Mobile gaming has certainly come a long way what with titles like Genshin Impact and Call of Duty pushing the bar with what is possible in nifty handheld devices with a dizzying number of hardware configurations. As of now, RPGs are more than possible in mobile phones as a testament to how rapid their development is as a handheld gaming platform.
2022 thus brings many pleasant surprises and offerings for gamers around the globe, just like how some big and juicy titles are also slated for that year in bigger gaming platforms. There is a dilemma among mobile players though: limited storage space. That's why knowing which big RPGs are coming out in 2022 helps a lot in pre-allocating a dedicated storage space for them. These are the ones worth anticipating.
Updated April 18th, 2022, by Sid Natividad: 2022 is an exciting year for video games and an even more interesting year for mobile RPGs. Because the popularity of mobile gaming is still rising rapidly and with games like Genshin Impact pioneering the open-world RPG potential for smartphones, it's only a matter of time before other developers follow suit.
As such, there's no shortage of mobile RPGs looking to make their debut on either Android or iOS. It's only fair to include others on this list that will surely make any RPG or mobile gaming fan all giddy and ready. Five more upcoming mobile RPGs slated for 2022 have been added so players have no shortage of games to anticipate this year.
15 Summoners War: Chronicles
- Setting: Fantasy
- Other genres: MMORPG
Summoners War: Chronicles is looking to be the first big-budget game with the P2E or play-to-earn model similar to other crypto games like MIR4. The difference is that Summoners War: Chronicles looks intent on putting other NFT-based games to shame with its production value.
At its core, it's a real-time MMORPG with a cute Pixar-esque art style which will surely widen its audience appeal. The graphics are similar to Genshin Impact and the gameplay looks like a traditional MMORPG with some additional gimmicks. It's definitely on the radar of those looking to make hay in newly-released P2E games.
14 Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade
- Setting: Anime, Modern
- Other genres: Action
With its stunningly accurate anime art style and visuals along with full support from the animation studio (with an intro made by MAPPA itself) Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade is set to introduce a new breed of action RPG. That's right, instead of going the easy and "cheap" fighting game route, Jujutsu Kaisen: Phantom Parade went the RPG path.
That means more gameplay depth and variety. Details are a bit sparse at the moment, but the playable characters are the familiar faces in the anime. It's not clear how they're going to execute the RPG elements or what the gameplay loop looks like, but the project looks ambitious regardless.
13 Avatar: Reckoning
- Setting: Sci-fi
- Other genres: MMO, Shooter
Looking for something that isn't anime or Gacha? Then this unique hybrid shooter-MMORPG should provide a lovely change of scenery. It's a tie-in mobile game to James Cameron's esteemed Avatar film franchise which will hopefully be released before the sequel comes out.
Avatar: Reckoning lets players design their own Navi likeness in-game and explore the planet of Pandora. To be more on the safe side, they can also equip guns and the local weaponry of the Navi tribes. The game also looks to be taking an open-world MMO approach with some story and cutscene-heavy content.
12 Roco Kingdom
- Setting: Fantasy
- Other genres: Casual
It looks like another Breath of the Wild clone, but Roco Kingdom is more of a Pokemon game where players can capture wild animals and then train them or just collect them. To that end, it's most similar to Pokemon Legends: Arceus.
It might be better than that since Arceus is only available on Nintendo Switch. Again, details are sparse from this Tencent game, but the graphics based on the trailer look gorgeous and even rivals established next-gen title. Speculation and translated press releases from the publisher point to a 2022 release.
11 Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds
- Setting: Fantasy
- Other genres: MMORPG
- Actual release date: Summer 2022
Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds is a big title released on 2021 but only for Japan. Now, the publishers are apparently aiming for a global release in Summer 2022. That should be around June to September which can't come soon enough because this is one of the best-looking and most soothing RPGs available on mobile.
The Ghibli-themed animations and visuals are enough to win anyone over. The gameplay is story-driven and has all the hallmarks of traditional MMORPGs though it seems to have been made more accessible for the mobile audience.
10 Tower Of Fantasy
- Setting: Anime sci-fi
- Other genres: Gacha, Open-world
Genshin Impact better watch out, as this Gacha game is out for its crown. Tower of Fantasy is an upcoming open-world RPG from Chinese developers, and it can be summed up as a sci-fi version of Genshin Impact. Likewise, it also features Gacha mechanics where players need to gamble with their money or in-game currency in order to get the characters or weapons they want.
It does have some strengths against Genshin Impact such as a customizable character right off the bat, among other things. The story is also post-apocalyptic in nature and incorporates dramatic storytelling. Sadly, it seems that the game's developers have canceled the global English release, but anyone might still be able to download the fully released game in 2022 with the help of a VPN.
9 Diablo Immortal
- Setting: Dark fantasy
- Other genres: Loot-based, Hack and Slash, Isometric
- Rumored actual release date: June 30, 2022
Diablo Immortal was one of the most controversial announcements Blizzard has ever made, but the project continued especially following the popular but turbulent release of Diablo 2: Resurrected. It's a side story about angel and demon descendants fighting against the Prime Evils of Hell to save their mortal world.
Of course, the story here is just icing on the cake. The real meat lies in the gameplay and the loot roulette where players kill millions of monsters for a chance to get the shiniest items hidden in their guts. It's basically a violent game of piñata with the rush of a gambling simulator.
8 Torchlight: Infinite
- Setting: Sci-fi
- Other genres: Loot-based, Hack and Slash, Isometric
Speaking of isometric action RPGs, Torchlight: Infinite is about to give Diablo Immortal its biggest challenge in 2022. Both games are in their testing stages and a release is expected somewhere around 2022. Torchlight: Infinite continues the world building of the previous steampunk fantasy games where it fast forwards itself 200 years into the future.
Now, the whole world has advanced technology-wise and this is reflected well by the classes. Again, the game plays out like a Diablo clone where players run through the story to get more loot by the endgame and get even better chances at more valuable items.
7 Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis
- Setting: Sci-fi
- Other genres: Turn-based
Final Fantasy 7 is on a roll, as apart from the Remake getting a PC version in 2021, it's also set to get a spin-off game for mobile phones called Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis. It's a more traditional approach to RPGs as Ever Crisis will assume the old turn-based combat mode similar to the original Final Fantasy 7.
Even so, its graphics are updated where the combat visuals look similar to the Remake. That ought to be enough for some fans to ignore the turn-based mechanics. Regardless, Ever Crisis continues the story of Cloud Strife and his rag-tag team of eco-radicals as they fight the oppressive Shinra power company and uncover their big secrets.
6 Disney Mirrorverse
- Setting: Disney crossover
- Other genres: Team-based, Action
- Actual release date: June 23, 2022
Disney's finally starting to see just how strong the mobile gaming platform can be with their Disney Mirrorverse title. It's one of the biggest mobile releases possibly slated for 2022 as it's a game that crosses over Disney's most memorable and popular characters in an epic team-based battle against evil.
Players get to take control of their favorite childhood icons such as Sully from Monsters Inc. Or even Baymax from Big Hero 6. To that end, it plays out similarly to a MOBA except the game touts itself as an RPG with different modes and opportunities to build up their favorite characters.