If you like mobile games, this list is for you! Come discover this year’s free-to-play mobile games that you need to watch closely. Will these few candidates be able to surpass the successes of Hoyoverse?
It goes without saying that Genshin Impact has completely changed the landscape of free-to-play mobile games. Today, many are inspired by the ideas of the Hoyoverse studio and try to surpass it. That said, with its $119 million generated in April 2024 alone, Genshin Impact is still the highest-grossing mobile game in the world today. Its little brother, Honkai Star Rail, is not far behind, with $109 million in revenue, still for the month of April. Among gacha type games, even if Zenless Zone Zero is coming soon, we are going to talk about other productions coming out this year. Will any of the following entertainments be able to dethrone Hoyoverse? Some candidates, who have an entire gacha system, have the potential.
Summary
- Wuthering Waves
- Azur Promilia
- Duet Night Abyss
- Arknights: Endfiel
- Breakers: Unlock the World
- Seven Deadly Sins Origins
- Some honorable mentions for 2025
- Project Mugen
- Shangri-La Frontier
- Unending Dawn
Wuthering Waves
With approximately 33 million pre-registrations, Wuthering Waves was one of the most anticipated free mobile games of this year. You will be able to explore a vast world populated by creatures, each more powerful than the last, or interact with several playable or non-playable characters. First of all, the possibilities for exploration are much more advanced than in Genshin Impact, including the functions of running on walls and jumping several times in the air. Moreover, monsters that you can capture will allow you to explore certain areas of the map, while being powerful allies during battles, making the gameplay more dynamic. The action-RPG was widely anticipated by the mobile community, it is now available since May 22, 2024 on iOS, Android, PC. The PlayStation 4 and 5 versions are not yet available, but should be very soon.
Azur Promilia
The creators of Azur Lane are also riding the open world gacha wave and want to release Azur Promilia. A particularly colorful open world, more nervous and dynamic combat, a fantasy world with creatures each cuter than the next, in short, a game that you will have to watch! In addition to a colorful universe, exploration is highlighted via a system of mounts and monsters that will accompany you during your adventure. They will be used to go faster, but also to fight and collect resources across the map. An agricultural system is also present in this production. You will need to capture as many monsters as possible if you want to take good care of your garden. Signed by Manjuu, the game should be released this year and will be available on iOS, Android, PC and PlayStation 5.
Duet Night Abyss
An open world in which magic and machines coexist, that’s what Duet Night Abyss is. This dynamic action-RPG will be PAN STUDIO’s first game. It will allow you to explore a dark and mysterious world in which demons lurk in every corner of destroyed cities. The gameplay will be very versatilebecause you can attack in close combat, but also at a distance, and that is its strength. Run, jump or flythese are just a few travel features that will allow players to be very free in their movements. The production is expected to be released this year 2024 and will be available on iOS, Android and PC.
Arknights: Endfiel
Taken from another game of the same name, Arknights: Endfield takes place a few hundred years after the story of Arknight, also from the Hypergryph studio. This semi-open world drastically changes from the Tower Defense gameplay of the previous opus, but this will not displease players who prefer more nervous combat. Exploration won’t be much like Genshin Impact. The areas are rather large, even if closed, and movement will also be limited. A bit like Honkai Star Rail: objects to collect, dynamic combat while keeping a small tactical aspect, this is an action-RPG that looks really interesting.
To add a little originality, all the characters from your team will be present with you on the battlefield. They will attack with their most classic attacks and it will be up to you to use their skills intelligently. Finally, a factory system is present in the game. These will be used when creating resources. You will need to feed them so that they create other resources which will serve as objects, such as bombs for example. Factories will also be useful for improving your characters. Its release is scheduled for 2024 on iOS, Android, PC and PlayStation 5.
Breakers: Unlock the World
Developed by Korean studio Vic Game Studios, Breakers: Unlock the World is a brand new license from the studio, like many other games on this list. You will play as a “Breaker”, an adventurer capable of altering reality. Your objective will be to face all kinds of monsters and magical creatures that are spreading terror in Seraphia. In order to bring peace, powerful allies will be at your disposal via a gacha system the details of which we do not yet know. Particularly colorful, the areas that you will have to explore will be quite large and multiple. This game is intended to be an innovative visual experience. Several cutscenes, fun and interesting dialogues, but above all extremely expressive characters. It is scheduled for 2024 and will be released on iOS, Android and PC.
Seven Deadly Sins Origins
After a few seasons for its anime, manga and a turn-based action game, the Seven Deadly Sins license continues to expand its family with Seven Deadly Sins Origins. Indeed, a new open-world action-RPG game arrives in the fantastic universe of Seven Deadly Sins! Widely known and appreciated (despite some controversies), this world makes more than one dream with its magic, its challenges and especially its characters with particularly touching stories. However, this colorful world is not as rosy as it suggests. Netmarble’s new role-playing game will introduce us to a whole new storythe details of which we do not yet know. Dynamic combat will allow for great agility, like the exploration which looks very pleasant and fluid. The release is scheduled for this year 2024, the game will be available on iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, PC and Xbox One.
Some honorable mentions for 2025
Project Mugen
Project Mugen was undoubtedly the biggest surprise of summer 2023. Many mobile players loved the trailer as well as the gameplay. On the one hand, the universe is unusual since it is an extremely urban city full of life. On the other hand, said gameplay looks really very permissive and dynamic, both in its fights and in its exploration. If the fights are already well accomplished according to the trailer and the images available on the internet, the movements of our characters are even more advanced. Some people compare him to Spider-Man and we can’t blame them. Like the Spider-Man, we will be able to run on the walls and swing ourselves using a cable, from building to building, in this gigantic city. The Naked Rain studio should release its production between the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025, but it is most likely that it will be released next year. Its platforms will be iOS, Android, PlayStation 4 and 5, and PC.
Shangri-La Frontier
This is the game we have the least information on. A simple trailer of a few minutes, it’s not much, however The mobile gaming community is particularly curious, at least if we are to believe the comments and reactions on the networks. Shangri-La Frontier is inspired by the manga and anime Shangri-La Frontier, known for its excellent animations and fights worthy of the biggest bosses in the video game world. It should be an open-world action-RPG. A gacha system will be implemented by the Netmarble studio, but nothing has been confirmed yet. Yes, you read correctly, it’s the same studio that takes care of Seven Deadly Sins Origins. Obviously, the company will probably not release these two games at the same time, especially since we only have one trailer for this next production. This will be released in 2025 and will be available at least on iOS and Android, like the studio’s other entertainment.
Unending Dawn
Compared to games like Elden Ring or Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, This souls-like open-world anime looks more than promising. In a dark and medieval universe, Unending Dawn offers to summon knights (via gacha) in order to diversify our style of play. Its visuals were created using Unreal Engine 5 and its beauty is not its only strength. The fights will be particularly difficult and nervous.
The inspiration from From Software’s games is clearly assumed both in the gameplay, via dodges, parries and limited healing, and in its apocalyptic medieval universe. The game will be available on IOS, Android, Playstation 5 and PC.
