Once Human is a big hit at Steam Next Fest, but wishlists are a drop in the bucket

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 represent Steam wishlists.

NetEase's strategy of prioritizing a PC release, despite its mobile-centric history, is noteworthy. Once Human remains highly popular on Steam, attracting the most demo players during Next Fest. Nevertheless, this highlights the stark contrast between mobile and PC gaming landscapes, with mobile consistently demonstrating greater reach and discoverability.

Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on

NetEase's PC focus isn't inherently flawed, but the data underscores the challenges even major developers face in achieving comparable visibility and player acquisition on PC compared to mobile.

While awaiting Once Human's release, consider exploring our curated lists of the best and most anticipated mobile games of 2024. These lists offer a selection of top-tier mobile titles to keep you entertained.