Five mobile games worth getting excited for
Mobile games have developed a long list of stigmas, despite being the largest videogame platform in the world. Mobile games have a reputation for being corny, cringe, pay-to-win and low in quality. Despite this rap-sheet of negative associations, mobile games continue to be the most profitable sector of the videogame industry and are growing at an unprecedented rate. While the quality of mobile games on the market has greatly improved in recent years, many hardcore gamers still view mobile gaming as novice and often games available on mobile devices.
With so much money being generated by mobile games, it only makes sense for companies to invest in the mobile gaming market. Thanks to new levels of commitment, we’re seeing mobile games that are pushing the boundaries of mobile devices and closing the gap between mobile gaming and traditional platforms. In this article, I’m going to explore five mobile games that even the most hardcore and competitive gamers (like myself) should be looking forward to. When you take a step back and look at what’s on the way, even the most adamant mobile gaming haters might have to rethink their position.
PUBG: New State
There’s an all new PUBG game coming in 2021 and the only place that you can play it is on mobile devices. While the mobile version of Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds has been a runaway success, it was developed and published by Tencent , not the original PUBG development team. That core PUBG development team is now developing PUBG: New State, a brand new PUBG game set in the year 2051. While remaining true to the look and feel of the original PUBG formula, New State introduces elements like flying vehicles, drones, deployable shields and more. Take a look at the trailer and you’ll see what looks to be a slightly more fluid and action-packed PUBG experience than you’re probably used to.
So why should you be excited about PUBG: New State? To this day, the experience of Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds remains unrivaled. While it might not be for everyone, the tension of its matches and unique gunplay still feel satisfying and special. The thought of getting a truly new PUBG experience should be exciting for anyone that ever enjoyed PUBG and it just so happens that New State is where you will get it.
While there are rumors of a “PUBG 2.0” being in development and potentially coming in 2022, you’ll be able to play New State, which is mobile-exclusive (for now), this year. Get your Kar98 ready.
Pokemon Unite
Nintendo has been extremely slow to embrace the online and competitive gaming scenes but we may finally see that change with Pokemon Unite, a 5v5 MOBA game in development for mobile and Nintendo Switch. While information on Pokemon Unite is scarce, we do know that players will be taking direct control of their favorite Pokemon and duking it out against an enemy team in true-MOBA fashion. Expect signature Pokemon abilities and large team fights like those that you see in DOTA2 and League of Legends, with Pokemon leveling up and evolving throughout the match. While a Pokemon MOBA may sound like a whacky idea to some, put some thought into the concept and you will actually find quite a few complimentary traits that the franchise shares with the genre.
We know very little about Pokemon Unite at this point but we do know that private playtesting is on-going in select regions of the world. Given that the game was announced last year and being handled by Tencent, who has a history of productive development, expect Pokemon Unite to make its way into the wild in 2021.
Diablo Immortal
When Blizzard announced Diablo Immortal at BlizzCon a few years back, fans raged and mocked Blizzard for creating a mobile-exclusive Diablo game but as far as I’m concerned, the flack was unnecessary. With Diablo 3 still providing a satisfying experience, Diablo 4 deep in development and Diablo 2: Resurrected launching this year, the existence of a brand new Diablo game exclusive to mobile devices isn’t all that egregious. If you turned the clock back a decade and told us that you’d be able to play Diablo on the go, wherever and whenever you wanted, without needing to be at home, wouldn’t that sound pretty enticing?
Immortal is being co-developed by Blizzard and Chinese gaming giant NetEase, who will likely have a massive hit on their hands, especially in the Eastern gaming market. This mobile exclusive Diablo game will tell an all new story bridging the events of Diablo II, Diablo III, bringing classic Diablo combat (now built for touch controls), classes and characters to the mobile market while ntroducing new MMO-lite mechanics. Think of hub areas where you will meet other players as well as instanced dungeons for you and a group. In many ways, Diablo Immortal will be test running features that will carry over into Diablo 4 itself, which should intrigue Diablo fans.
While we don’t yet have a release date for Diablo Immortal, I am expecting it to launch in 2021. Mobile game development is very efficient and it’s apparent that Blizzard and NetEase have been taking their time with Immortal. After the backlash against the game’s announcement, it is likely that Blizzard is doing everything that they can to ensure that Immortal delivers and doesn’t become a stain on this storied franchise. Despite all of the doubt, I am willing to stake money that Diablo Immortal will be one of the best mobile games that releases this year. Let’s hope that hardcore fans are willing to give it a shot.
League of Legends: Wild Rift
There’s no doubt that League of Legends has become one of the most successful esports titles of all time. What is perhaps even more impressive is that it has done so while only being available on a single platform. Riot Games is changing that in 2021 with the release of League of Legends: Wild Rift. While console versions of Wild Rift are also in development, it is expected that mobile will be the most widely adopted version of Wild Rift, which takes the League of Legends experience and makes it pocket-sized.
Fans who are familiar with League of Legends will find that Wild Rift should feel very familiar while also being simplified for mobile devices where the MOBA genre has already established a home. It is extremely likely however, that Wild Rift will quickly dominate that space when it launches. With League of Legends already being a house-hold name, it will be interesting to see how much Wild Rift helps the brand grow.
Apex Legends
One of my most played games of all time is coming to mobile devices this year and I can’t tell if that excites or scares me. I’m very excited that Apex Legends is landing on mobile devices because its arrival will likely only help grow the player base and infuse more cash into the franchise, which is my favorite battle royale of all time. What I’m scared of however, is that I will now be able to sink more hours into Apex, even when I’m not home.
Mobile shooters like PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile have been able to establish themselves as games to be taken seriously. They have hundreds of millions of players and even hold their own competitive events. While we don’t know much about the mobile version of Apex Legends at this time, its widely expected that it will closely mirror it’s PC and console counter-parts, but with mobile friendly visuals and controls. With that said, Apex’ arrival on mobile should mark the beginning of another seriously competitive shooter for iOS and Android.
EA and Respawn have confirmed that testing for the mobile version of Apex Legends should begin within months of the publication of this article. While we don’t know if the full-game will have a wide-scale launch in 2021, its expected that it will become playable to the public in some form, this year. As a long time Titanfall fan, I couldn’t be more thrilled to see Respawn Entertainment finally experiencing success on the level that they deserve. I will most definitely be playing Apex Legends on mobile when it launches, to support the team and perhaps I will finally make the push for Apex Predator when it does.
Conclusion
While we will likely see a record number of mobile games released this year, don’t let the quantity of releases fool you. There are some extremely high quality games releasing for mobile devices in 2021 with this handful leading the pack. While its virtually guaranteed that these games will be massive financial successes, its likely that they will also set new standards for the quality of mobile gaming. If you’re a gamer that’s still holding out and refusing to dabble in mobile games, 2021 may be the year to finally give in and indulge.
Mayor Reynolds streams every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 7:00pm EST on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/MayorReynolds
