Recap #226: Mobile games news of the week

In this recap #226, 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 programme: Where Winds Meet opens pre-registration, HoYoverse unveils its Vasapura game with lots of gameplay, we take out the fortress in Besiege and we've got a whole host of other news to share with you.

Mobile games releases of the week

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

• Besiege is available on Play Store and App Store. Use and abuse the 70 building blocks, 55 levels and sandbox modes to create tanks, aeroplanes, catapults and even mechas with a bit of wacky physics.
• Dice of Kalma is available on Play Store and App Store. In this $4 roguelite, your deck of skulls features one special effect per head, which may involve a reroll or even a change of hand to gain an advantage, and which you'll need to master more and more.
• Carmen Sandiego is making a comeback. The game, which disappeared from the Netflix catalogue along with around twenty other titles last July, is back for $5 on Play Store and App Store.
• Naruto Ultimate Ninja STORM is available on Apple Arcade. It's been a classic in its category for over 16 years. Fire up your shonen spirit, choose your favourite characters from the 35 available and get ready to fight.

Islanders Mobile is also out on Play Store and App Store, for less than $6. Resident Evil Survival Unit is finally available for free on Play Store and App Store, and the Epic Games Store free game is Zoeti.

Pre-registrations, announcements, updates and test phases

Here's a selection of the pre-registrations and beta releases that made their mark this week on Android and iOS.

• Where Winds Meet, NetEase's ARPG, is now open for pre-registration on Play Store and App Store. Go ahead and pre-register if you like a Wuxia fantasy setting with medieval China, different dynasties and at least as many martial arts.
• Varsapura has just been announced by Hoyoverse, in a 30-minute gameplay trailer. You play as a young girl who can fly through the air with her Nikki umbrella, as well as a future member of the SEAL team who fights against shadowy creatures.
• TR-49, Inkle's new narrative title based on real documents about the history of cryptography, is coming to the App Store in January.
• Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard has just been announced by Poncle, dev of Vampire Survivors. This roguelite deckbuilder will be released in early to mid-2026 on mobile, console and PC.

Dadish 4, meanwhile, has been announced for December 18 on mobile. Dawnmaker, the single-player strategy game, is also coming out on 18 December, and has already opened pre-registration on Play Store and App Store. Warp Knights, the tower defence gacha, is starting its closed beta on Android.

Then there's Project R.I.S.E., Supercell's game which is cancelling its Barely Beta. Arknights Endfield opens for pre-registration on Play Store and App Store, ahead of a planned release in 2026. Uniqkiller, the urban shooter, goes into soft launch on 3 December.

Then there's Dragon Traveler, which invites you to pre-register on Play Store and App Store until its beta on 27 November. Ring of Fire Prometheus will go into open beta on 28 November. We also note the soft launch of EA The Sims Lab: Life Together on the App Store in the Netherlands, Italy and Sweden. Then there's Pokémon GOITA , which has just been revealed for Japan.

Other news and events from the mobile games industry

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

• Netflix Games is extending its catalogue to your TV, with games you can play using your smartphone as a controller. And Lego Party makes its TV debut with a collection of 4-player mini-games.
• The Game Awards announce their selection of mobile games. This year's line-up once again includes long-established titles such as Persona 5 The Phantom X, Destiny Rising, Sonic Rumble, Umamusume Pretty Derby and Wuthering Waves,
• Black Beacon will close its servers on 31 December, while Digimon creature-collecting game Source Code will shut down in January before it has even had a worldwide release, and Tokyo Revengers: Last Mission will also shut down in January.

See you next week for a recap of mobile games news!