[Attention] Cutting-edge Smartphone Games in June 2025! What Do the New 'Game of Thrones' and 'Puzzle & Dragons 0' Reveal About the Next Generation of Gaming?

2025年06月08日 10:54

Introduction ─ The Mobile Game Market Reaccelerates in June

A wave of global IP enhancement and reconsideration of monetization models is simultaneously sweeping in, causing a surge of excitement in the smartphone game scene in Japan. Particularly symbolic are the two polar trends of "ultra-rich presentation × large-scale IP" and "gacha abolition × conscientious monetization." This article will analyze the impact of this month's rush of new releases on the Japanese market, focusing on two notable titles.

1. 'Game of Thrones: Kingsroad' — Ultra-Beautiful Open World RPG

1-1 Release Overview

Release Date: May 21, 2025 (iOS/Android/PC)
Developer/Publisher: Netmarble Neo
Price: Free-to-play (In-app purchases & Battle Pass system)

1-2 Game Content and Appeal

Freely explore the Seven Kingdoms depicted in Unreal Engine 5, choosing your protagonist from three classes: Knight, Mercenary, or Assassin. Characters like Jon Snow, Cersei, and Varys appear with full voice acting, allowing players to relive the hidden history of seasons 3-4 of the original series. New monsters like Drogon the dragon and ice spiders are featured as field bosses, and multiplayer offers base defense battles with up to 40 players.

1-3 Monetization Model and Controversy

The implementation of a Battle Pass/Season system and high-priced cosmetic purchases has drawn criticism from early access buyers, who argue that transitioning to F2P and pushing additional purchases is unfair.
On the other hand, the visuals have been praised as "the pinnacle of mobile," with posts on X frequently trending, exclaiming, "The graphics are amazing! Fans of the original are thrilled."

1-4 Implications for Japanese Users

The design that completes console-quality and rich storytelling on mobile is well-suited to the Japanese market, which includes older fans of the original series. However, if the P2W aspect becomes too strong, users may quickly leave, making it crucial for the developers to determine how much of the "story premium" they will offer for free.

2. 'PUZZLE & DRAGONS 0' — A National Puzzle RPG Reconstructed Without "Gacha"

2-1 Background of Its Creation

In response to strengthened gacha regulations and the aversion to spending among younger players, GungHo announced a completely gacha-less version to mark the 13th anniversary of the series. Instead of token purchases, they aim to monetize through "buyout ad-off" and a permanent booster pass.

2-2 Evolution of the Game System

Root Treeto synthesize materials and create your favorite monsters
Free play style with screen orientation switch and offline progress
Optional time-saving paid items like "Fast Pass" for repeated play

2-3 Community Reaction

On Reddit, there are many positive opinions such as "You can purely enjoy the puzzles from the series' origin" and "The buyout model is healthy." While there are requests for improvements regarding the length of the tutorial and the frequency of ads, it is generally a positive launch.

2-4 Significance for the Japanese Market

Since Japan is the stronghold of gacha culture, the success or failure of "de-gacha" will also be a touchstone for other companies. Depending on the success of PAD0, there is a high possibility that the shift to pay-per-use, ad-combined, and DLC models will accelerate.

3. Other Notable New Releases in June

Title	Overview	Main Platforms	Key Points
Crystal of Atlan	Magic × Steampunk MMOARPG. Supports seamless cross-play	iOS / Android / PC / PS5	Non-targeting fast-paced battles and aerial exploration
Summoners War: Rush	Idle RPG.24h Auto Training	iOS / Android	Gaining Attention with 14 Free Characters for Beginners
MageTrain	Pixel "Snake-like" Rogue	iOS / Android	New Axis of Party Formation × Auto Attack
Vampire’s Fall 2	Sequel to the Vampire SRPG	iOS / Android	Random Trait Selection per Level, Expanding Tactical Range
Patch Quest	Monster Taming Bullet Hell Rogue	Android (β), iOS Coming Soon	Infinite Replay with Labyrinth Auto-Regeneration

4. Rethinking Gacha Models and the Current State of Diverse Revenue Designs

4-1 Changes in Regulations and User Awareness

Due to the strengthening of random billing regulations in European countries and the proposal to strengthen "self-regulation of complete gacha" in Japan, companies are rushing to move away from dependence on Loot Boxes. Like PAD0's "generation type" and Kingsroad's "cosmetic billing + season pass,"the trend of completely eliminating or limiting the use of gachais becoming prominent.

4-2 New Monetization Types

Battle Pass Type(Kingsroad)—High-efficiency rewards and additional scenarios with a monthly fee
One-time Purchase + Ad Off(PAD0)—No forced ad viewing, permanent off with pass purchase
Subscription + Cross-Platform Benefits(Crystal of Atlan)—Equipment sharing with PC/console integration

4-3 Market Impact

Ad revenue has low ARPU but significantly expands the user base
Battle Pass contributes to improved retention rates among core users
Subscriptions enable "lock-in" through enhanced cloud integration

5. Recommendations for Japanese Companies and Users

Bipolarization of IP Utilization: Understand the coexistence of AAA mobile RPGs leveraging global IPs and compact yet highly addictive local IPs/indies, and diversify your portfolio.
Transparency in Community Management: Criticism of overcharging in Kingsroad stems from lack of information. Full disclosure of pricing structures and drop rates is essential.
Cross-Play & Offline Support: Incorporate the persistent "console preference" post-pandemic, and design to be playable even under communication restrictions.

Conclusion

June 2025 was a month where two major trends became clear: "Large-scale IP × High-end Presentation" and "No Gacha × New Monetization Design." The visual beauty and expansive world of 'Game of Thrones: Kingsroad' and the "No Gacha Declaration" of 'PUZZLE & DRAGONS 0' both challenge the established concepts of the Japanese gaming market. Among the diversifying revenue models, what players value is "satisfaction" and "ease of play." Developers and operators are required to design with sincere commitment for the long term. The rush of new releases is just the beginning, and the quality of "comfort" and "narrative experience" will continue to be decisive factors in user choice beyond the summer of 2025.

Reference Links

Reference Article

Latest Mobile Games for iOS and Android - June 2025 Round-up
Source: https://metro.co.uk/2025/06/08/best-new-mobile-games-ios-android-june-2025-round-up-23357921/

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