Recap #228: What's new this week in mobile gaming?

In recap #228, we take a look at the week's must-have mobile games releases, mobile news and pre-registrations/test phases you won't want to miss.

Sit back and relax as we round up all the week's mobile games news! On the programme: Netflix announces its acquisition of Warner Bros, Abyss Hunters slowly absorbs our souls, Monument Valley 3 gets a free expansion, and we've got a whole heap 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:

• Abyss Hunters is available on Play Store and is still available for pre-registration on App Store. You are the chosen one, capable of gathering unlikely adventurers and thwarting your enemies' traps in a cozy, isometric 2D pixel art style.
• Total War Napoleon is out on Play Store and App Store, and brings this particularly well-honed tactical strategy formula to the heart of winter for $15.
• Red Dead Redemption is out on Play Store and App Storeas part of the Netflix subscription. The story of John Marston straddles our mobile devices with its complete single-player campaign and the Undead Nightmare extension.

Last but not least, Darkside Detective is the Epic Games free game of the week.

Pre-registrations, announcements, updates and testing phases

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

• Dungeons of DUSK is scheduled for release on mobile, PC and console in 2026. If you're familiar with the original games, this new title with a dungeon crawling twist fits in between the previous games with lore and a canon campaign spread over 30 levels.
• Party Pop Bubblyz is now open for pre-registration on Play Store and App Store. Take control of your personalised little bird in 20-player rushes through colourful levels for 10-minute games.
• Clans of London is in soft launch on Play Store and App Store in Brazil, Indonesia and Poland. You'll find all the mechanics of a well-established fantasy TCG, in a dark mood based on the world of Vampire: La Masquerade.
• Monument Valley 3 is getting a content expansion called Garden of Life. This free DLC offers new chapters to add to UsTwo Games' puzzle game experience.

Then there's Warframe, the TPS shooter that's launching its Android beta. Limit Zero Breakers, NCSoft's RPG, opens beta registration. Fairytale Quest opens its pre-registration on Play Store and App Store. Continuing with Heartopia, which is announcing its latest beta from 10 to 23 December before its global release on Play Store and App Store. HeavenHells is also opening pre-registration on Play Store.

Meanwhile, Ragnarok Monster Kitchen is entering soft launch on Play Store and App Store in Indonesia and New Zealand. Sengodai, the roguelite card game, is coming to Play Store on 12 December.

Other news and events from the mobile games industry

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

• Netflix acquires Warner Bros. In a deal worth US$82.7 billion, Netflix is buying DC Studios and HBO, as well as Rocksteady Studios, NethearRalm and Avalanche, along with smaller licences such as Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat.
• The iPhone game of the year was Pokémon TCG Pocket. As for iPad games, it was the sublime Dredge, with its horrific fishing atmosphere, that came out on top.
• This week, we learn that Genshin is once again collaborating with Pop Mart to offer a set of 7 figurines featuring Aino, Columbina, Ineffa, Flins, Varka, Durin and a mysterious seventh, probably Nefer or Rerir.

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