According to data collected by App FiguresAAA titles for iPhones and iPads are not as big a success as Apple had hoped. Currently Resident Evil Village and Assassin’s Creed Mirage are available for iOS and iPadOS, as these games were used to promote the hardware prowess of the iPhone 15 Pro series.
But the data does not show promising results. In fact, Appfigures states that these titles are actually a flop. For example, Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Mirage has more than 123,000 downloads since its release on June 6, but fewer than 3,000 users paid for the full game, which cost $49. And the number of daily downloads has already fallen below 3,000 on average. These numbers are significantly lower than other free-to-play iOS and iPadOS games.
Resident Evil 4, which launched on iOS last December, is also struggling. Only 357,000 people have downloaded the game, with 7,000 paying $29 for the full experience. Resident Evil Village has just 5,750 paying users.
Analysts believe people prefer simpler and more casual games on their phones and tablets. Among the most popular mobile games are usually those that prioritize a unique art style over beautiful graphics and simple gameplay that is suitable for touch controls. Triple A titles require physical controls for the best possible experience, as well as large screens. And let’s face it, even the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a small screen for serious AAA gaming.
There are of course other factors that contribute to this. For example, just the iPhone 15 Pro And 15 ProMax support AAA titles and iPads with at least M1 chips and above enable console-style games. This limits the number of users who can enjoy these games.
Nevertheless, some believe that Apple only paid the game studios so that the company could promote their powerful hardware.
If you’re wondering whether it’s worth paying for the Assassin’s Creed Mirage, for example, read on our full review and decide for yourself.