Recap #167: What's new this week in mobile gaming?

In this week's Recap #167, we take a look at the week's must-have mobile games releases, mobile news and pre-registrations/test phases not to be missed.

Sit back and relax as we round up the week's mobile games news! On the agenda: the release of Metal Slug: Awakening, the opening of pre-registration for Neverness to Everness , and the postponement of The Division and Rainbow Six on mobile.

Mobile games releases of the week

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

• After years of waiting, Metal Slug Awakening is finally available on Android and iOS. The game features the same arcade run-and-gun gameplay as the previous instalments, but with a host of new features, including new characters and game modes.
• Spirit of the Island is coming to Android and iOS, ready to delight fans of life simulators. Turn a tropical island into a tourist destination by completing a variety of missions. The cooperative mode lets you play with a friend, offering an unrestricted shared gaming experience.
• Asphalt Legends Unite launches worldwide on the Play Store and App Store, replacing Asphalt 9: Legends. Enjoy new game modes and take on international players in crossplay.
• Subway Surfers City is making a quiet exit with a soft launch on Android and iOS in the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands and other regions. Jake and his friends return to dodge trains and collect coins in this new version of the popular licence.

Meanwhile, Bleach Soul Puzzle, the mobile puzzle game adaptation of the Bleach anime, will soon be available on the Play Store and App Store. Meanwhile, Laser Tanks, a game of tanks fighting aliens, is now available on iOS after an Android exclusivity, for €6.

We continue with the minimalist puzzle game Roia, which has also just been released for €3 on Android and iOS, where you have to divert a river by modifying the geometry of the terrain. We continue with another puzzle game, Ouros, which will be released on 14 August on the Play Store and App Store and involves distorting a coloured path to guide a puck through checkpoints.

Cat lovers will be delighted with Cats and Other Lives, soon to be available on Android and iOS. Play as Aspen the cat and explore the lives of members of the Mason family over the decades. In a completely different genre, Mount Everest Story takes you to the icy peaks of the Himalayas with a management adventure, for €4.50 on Android and iOS.

Finally, following its launch in China, Girls Frontline 2: Exilium will soon be available in a global version with an English localization.

Pre-registrations, announcements, updates and test phases

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

• Pre-registration for Neverness to Everness is now open. This open-world, cross-platform RPG from Level Infinite and Hotta Studio features a post-apocalyptic world where you fight anomalies. With its impressive visual style, including ray tracing and DLSS, the game promises an immersive experience.
• SP-Game's MMORPG Arcadia: Breath of the Land is also opening pre-registration on Android and iOS. Immerse yourself in a colourful animated world, choose from four starting classes and battle epic monsters.
• Mobile Party, heavily inspired by Fall Guys, is now in beta in South East Asia on the Play Store and App Store. Take part in 32-player obstacle courses and customise your avatar. The built-in editor lets you create your own maps, adding a creative dimension to this party-game-style battle royale.
• Pre-registration for Grimguard Tactics is now open. This free-to-play gacha RPG for Android and iOS lets you explore the world of Terenos, fight bosses and engage in PvP battles.

On top of all that, we've learned that Hoyeon, NCSoft's new title in the Blade & Soul universe, is opening pre-registration in certain regions on the Play Store and App Store. Play as Yuki as you embark on a journey of initiation, with spectacular battles and pets in a colourful world. Pre-registration for Ash of Gods: The Way on Android is now open. This narrative and tactical RPG follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, Ash of Gods: Redemption.

Other news and events from the mobile games industry

There's more from the mobile JV industry this week:

• Supercell's Squad Busters is currently testing a 5v5 mode in China. This new game mode, tested by 5,000 players, features quick 4-minute matches and could well become a must-have for esports.
• Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes is set to land on PC, nine years after its launch on mobile. With millions of downloads to its name, this classic game brings together the heroes and iconic locations of the Star Wars saga.
• Ubisoft has announced that the releases of The Division Mobile and Rainbow Six Mobile have been postponed until after March 2025. Fans will have to wait a little longer before seeing these games on their mobiles.

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