Elsewhere in gaming-on-the-go: mobile gaming sees a rise in popularity according to new poll; new events in 'Harry Potter: Wizards Unite'; and new content for 'Mario Kart Tour.'
Mobile Games Hotspot is a curated weekly roundup of the top stories in gaming on-the-go.
The coronavirus pandemic continues to throw the video game industry into a frenzy as another live event is getting heavily modified. The PUBG Mobile Pro League, specifically matches set to be held in the South Asian region, will continue but without a live audience. Instead, those set to attend and fans around the world can tune in on March 19 to watch the tournament streamed live through the event's official YouTube channel.
"The health and safety of our players and staff are our first priority," publisher Tencent said in an official statement. "We take the well-being of our staff and players, as well as the public health very seriously."
The PUBG Mobile Pro League was not the only major event affected by safety and health concerns this week. All events focused on the Overwatch League during the months of March and April are now cancelled, while other esports events like the fighting game focused NorCal Regionals were also canned. Even the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the biggest gaming convention of the year, will no longer hold its yearly event in Los Angeles this June.
Here's what else is happening in the world of mobile games:
Mobile Games Continue to Rise in Popularity
Mobile phones continue to reign supreme as the most popular video game device on a global scale, according to a new study from digital media and software company Limelight Networks. Representing an increase of 13 percent from the previous year where 4,500 consumers from around the world were surveyed and asked about device usage on a scale from 0 to 4, mobile gaming ranked as the most popular option among all age demographics, though the study did note women are more likely to use mobile phones as their primary gaming device over men.
March Events in Wizards Unite
Harry Potter is back with another round of updates as Harry Potter: Wizards Unite gets something new every week in the month of March. This week sees Part 1 of the Circus Calamitous Brilliant Event kick off where foundables like Zouwu and Graphorn can be found. Part 2 starts on March 24 and will instead feature Nagini and the Kappa. A third event featuring James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter is planned for March 31 and will only last three days. This month's Community Day falls on Saturday, March 21 but is currently postponed in Japan, South Korea and Italy.
Fallout Shelter Online Confirmed For the West
Originally released exclusively in China back in 2017, the free-to-play and online-focused version of Fallout Shelter will now release in regions around the world. Fallout Shelter Online allows you to manage underground vaults in a post-apocalyptic world, just like the original game released in 2015. A new hero-collecting system introduces gacha mechanics (virtual emulations of capsule toy vending machines) where common and rare characters from Fallout 3 and Fallout 4 can be collected and used. While an exact release date has not been announced, the Phillipines App Store currently has an expected release date of April 22.
Gameclub Service Launching on Android This Month
After launching on iOS in October of last year, the GameClub game subscription service is set for a release on Android later this month. GameClub differs from Apple Arcade and Google Play Pass in that it seeks to revive older and forgotten mobile games and release them in a new subscription based format. For an asking price of $4.99 a month, the service aims to have 100 games before the Android release.
Mario Kart Tour Gets a Simple Tour
Mario Kart Tour receives an update every other week and this week's introduction of the Baby Rosalina Tour is no different. Although there isn't as much new content when compared to previous tours, this update changes a few of the rewards, including the addition of two free pipe pulls. The ability to play cups in any order was also implemented. In addition to Baby Rosalina (Detective), a new glider and kart was added alongside a new variation of the London Loop track.
