It is no new news that a lot of mobile games are being released on a daily basis, and the numbers have been so many that keeping track of every single launch has been a tough task indeed. But, amongst these, some mobile games create a lot of hype with trailers, betas, and early previews, only to disappear without a trace. Let’s take a look at some mobile games that, for one reason or another, have gone dark and have never been heard of yet.
Path of Exile Mobile
- Publisher: Grinding Gear Games
- Genre: Role Playing
In November 2019, Grinding Gear Games announced, that they are bringing their hit Free to Play Action RPG Path of Exile for mobile devices. As declared by the studios, the game will be devoid of any “bullshit trends” such as microtransactions and pay-to-win elements. Being developed by the same team that worked on the original console versions, the developers emphasize that the mobile version will be the original game tailored for smartphone screens and smaller gaming sessions in mind. Unfortunately, there is no news on the release date of Path of Exile Mobile.
Spyjinx
- Publisher: Epic Games
- Genre: Role-Playing, Strategy
Announced way back in 2020 was Spyjinx. Coming from a known publisher like Epic Games in collaboration with Bad Robot Games, the portrait gameplay showcased in the trailer was pretty hype I should say. Well, it died there. Five years have passed since the announcement, and I might be sure that even the developers have forgotten they have a title named Spyjinx.
The Ragnarok
- Publisher: NetEase Games
- Genre: MMORPG
If this that Gravity’s Ragnarok I wouldn’t bat an eye, but since it was NetEase Games‘ AAA open-world MMORPG, Project Ragnarok was something that caught my attention. Since the title was announced in 2020, there has been no update on the release date. Given NetEase’s history with large-scale MMOs, it was interesting to see how they bring a AAA experience to mobile, but maybe we’ll never see it.
King of Hunters
- Publisher: NetEase Games
- Genre: MOBA, Open World
Another NetEase Games’ announcement back in 2018 in Japan, King of Hunters was supposed to be a mix of Battle Royale and MOBA elements, offering an open-world experience where players could pick careers, equip weapons, and fight for dominance. Despite several closed beta tests, NetEase Games never provided a concrete release date. The game’s unique multi-tiered open world had potential, and I’m sure there isn’t any hope that King of Hunters will finally see the light of day.
Code-T
- Publisher: NetEase Games
- Genre: Cyberpunk
A cyberpunk mobile game from NetEase? Sounds great on paper. Code-T was supposed to be a futuristic bounty hunter experience set in a crime-filled neon city. The teaser had all the right vibes, but that’s about it, just vibes. Since its initial announcement, Code-T has completely vanished. No updates, no betas, and not even a hint of life. Feels like one of those projects that sounded cool in a meeting and then got quietly scrapped.
H1Z1 Mobile
- Publisher: Daybreak Game Company
- Genre: Battle Royale
At one point, H1Z1 was a big name in Battle Royale, and a mobile version seemed inevitable. Daybreak Game Company even partnered with NantWorks to make it happen. But after NantWorks pulled out, everything fell apart. With H1Z1 already struggling to stay relevant on PC and PS4, expecting a mobile version now is wishful thinking. Safe to say, H1Z1 Mobile is as good as dead.
Pitch Clash
- Publisher: KONAMI
- Genre: Sports
I’m personally a fan of eFootball, and when KONAMI announced the release of their new football mobile game, Pitch Clash, I was hyped. It hit early access on Android, some players got to try it, and then, nothing. The game just disappeared, like a footballer in their cover who promised to score 30 goals in a season but never showed up. Given Konami’s history of quietly shutting down projects, this one was probably benched for good. That reminds me, my review of this game is still in drafts.
Vive Le Football
- Publisher: NetEase
- Genre: Sports
Now you might know of this game since it runs in China as Green Faith according to some players, but global news has been a long time since revealed. Vive Le Football had a new introduction to mobile football with a plethora of new features, some of them did get to try, but that was way back in 2021. Since then, no active interest was shown for the game’s release on a global scale, I hope it changes, but I don’t see it happening any time soon.
Splitgate
- Publisher: 1047 Games
- Genre: Action
When 1047 Games hinted at a mobile version of Splitgate, it sounded cool, who wouldn’t want a Halo-style FPS with portals on their phone? But with 1047 Games moving on to new projects, it’s clear this was more of a “maybe someday” idea rather than an actual plan. If you’re still waiting for Splitgate Mobile, you might as well start hoping for Half-Life 3 while you’re at it.
Fading City
- Publisher: NetEase Games
- Genre: Action, Strategy
Announced as an open-world survival game from NetEase Games and ACE Studios, Fading City looked like it had potential. Built with Unreal Engine 4, which isn’t the norm with UE5 out, back then it promised an atmospheric wasteland city where players would fight for survival after a catastrophic disaster. A closed beta test was launched, but after that? Silence. No new updates, no official release, and the game has all but faded away which ironically lived up to its name.
King’s Chess
- Publisher: Level Infinite
- Genre: Strategy
Honor of Kings is a massive hit, so when TiMi Studios and Tencent Games‘ announced King’s Chess, an auto-chess spin-off, it seemed like an easy win. But the hype didn’t last long. Since its reveal, there’s been no major update, leaving fans to wonder if this project is still moving forward or if it’s just another case of Tencent announcing a game and then forgetting about it.
Codename CrossFire 0 (CF0)
- Publisher: Tencent Games
- Genre: Action
Another CrossFire game from Tencent Games’ TiMi Y3 Studio sounded exciting, especially for mobile players. But Codename CF0 never made it past its flashy announcement. No gameplay details, no tests, just a name and a trailer that’s gathering dust. Given Tencent’s history of launching multiple projects and quietly shelving some, this one might already be gone before it ever truly started.
Dragon Sword (Project D)
- Publisher: Hound 13
- Genre: Action, RPG
Hound 13 had people talking when they revealed Dragon Sword (Project D), an open-world RPG that immediately drew comparisons to Genshin Impact. The game was set to launch on both PC and mobile, and the early footage looked promising. But after the initial excitement, things went quiet. No updates, no test phases, just another ambitious RPG that may never leave development.
Project ME
- Publisher: Nuverse
- Genre: RPG
Nuverse announced Project ME, an open-world RPG developed by Panthea Games, with little information other than a teaser trailer. While the game seemed like it had some interesting world-building, there have been no major updates since. It’s one of those games that sound cool in theory but might never actually make it to launch. Still, it has been two years since the original announcement so I have hope.
Roller Champions
- Publisher: Ubisoft
- Genre: Sports
First revealed at E3 2019, Roller Champions was Ubisoft’s attempt at a free-to-play multiplayer skating game, where players would tackle and pass their way through a high-speed velodrome. It eventually launched on PC and consoles, but the mobile version? Still missing. Given Ubisoft’s history with inconsistent support for their games, it wouldn’t be surprising if the mobile version never rolled out.
Total War: Elysium
- Publisher: SEGA
- Genre: Strategy
Announced as Creative Assembly’s first venture into the CCG genre, Total War: Elysium aimed to blend strategy with historical warfare. The game featured legendary generals and a deck-building system, allowing players to craft powerful strategies. A closed beta was launched exclusively for Android, with plans for expansion to PC and iOS. Despite early excitement and no updates since its last test phase, it seems like another ambitious project that never made it past beta.
SICO
- Publisher: Indic Arena
- Genre: Battle Royale
Following PUBG Mobile ban in India, many replicas popped up announcing they would create a similar experience, and among them was SICO. With Special Insurgency Counter Operation in its full form, the game promised a mix of battle royale and classic multiplayer modes like Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Gun Race. In 2021 during the testing they removed that version due to technical difficulties in handling the servers, and following that, zero announcements.
Supernatural City
- Publisher: Rovio Entertainment
- Genre: Puzzle
Rovio Entertainment, best known for Angry Birds, attempted to expand into the narrative puzzle genre with Supernatural City. Soft-launched in multiple regions, Supernatural City never saw a full global release. With no updates since its test phase, the game quietly disappeared, making it yet another experimental title from Rovio that failed to take off.
Age of KITA
- Publisher: Lilith Games
- Genre: Strategy
Lilith Games, the studio behind Rise of Kingdoms, introduced Age of KITA as a futuristic spin on their popular strategy formula back in 2021. Despite launching in early access for Android in the UK, the game never expanded to a full global release. With no updates or new announcements, the Age of KITA seems to have quietly disappeared, leaving us wondering if Lilith Games ever plans to revive it.
Undying Mobile
- Publisher: Vanimals
- Genre: Adventure, Survival
Developed by Vanimals, Undying Mobile was set to bring its emotional survival story to Android and iOS in 2022. Despite early access updates and a public roadmap, Undying Mobile never saw its promised global release on mobile. With releases across other platforms while no official mobile release news in years, the mobile release is a miss-out.
Conclusion
The list comes to an end, and honestly, it was longer than I initially expected but I wouldn’t be wrong in saying this might be a very short list too because keeping track of all games is kind of tough. That being said, the mobile gaming world is full of surprises, and while some titles rise to success, others fade into obscurity before they even get a chance.
Looking at the pattern, a lot of these games were announced around the COVID era, so that might have played a role. Add in development struggles and financial issues, and these games end up as nothing more than what-ifs. Some might still make a comeback, but for now, they’re just reminders that even the most promising projects don’t always make it to the finish line.
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