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 noteworthy contrast between its mobile and PC performance.

While pre-registrations are impressive, only 300,000 translate to Steam wishlists. This disparity underscores the challenges of achieving comparable visibility and popularity on PC compared to mobile, particularly for a developer like NetEase with a strong mobile game portfolio. The company's decision to prioritize a PC release, while potentially ambitious, highlights this inherent difference in market dynamics.

Despite this, Once Human remains highly popular on Steam, attracting the largest number of demo players during Steam Next Fest. This success demonstrates the game's potential, but also underscores the significant reach and discoverability advantages of the mobile gaming market.

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NetEase's focus on a PC audience is understandable and not inherently negative. The data, however, clearly illustrates the considerable difference in audience size and discoverability between PC and mobile platforms. Even a major developer faces a steeper climb to replicate mobile success on PC.

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.