NetEase's upcoming third-person shooter, Once Human, boasts over 15 million global pre-registrations, highlighting its success at Steam Next Fest. However, a closer look reveals a significant difference between its mobile and PC performance. While pre-registrations are impressive, only 300,000 translate to Steam wishlists.
NetEase, known for its mobile game dominance, is prioritizing a PC-first release for Once Human, suggesting a strategic shift. Despite this, Once Human remains highly popular on Steam, attracting the largest player base during Steam Next Fest.
This situation underscores the disparity between PC and mobile gaming markets, with mobile platforms exhibiting significantly higher discoverability and reach, even for established developers like NetEase. While NetEase's PC focus isn't inherently negative, it highlights the challenges in achieving comparable success across different platforms.

This disparity in audience reach doesn't diminish NetEase's achievement. However, it serves as a compelling example of the contrasting landscapes of PC and mobile gaming, particularly concerning discoverability. 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 high-quality mobile titles to enjoy in the interim.