The Vampire Survivors mobile port had to happen sooner than it otherwise might have because clones began appearing on various online shops. The developer released an official version of Vampire Survivors to help combat the persistent issue.
Released late last year on PC and Xbox platforms, Vampire Survivors is addictive and perfect for shorter sessions, which helped make it one of the most popular games on Steam Deck in 2022. Players control the action simply by moving their chosen character around on the screen, who then uses melee attacks and projectiles to carve a path through hordes of approaching monsters that look like something ripped out of a classic Castlevania game. Along the way, players gather coins they can spend on permanent upgrades to their equipment and stats to ensure subsequent runs go even better. Before they know it, they have invested several hours into the game.
Some of the Vampire Survivors clones released on mobile marketplaces were not only similar to the original release, but featured code, assets, and data lifted directly from the title. The appearance of those unauthorized apps prompted developer and publisher Poncle to expedite the release of its own mobile edition, which it had previously hoped to produce with a development partner. The situation put a lot of stress on a team that "wasn't even supposed to worry about mobile in the first place," Poncle noted. It has other irons in the fire, after all; on top of the mobile release, there are more updates and DLC planned for Vampire Survivors.
In a testament to the game's enduring popularity and addictive nature, Xbox head Phil Spencer reported playing Vampire Survivors for 233 hours in 2022. Other players have had a similar experience, and the mobile port means they can take it with them when they travel, even if they don't own a Steam Deck. The mobile edition is free to download, supported by ads that allow players to revive their fallen character or claim more gold when they agree to watch promotional videos.
Vampire Survivors has been named one of the best indie games of 2022, and the availability of an official mobile release is good news. It ensures players can safely download the game they enjoyed playing on PC and console without worrying they might also be downloading malware to go with it. An official release also ensures revenue supports the development team as it continues to release DLC and free content updates. That ongoing support could keep Vampire Survivors in rotation for a long time to come.
Vampire Survivors is available now for Android, iOS, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Source: IGN