MobileGamer has highlighted a large number of games that Playrix is preparing for a possible launch. Considering how long it has been since the company released new products, following our colleagues, we decided to take a closer look at the projects we can expect from the creators of Gardenscapes and Homescapes.
Aqua Match
This project uses the Fishdom setting, but in terms of core mechanics and metagame, according to videos available online, it's much closer to Royal Match by Dream Games than to Playrix’s classic titles.
Since the game is currently available in 10 regions, it can be assumed that it is close to release. According to AppMagic, the game has already earned around a million dollars, and its revenue per download in the US has reached $8.7.
Austin’s Odyssey
Another match-3 game. Its core mechanic is inspired by Royal Match. However, the game offers an original metagame. It's based on the expedition genre, where, as a reminder, the consumption of content is traditionally limited by an energy mechanic.
The project is currently available only in four countries — the US, Canada, Australia, and India — in its Android version. The game has been in soft launch relatively recently, since May of this year. Most likely, if it reaches release, it won’t be anytime soon.
Roomscapes
The company’s freshest release. The game was soft-launched from the Playrix account this October. However, videos from the game appeared on YouTube earlier, so preliminary testing was probably conducted for at least half a year.
This is a classic Playrix match-3 game. Its key feature is a three-dimensional metagame design and its change in perspective. Players renovate Austin’s house not in isometry, but as if they are in it alongside the project’s characters.
Besides the fact that the Android version is available in the US, Canada, Australia, Indonesia, and India (a standard set of test regions for Playrix), there's little data because too little time has passed since its launch.
FamilyScapes
A bold attempt by Playrix to turn match-3 into a full-fledged game sitcom. At first glance, the project seems not too far removed from Homescapes. It features a similar core and seemingly similar metagame—completing levels, earning stars, which are used for storyline progression.
The nuance lies in the development of the latter. In FamilyScapes, the quest chain is not about house decoration (or rather, not only that), but a series of amusing stories that detail various aspects of the main character's life.
The project has been in soft launch for about two years. Currently, it is available in five countries, including the US. According to AppMagic, the game's first-day retention rate is over 40%—on par with Playrix’s previous blockbusters.
Questbound
An innovative yet unusual project for Playrix. Questbound is a mid-core title, a blend of two popular genres — expeditions and battlers like Hero Wars. The project also boasts very impressive graphics.
Despite being in soft launch for over a year, there’s little data on the project. It’s known that across 100,000 downloads, it earned $200,000, and its first-day retention rate is just over 30%.
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According to MobileGamer, before launching projects on its own account, Playrix tests some on the Max G0 account. This was the case with Austin’s Odyssey. Currently, according to AppMagic, two games are linked to this account.
Merge Hearts
An aesthetically pleasing title that, while being a merge-3, seems closer to merge-2 in several aspects.
The project significantly differs in visual approach from other company games, as well as generally from other merge titles. Plus, it seems bold and experimental overall.
The first-day retention rate in the US is 38%. So far, the game has collected around $50,000 during its year of test operation.
Too Much to Match
A game with the least information available as of now. It appears to be a mix of merge and match-3 in a Disney style.
The game is currently only available in India. It was released relatively recently — in mid-October. No metrics or videos are available about it yet.