Recap #162: What's new this week in mobile gaming?

In this week's recap (No. 162), we take a look at the week's must-have mobile games releases, mobile news and pre-registrations/test phases that you don't want to miss.

Settle in, as we do every Sunday to bring you the week's mobile games news! On the agenda: the release of Assassin's Creed Mirage, pre-registrations for Battle Crush, the release of the excellent Skul and a whole host of other news.

Mobile games releases and announcements this week

This week has been rich in release announcements, with many games now available on the stores:

• Enter the world of Skul, a 2D roguelite platformer with superb pixel art animation. Play as Skul, the last skeleton warrior who must save the demon king of humans by using various skulls, weapons and upgrades to defeat his enemies. Download it now for 7 euros on Android and iOS and discover the many synergies between the different playable characters.
• Assassin's Creed Mirage is now available on iPhone 15 and the latest-generation iPad. Based on the gameplay of the first installments, the game plunges you into the streets of Baghdad in 861 with Basim, a thief aspiring to join the Brotherhood of Assassins. Take advantage of the 50% off special on the App Store until 20 June.
• Exorcise demons in Devils Purge, an augmented reality game available on iOS for £9. Use your phone's camera to reveal and eliminate sinister creatures in your everyday environment.
• Nopets: Tales of Dacardia is available on Android and iOS. In this cute farm simulation, tame Nopets and rebuild your town after a storm.

Meanwhile, Roia, a puzzle game from Emoak, will be released on Android and iOS on 16 July. Disney Speedstorm, the free-to-play racing game, will be released worldwide on 11 July. The gacha RPG Wizardry Variants Daphne will be released in October. Monster Hunter is expanding with Felyne Islands, a casual match-3 game due for release on 26 June.

Pre-registrations, updates and test phases

In addition to the recent releases, we have more test and pre-registration announcements in stock this week.

• The anime Tribe Nine is being turned into a video game on Crunchyroll, developed by Akatsuki Games and Too Kyo Games. This gacha RPG combines 3D combat with 2D pixel art exploration. Sign up for the closed beta on PC before its launch on mobile.
• Bumbling Cats is now available for pre-registration on Android and iOS. This cute idle game lets you control an army of adorable cats against gigantic enemies.
• The colourful and dynamic Battle Guys: Royale is in soft launch on Android in several countries. Developed by Kitka Games, this battle royale promises to be both easy to pick up and hard to master.
• Try Last Spartan: Glory over Madness as a demo on iOS from 10 June. This turn-based deckbuilding game is set in a dark and bloody mythological world.

Meanwhile, Valorant Mobile has received publishing approval in China, allowing Riot Games to finalise and make the game official. Delta Force was showcased at Summer Game Fest, with a large-scale PvP demonstration featuring armoured vehicles and explosions. Finally, the Pudgy Penguins are launching a mobile game in 2025. This NFT-based game, in partnership with Mythical Games, features a party game with over 8,000 penguin NFTs.

Other WTF news and events from the mobile games industry

The mobile JV industry has more news in store for you this week:

• Soon you could be playing mini-games in your Uber. Uber is planning to integrate games into its app, although the type of games on offer is still unknown.
• HoYoverse has launched HoYoplay, a centralised launcher for all its games. Currently being rolled out gradually, it promises daily rewards and other interesting features.
• Honor of Kings is launching an esport partnership programme ahead of its release on 20 June. Tencent is investing $15 million to prepare the ground and attract competitors.

See you next week for a round-up of mobile games news!