Recap 174: mobile game news of the week

In this week's recap #174, 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 all the week's mobile games news! On the programme: Palworld in possible development at Krafton, the release of Echoes of Eternity and the Flappy Bird drama.

Mobile games releases of the week

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

• El Paso, Elsewhere hits the App Store. This supernatural action game mixes werewolves and vampires in a world inspired by the Texan desert, with stylised slow-motion combat.
• Echoes of Eternity, the MMORPG, is available on the Play Store and App Store. This game combines martial arts, exploration and intense battles, with several classes to choose from for an epic adventure in a mystical world.
• The RPG Legend of Frog is out as a soft launch on the Play Store. This casual game features automatic progression with simple but addictive combat, perfect for fans of relaxing games with continuous progression.
• Rubik's Match 3 mixes the famous cube with classic match-3 gameplay. While the concept remains fairly basic, it still offers a city-building experience with each successful level, on the Play Store and App Store.

Netflix, meanwhile, continues to expand its mobile games offering, with popular titles such as Battleship and Spongebob Bubble Pop recently added to their catalogue. Meanwhile, Monument Valley 1 is available now.

Continuing this section of releases is Populus Run, which has left Apple Arcade exclusivity to join the App Store and Play Store. Pocket Oasis turns your iPhone into a virtual balcony. This cozy game lets you decorate and look after your plants while following the weather cycles.

TPS Mega Zombie M is available as a soft launch on Play Store and App Store in several regions and Change! Love Show: Otome Story, the adult romance game where you play a Japanese idol on a reality TV show, is available on the Play Store and App Store.

Pre-registrations, announcements, updates and testing phases

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

• Netflix is promising even more upcoming titles, including battle royale Squid Game: Unleashed, Carmen Sandiego and Chicken Run: Eggstraction. Other new titles include Don't Starve Together and the highly anticipated Blood Line: A Rebel Moon Game, while Monument Valley 2 arrives on 29 October, followed by the third opus in December.
• Tencent unveils Fate Trigger: The Novita, a heroic shooter scheduled for 2025. With a visual style reminiscent of Apex and Overwatch, this cross-platform shooter promises a unique visual experience and dynamic confrontations.
• Crunchyroll has announced Lord of Nazarick, a gacha RPG based on the Overlord series. Pre-registration is open on the Play Store and App Store.
• Frostpunk: Beyond the Ice is now open for pre-registration on Play Store and App Store. Adapted from the popular PC game, this title challenges you to manage a city in a frozen world, where survival depends on your ability to maintain warmth and resources.

Meanwhile, the gacha RPG Fellow Moon will begin its first public beta in China on 24 October, while the Disney Pixel RPG will be released on 7 October, taking you on retro adventures with your favourite Disney heroes. Pre-registration on Play Store and App Store is now open.

MONPIC: The Hatchling Meets a Girl is a 2D adventure game due for release this autumn. The anime-style title tells the adorable story of a little dragon and his friendship with a young girl.

Sega is preparing a mobile strategy game based on the Yakuza licence. Finally, Snaky Cat is a multiplayer battle royale, available for pre-registration in certain regions via the Play Store and App Store, in which snake cats compete to become the longest.

Other news and events from the mobile games industry

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

• Krafton appears to be preparing a mobile version of Palworld. Although Nintendo has already taken legal action against the game for similarities with Pokémon, this is not stopping the development of this much-anticipated survival adventure.
• Flappy Bird resurfaces ten years after its disappearance, but this time with a new drama, a subject we detail in a full article.
• Playtika acquires SuperPlay for $700 million. SuperPlay, known for Dice Dreams and Domino Dreams, could well be reaching financial heights with the help of its new investor.
• Brand new studio Redly Games has secured major financial backing from Supercell. Founded by Thea Chow, a former Game Lead at Supercell, the studio is developing "Project Oasis", a cross-platform 3D adventure game, primarily for mobile. Recruitment for a game programmer is currently underway.

Also from Supercell, the studio has confirmed the definitive end of Everdale, their cozy farming game. Metacore, in charge of the project, has announced that no viable economic solution has been found to extend the game. Finally, if you're a fan of Genshin Impact and gaming hardware, you should know that Logitech has announced a collaboration with the game for peripherals inspired by the world of the hit gacha.

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