first update brought the game into soft launch in Switzerland and Denmark.
The fourth update added Jasmine, Jafar and the Genie as playable characters as well as a new game mode named Grand Arena.
The fifth update added new abilities for Woody, Ariel and Syndrome as well as updating the interface and fixing bugs surrounding performance.
The sixth update brought in the all-new Club Conquest mode, introduced new gear pieces for characters and improved upon performance.
The seventh update added Club Conquest mode, introduced new gear pieces and teased a new character reveal.
The 13th update increased the team size with players now able to have fice characters battle on their team, alongside improved tutorials, new battlefield visuals and bug fixes.
The 15th update improved the UI and character interaction in combat, redesigned the Club Chat, as well as various bug fixes.
The 17th update added in a new tower made to test out characters while earning rewards. Furthermore, new battlefield visuals and new camera angles have been implemented.
Candy Crush Cubes
Developer: King Where: Canada Platforms: Android Live since: December 3rd, 2018 Updates: (3) January 7th, 2019
Hot off the heels of Candy Crush Tales, King has launched another Candy Crush game into soft launch called Candy Crush Cubes.
This time around you’ll find yourself in the Mayoral hot-seat and tasked with solving puzzles to create a new candy town.
Puzzles this time around are tap-based and require you to match colours, with additional candies and boosters thrown in for good measure.
If you don’t fancy going it alone, however, you can sign up some friends to your cabinet to get things rolling.
Candy Crush Tales
Developer: King Where: Canada Platforms: Android Live since: December 3rd, 2018 Updates: (4) January 7th, 2018
Fresh off the release of Candy Crush Friends Saga, King has soft-launched a new entry in this series that boasts a similar visual aesthetic.
Called Candy Crush Tales, it holds a more significant emphasis on narrative and story progression.
The narrative features a kingdom that has been overridden with salt, with players tasked with bringing some sweetness back to the Candy Kingdom.
Despite a new narrative direction, the gameplay stays the same with match-three puzzles that have to be solved to push the story along.
Card Smash: Tribes at War
Developer: Heavyweight Rex Where: Finland, Vietnam and the Philippines Platforms: iOS Live since: October 27th, 2017 Updates: (11) October 29th, 2019
After a spell on the sidelines undergoing updates Card Smash: Tribes at War has returned to soft launch.
Going head-to-head with other players in card-based battles is still the thrust of the game, and over 100 cards can be collected from daily quests.
The title also holds a competitive element with a real-time PvP league on offer around the clock.
Between tournaments, however, you can take advantage of the Card Smash’s deck builder to try out different strategies and upgrade your deck.
The fourth update brought a slew of changes. There's a new world map to explore and a new deck builder has been brought in with hopes it'll be more intuitive.
The fifth update brought with it a new and improved World Map to explore for all adventure seekers and alike, alongside a nice and shiny new Journal to keep track of your daily challenges and rewards.
The sixth update changed up the world map while a Journal was added to keep track of daily challenges and rewards.
The eighth update improved the AI while adding new art and implementing general bug fixes.
The 11th update added a new ranked mode, improved the battle UI and fixed a number of bugs.
Lineage II: Dark Legacy
Developer: NCSoft Where: Netherlands, Denmark. Sweden, New Zealand, Australia and Norway Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: September 27th, 2018 Updates: (11) August 8th, 2019
Not too long after bringing its popular franchise Lineage to mobile, the publisher has swiftly followed up with a spin-off.
Called Lineage II: Dark Legacy, it changes up its MMORPG fundamentals with an experience focused on dungeon crawling, with 100 floors to sift through for loot and plunder.
If PVP is more your speed, the RPG also comes with a siege mode where you’ll be tasked with penetrating your enemy’s defences and invading their castle.
Of course, there are customisation options available to make sure your own castle doesn’t meet such a fate, from electrifying Shock Cannons to piercing Ballistas.
War is, however, seldom won by tech alone and mercenaries will also be recruitable for your various ends, with their skills upgradable. Such fiends up for grabs include series regulars the Shillien Knight, Abyss Walker, Spellsinger and Tyrant.
The seventh update brought in a whole host of new content including a revamp on combat, a new mana system, a new Training Island chapter and a new Mercenary Codex.
The 10th update added in-game notifications for new clan member rewards, improved bug fixes surrounding downloading, party management, auto-battle and general UI issues.
Farm Heroes Champions
Developer: King Where: Mexico, Brazil, South Africa, United Kingdom Platforms: Android Live since: November 5th, 2018 Updates: (20) April 8th, 2019
The Farm Adventure life is so nice that it appears twice in our soft launch regular, with King tentatively launching another title.
Called Farm Heroes Champions, it maintains the series staple of polished and cute animations, with match-three puzzles to boot.
The twist this time around is team-play, which can be achieved through syncing the game between devices. Buddying up will also lead to great rewards.
Garena Contra Return
Developer: Tencent Where: Philippines, Thailand, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia and Hong Kong Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: August 7th, 2018 Updates: (7) March 16th, 2020
After a year on Asian shores, a westernised version of Contra: Return has also been on the rollout in the region.
Helmed by Garena, alongside Konami and Tencent, the retro favourite seems to come with all the bits you remember.
Featuring heroes Bill and Lance, you’ll be able to make your way across side-scrolling levels in 3D and co-op action.
Alongside the familiar boss battles, PVP instant battles will also be available. No word if the classic Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right code still works though.
Hungry Shark Heroes
Developer: Ubisoft Where: Australia, Canada, Singapore and New Zealand Platforms: Android Live since: September 21st, 2018 Updates: (22) January 21st, 2020
Ubisoft’s batch of hungry chaps are back and are ready to be collected and battled against each other for your enjoyment.
Called Hungry Shark Heroes, it features over 120 sharks that can be collected and bred in a customisable reef through the pairing of two sharks. Additionally, you can also borrow different species of sharks from your friends to further unlock other species.
After that, you’ll be tasked with mentoring your young shark and teaching them the ways of ‘shark-fu’.
After your aquatic apprentice is ready for the trials and tribulations of combat you can take to one of 15 arenas and do battle in team-based formats.
Different combinations and specific timing will be key to helping you vanquish foes.
A range of live events will be in place to keep you playing and they will centre around various maps.
Wild Things: Animal Adventures
Developer: Jam City Where: New Zealand, Thailand and the US Platforms: iOS Live since: January 22nd, 2019 Updates: (15) March 17th, 2020
Jam City has soft-launched match-three puzzler Wild Things in a bid to make your heart sing.
Wild Things: Animal Adventures features a myriad of cutely animated created called the Wild Things who live peacefully in a diverse land. Their tranquil life is all thanks to a tree, which is also referred to as their “touchstone”.
As it goes, nothing good can last and it appears something is on the way to upset the balance. Gameplay wise, you’ll be navigating your way through match-three puzzles with plenty of animals to collect.
The 11th update added a new story with two new chapters and 130 new levels, as well as improvements to the game board and front-end visuals.
The 15th update added one new Chapter and 31 new levels among performance updates and bug fixes.
Blade Runner Nexus
Developer: Next Games Where: Finland, Australia and Poland Platforms: Android Live since: July 10th, 2018 Updates: (20) March 11th, 2020
Following on from releasing The Walking Dead: Our World Next Games has soft-launched its next big title based on a famous IP.
Blade Runner 2049 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.
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.
God Eater: Resonant Ops
Developer: Bandai Namco Where: Japan Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: April 3rd, 2018 Updates: (42) March 11th, 2020
Bandai Namco’s God Eater: Resonant Ops not only represents the newest instalment in the God Eater series but the first time it’s come to the mobile platform on iOS and Android.
Currently in soft-launch in Japan, the RPG title is free-to-play with item-based micro-transactions.
The story continues on from its previous title God Eater 2: Rage Burst and sees humankind in decline, with the game's protagonist thrown into restricted battle zones in the game’s collapsing world.
Combat is turn-based and features a party system with returning characters from previous games in the series, who all make cameo appearances for specific missions.
The fourth update laid the groundwork for an upcoming event whilst performing other maintenance, such as adjusting game balance and refurbishing exchange UI.
Rocksmith
Developer: Ubisoft Where: Canada Platforms: iOS Live since: May 16th, 2017 Updates: (20) November 8th, 2019
Rocksmith is a pretty good piece of kit and found its original home on PC and console, but now Ubisoft is giving it a new lease of life with a mobile release, also called Rocksmith.
Using a guitar jack adaptor musicians use to record their guitar on an iPad, Rocksmith allows guitarists and bassists to play along with songs, learning them on an actual instrument at their own pace.
You can repeat a section at different speeds and as many times as you like, and you can watch and interact with video tutorials to teach you particular parts of guitar playing.
And since it's on mobile, it's free-to-start - you get four songs with the download, and you can add more to your catalogue by purchasing new tracks.
The 10th update makes the game available to play on iPhone and iPod, and offers up a free song to download.
The 14th update integrates Facebook, so players no longer need to create a new account to play the game, as well as improving the UI for songs requiring a capo and allowing more control over difficulty settings.
The 17th update brought in a new Course Mode so students could track their personal progression through a curriculum designed to teach basic techniques and familiar songs.
Temple Run: Treasure Hunters
Developer: Scopely Where: Spain, Ireland, Romania and the Philippines Platforms: iOS and Android Live since: November 30th, 2016 Updates: (31) March 16th, 2020
Treasure and match-3 seem to go hand-in-hand since they both usually involve gems, so maybe Temple Run: Treasure Hunters (formerly Treasure Hunters!) isn't such a wild idea after all.
You'll be solving puzzles through match-3 mechanics as your character delves deep into over 100 levels of tomb-raiding looking for the titular treasure.
You can also customise your character as you see fit, and the game promises hidden paths, a variety of game modes, and plenty of other distractions to keep you entertained.
The third update increases the number of levels to over 200, and adds new boosters to help with trickier levels.
An 11th update came nine-months after its predecessor. The "all-new" Temple Run Treasure Hunters features redesigned puzzles and gameplay.
The 14th update introduced a slew of new levels along with a new store to purchase items from.
The 23rd update brought in 40 new levels alongside various bug fixes.
Zynga has confirmed the game's soft-launch -https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/72741/zynga-portkey-games-warner-bros-harry-potter-puzzles-and-spells-reveal/
We contacted Futureplay about Battle Bombers Arena yesterday and the game is still considered to be in soft launch at the studio, so we're keeping it in there for now!
Anders Leicht Rohde CCO & Founder at Funday Factory
Bullet League from Funday Factory just went into soft launch through Google Early Access last week: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fundayfactory.bl
Angry Birds Dream Blast is launched gobal. WWE Universe, Legend at War, Final Space AR, Rumble Star Soccer, and Kitty Catsanova are Soft Launched on Android too. Shadowbreak, Go Race Super Karts and World of Demons all have been canned or so says messages within the game.
Don't suppose you'd have a screenshot handy of the World of Demons in-game message about it being canned? If so! Could you send it to me at iain.harris@steelmedia.co.uk?
Sadly, I do not have a screenshot. This out of all that I mentioned World of Demons is the only one that I can't fully confirm. I have seen at least 3 people mention that they got a message in fhe game saying that it would be shut down in Mid August but again I can't fully confirm this grain of salt.
Elex soft launched Call of Duty: Global Operations in November, Activision soft launched Call of Duty: Legends of War in December and King Soft Launched Call of Duty Shooter (Unreleased) test version in January.
The last installment in the Asphalt series by Gameloft, Asphalt 9: Legends, went live in the Philippines a few hours ago, seems promising. It may be worth checking on.
found 2 VPNs that have philippenes server, vyprvpn and expressvpn - vypr gave me server error but express let me play. It looks very nice on ipad pro 2
Zwing Games has soft launched "Keno Prime" on iOS and Android in Canada, Australia and India. Just search Keno Prime on respective your phone's app store app.
Legends of Solgard has finally soft launched on ios as of October 5, 2017 in the Phillipines! I have been checking many stores almost daily for this one! Loved Might and Magic Clash of Heroes and played the campaign at least twice, and the multiplayer vs battles for years. Could not believe someone hadn't successfully copied or re-invented this formula because its really fun. Here's hoping Legend of Solgard is just as addictive!
Solgard is sooooo disappointing. It's sad because the images look soo much like Might and Magic Clash of Heroes...and the battle mechanics are basically similar, but that's about where that charm stops.
Hi Nick, we're trying to keep this list as the 'top games in soft launch' and limit the number to roughly 50 (give or take a few companies), which is why some games don't get added. If we feel they are particularly significant, we'll add them. We do of course read the comments to see what the community has spotted, so thank you for your support.
I'd like to add our game if possible. I saw it on pocketgamer -- but not here on pocketgamer.biz
Raziel: Dungeon Arena
Developer: Indra (Guangzhou Di Shi Tian Software)
Where: Australia, New Zealand, Singapore
Platforms: iOS (Android coming soon)
Live since: 02 August 2017
Last update: 09 September 2017 (Ver 1.3)
I am currently seeing a match 3 game by Jam City in soft launch on the Philippines Appstore and Google Play called Safari Smash. I pulled most of the following info from the app's listing in the Appstore.
Game Title : Safari Smash
Developer : Jam City, Inc.
Where : Philippines
Platforms : Android, iOS
Live Since : 10 March 2017
Updates : (12) last 30 August 2017
Netmarble soft launched Phatomgate on IOS and Android in Australia on August 8th. Nekki soft launched Shadow Fight 3 beta in Canada on July 18th but for those who got in invite.
Thomas Streetman Community Relations Manager at Smilegate
Great list you have here. Very useful!
I would like to add a game to the list if possible,
WarReign
Developer: Smilegate Megaport / Red Sahara Studio
Where: Philippines, Australia, Hong Kong, Macao, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, Ireland, Nigeria
Platforms: Android / iOS
Live since: 20 June 2017
Last update: 13 July 2017
Middle-earth: Shadow of War, Assassin's Creed: Rebellion, Candy Crush Friends Saga Angry Birds Match, Mighty Battles, Snipers vs Thieves, Toon Blast, War Planet Online: Global Conquest, Lineage 2 Revolution and Modern Combat Versus is all on Android. Snoopy Pop has been released worldwide. And Warner Bros has soft launch Game of Thrones: Conquest (Unreleased) Android and IOS.
Got another question.
Normally when games get released but only in a certain region ie during soft launch/beta etc, the APK is normally available for that game so people outside that region can play it.
However game of thrones: conquest has been released in phillipines but nowhere has the APK for it, justly wandering why there is no APK for game of thrones: conquest atm?
I'm not an expert when it comes to this kind of stuff so there might be a simple reason why.
If you could let me know that would be great.
I found a APK of the game a few weeks ago and I downloaded it but once I did it keep telling me to download the update but I could not for the life of me find out where the updated APK is. And the reason there isn't any APKs for Game of Thrones Conquest it depends on where the game has soft launched how many people knows about the game. A lot of people use VPN to download the game from the Google Play or something but sometimes VPN doesn't work for it. So it depends. Hopefully one will be released soon. I'm not a genius with these things either that's a out all I am able to tell you about that.
Hi
I've been following game of thrones: conquest since it was announced back in 2015.
It was soft launched in the Philippines around the 28th June but there is very little info or timeline about when it's going to be fully launched etc.
I don't suppose anyone has any rough idea, heard anything or from your past experiences of soft launches of other games be able to tell me a rough time when u think it will be released globally?
Will it be weeks or months?
All I can tell you at the moment is will most definitely be out by the end of 2017. Like you said it's been in development since 2015 so it shouldn't be much longer
Hi Nick, we of course keep track of the comments and try to update this on a weekly basis. We'll be updating again in a week's time so keep a look out, though we're trying to keep the list at around 50 entries at the moment. Thanks for your suggestions and support!
Crusaders of light is soft launched today its an mmo like Order and Chaos from gameloft preregister for offical launch here https://crusadersoflight.com/
Regions=Australia,New Zealand,Malaysia and Phlipines NA comes later
Good spot! It can be tricky keeping an eye on fourty-odd games while trying to find other ones to add in too when it's just me handling the page, so I appreciate the help :)
Do you play Summoners War? I know a game that is coming out in May that I think will actually be better than Summoners War and take over the Mobile RPG community.
Dear sir I am was so upset because I was big frnd of glu.but 1 year past why glu don't lunch deer hunter 2018 or dino hunter 2.I don't know but I am waiting for those game.My dream is play this game.I have WiFi now but glu not lunched any hunting in middle of 2016-17.dear sir plz lunched those hunting game.I request u sir.plz
Lego Quest, Angry Birds Evolution, Fightlings, Legacy of Zeus and Rabbit Crazy Rush are all soft Launched on android, and Pet Monsters has been cancelled.
Just me running the show! Android version is still listed on App Annie as being available and some games have come back from update gaps this long, so I left it in the list in case it made a miraculous recovery.
Angry birds Blast and The Trail are both soft launched on Android I don't know exactly where though and Angry Birds Goal! Is now called Angry Birds Football!
It's really annoying that you don't include the platform for these games.
Minitropolis and Warlords, for example, are Android only right now.
I found that out at ter searching 5 different app stores, scouring Facebook pages, and writing the developers.
You could just include the info in the header.
Boyana Nikolova VP, Business Development at Halfbrick Studios
Thank you so much Chris and team!
The feature of Star Skater means a lot, we really appreciate it!
We are so excited about this one and we'll keep you updated as it progresses towards global launch. Catch up soon! :)
Thanks for the mention! In addition to soft launching in the territories you listed, we're also really keen to hear feedback from players on all our titles, and will often send out beta invites via submission on playraven.com/beta as well as from our game sites. Also... Next release is Winterstate, more on that soon :)
With an affinity for eccentricity, as well as anything macabre or just plain weird, Chris searches for the games that fly under the radar. If you ask him, anything can be a game. Oh, and a game can be about anything, if you put enough thought into it. So, there.
This is what these days people dare to call a "good line-up" of upcoming "great" "games" ?
They all look the same, same graphics style, same boring combat system and yeah, nice f2p monetization.
I ask you this: what is new in term of gameplay that they bring to the table, that makes them worthy of our attention ?
And the answer lies in the pictures and gameplay videos. That is: NOTHING.
We are living the days of easy money grabs. Pick a successful title, now play it, see what mechanics drive it.
Ask your dev team or friends if you can make a clone of it fast.
Then pick an epic title, color it cute (maybe even add a new mechanic or change one mechanic that you didn't like in the original) and sell it as something new.
PS: Don't forget to invest massively in user acquisition inorder to boost it to the top and boast after about download numbers.
I feel your pain. As a dev I feel the pain: I just launched Number Chef http://www.numberchef.com/ - it's totally new gameplay, not a clone of any game - but then again, no fancy graphics, big budgets or big f2p monetization. Try telling that story to the world. :/ (Well, but I am trying.)
Surely if it was that simple, every game would be a massive success, which clearly is not the case.
"We are living the days of easy money grabs". I disagree. Maybe in 2010/2011 you could do this on the App Store. Now you have to invest millions and know exactly what you are doing to have any chance of success.
Currently, there is a certain way of F2P monetisation, but you could say exactly the same thing about the gameplay of console shooters.
So what if people want to make money? The true sin of what you mention is the lazy design, lack of innovation and overall mass cloning. F2p monetization itself isn't bad. People need money. This should drive innovation, but Alas, as you say, it doesn't. I'm making a game with a very creative core mechanic (action, not bullshit turn based), an intuitive UI and nice user flows/UX, but WITH RPG elements. Why? to make money. It's not a sin. It will help me further innovate. This should be the state of the market.
The Game 'Ultimate Zombie Fighting' is also in Soft Launch on google play in Canada, Italy and Mexico. Will launch next month. Let me know what you guys think of it.
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#1 - D3's "G.I. Joe: War on Cobra". It's basically a better Rush War.
#2 - FoxNext's "Avatar: Pandora Rising". It's basically Clash Royale meets a 4X game.
https://www.resetera.com/threads/pok%C3%A9mon-masters-pre-register-now-available-soft-launch-coming-tomorrow-to-singapore-and-very-soon-in-canada.130850/
Rovio softlaunched Angry Birds POP 2 on iOS in UK
- Riddleside: Fading Legacy (iOS - UK, New Zealand, Russia, Australia)
- Manastorm: Arena of Legends (iOS - Russia)
- Moonlight Mystery (iOS - Canada, Philippines,UK)
- Sushi Dash (iOS - Canada)
Soft launched in the Phillipines by GameHouse, My Original Stories
Could you add those to the list?(:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.haegin.homerunclash
https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1345750763
I’m the Community Manager of Homerun Clash (Developer: Heagin Corp.). We’d be really appreciated to see our App on your list.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.morningames.jetmanvsevilbirds
this new game is a serious contender for the 50 top games in soft launch
the current ranking is about to blow before christmas this year
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.king.knightsrage
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ooblada.poseidon&hl=en_GB
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/neolympia-heroes/id1141905051?l=fr&mt=8
I'm their Community Manager :) We'd all love to see our baby App visible on your prestigious outlet, and would be very grateful for the opportunity!
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.matteljv.uno
Beta site :https://raskullsonline.com/beta/
Digamore
Live in PH and SE
https://marvelstrikeforce.com/
Armello from League of Geeks is soft-launched on iOS in New Zealand and Australia
Wartide: Heroes or Atlantis once again soft launched on Android and IOS in Singapore and Philippines on August 23rd this time by Kongregate.
Raziel: Dungeon Arena
Developer: Indra (Guangzhou Di Shi Tian Software)
Where: Australia, New Zealand, Singapore
Platforms: iOS (Android coming soon)
Live since: 02 August 2017
Last update: 09 September 2017 (Ver 1.3)
Game Title : Safari Smash
Developer : Jam City, Inc.
Where : Philippines
Platforms : Android, iOS
Live Since : 10 March 2017
Updates : (12) last 30 August 2017
Track upcoming events in Brawl Stars Game and you profile progress in Brawl Stars Companion application:
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/companion-for-brawl-stars/id1260329107?l=ru&ls=1&mt=8
I would like to add a game to the list if possible,
WarReign
Developer: Smilegate Megaport / Red Sahara Studio
Where: Philippines, Australia, Hong Kong, Macao, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, Ireland, Nigeria
Platforms: Android / iOS
Live since: 20 June 2017
Last update: 13 July 2017
Thanks!
Normally when games get released but only in a certain region ie during soft launch/beta etc, the APK is normally available for that game so people outside that region can play it.
However game of thrones: conquest has been released in phillipines but nowhere has the APK for it, justly wandering why there is no APK for game of thrones: conquest atm?
I'm not an expert when it comes to this kind of stuff so there might be a simple reason why.
If you could let me know that would be great.
Cheers
I've been following game of thrones: conquest since it was announced back in 2015.
It was soft launched in the Philippines around the 28th June but there is very little info or timeline about when it's going to be fully launched etc.
I don't suppose anyone has any rough idea, heard anything or from your past experiences of soft launches of other games be able to tell me a rough time when u think it will be released globally?
Will it be weeks or months?
Any help would be great
Thanks :)
Developer: Stanga Games
Where: UK, Germany, France,..
Platforms: iOS, GP
Live since: 2015
Updates: last 6 June 2017
Never ever mentioned on PocketGamer ;-)
Regions=Australia,New Zealand,Malaysia and Phlipines NA comes later
And yes, it's awesome
Minitropolis and Warlords, for example, are Android only right now.
I found that out at ter searching 5 different app stores, scouring Facebook pages, and writing the developers.
You could just include the info in the header.
I check this page religiously, really appreciate the work you put into it.
The feature of Star Skater means a lot, we really appreciate it!
We are so excited about this one and we'll keep you updated as it progresses towards global launch. Catch up soon! :)
Just wanted to let everyone know, we've just updated our Soft Launch build to 2.0.3.
We've added loads of new features, including Shareable Replays, Chat & Friends, Leaderboards and more.
Check it out and let us know what you think!
itunes.apple.com/app/id847340288
Cheers!
They all look the same, same graphics style, same boring combat system and yeah, nice f2p monetization.
I ask you this: what is new in term of gameplay that they bring to the table, that makes them worthy of our attention ?
And the answer lies in the pictures and gameplay videos. That is: NOTHING.
We are living the days of easy money grabs. Pick a successful title, now play it, see what mechanics drive it.
Ask your dev team or friends if you can make a clone of it fast.
Then pick an epic title, color it cute (maybe even add a new mechanic or change one mechanic that you didn't like in the original) and sell it as something new.
PS: Don't forget to invest massively in user acquisition inorder to boost it to the top and boast after about download numbers.
Surely if it was that simple, every game would be a massive success, which clearly is not the case.
"We are living the days of easy money grabs". I disagree. Maybe in 2010/2011 you could do this on the App Store. Now you have to invest millions and know exactly what you are doing to have any chance of success.
Currently, there is a certain way of F2P monetisation, but you could say exactly the same thing about the gameplay of console shooters.
Earthcoregame.com