NetEase's upcoming third-person shooter, Once Human, boasts over 15 million global pre-registrations, a significant achievement highlighted by its Steam Next Fest success. However, a closer look reveals a disparity between its mobile and PC performance.
While pre-registrations are impressive, only 300,000 translate to Steam wishlists. This, coupled with NetEase's PC-first release strategy (a departure from their mobile-centric approach), underscores the challenges of achieving comparable discoverability on PC compared to mobile platforms.
The game's popularity on Steam remains undeniable, evidenced by its top demo player count during Steam Next Fest. Nevertheless, the contrast highlights the significant difference in reach and visibility between the two markets.
NetEase's focus on a PC audience is understandable and not inherently negative. However, the data reveals a stark difference in audience size and discoverability between PC and mobile gaming. Even a major developer like NetEase faces hurdles in replicating its mobile success on PC.
While awaiting Once Human's release, explore our curated lists of the best and most anticipated mobile games of 2024 for alternative gaming options. These lists feature hand-picked titles offering top-tier mobile gaming experiences.
