On Android it’s typical for developers to take baby steps in the game release process, publishing new titles only in certain countries to test how they work before the global release. In most cases, the game itself doesn’t have any type of geo-blocking beyond what the marketplace itself may apply. That’s why it’s perfectly possible to install these games in soft-launch using the APK file, without any geographic restrictions. Read on to find a dozen highly-anticipated titles for Android that you can play right now, even if they’re not officially available where you live. 

This list is updated constantly, so stay tuned! 

Just what exactly is an Android Soft Launch?

LifeAfter

  • Initial release date: March 2019
  • Originally released for: Southeast Asia
  • International release: April 2019

One of the hits of the year finally has an English version for westerners to enjoy. LifeAfter is a survival MMO that puts together a variety of gameplays from different genres. Everything from third-person action, crafting and constructing buildings, and real-time interaction with other players in true MMORPG style. It’s an all-around gem that you need to try ASAP. [Download]

lifeafter android 2 The best games in soft-launch you can play on Android in 2019

How to play the international version of LifeAfter

MT4: Lost Honor

  • Initial release date: March 2019
  • Originally released for: Southeast Asia

Given that Blizzard still hasn’t dared to bring the Warcraft brand to the land of Android, it’s no surprise that others would gladly step up to the plate. I’m MT was born as a World of Warcraft Parody in the form of a Chinese animated series. However, it’s evolved into a franchise that now includes multiple Android games. Coming full circle, this new game is an MMORPG that shares numerous similarities with the title it’s based upon. You could almost call it an apocryphal version of the adventures on the Azeroth continent. [Download]

mt4 screenshot 1 The best games in soft-launch you can play on Android in 2019

Warhammer: Chaos & Conquest

  • Initial release date: February 2019
  • Originally released for: The Philippines

The star license from Games Workshop is fireproof, as shown by the constant trickle of titles set in the Warhammer universe. In this case, the game from Tilting Point is based on the management of your own army within the Warhammer Fantasy. It’s all wrapped up with strategy MMO gameplay in line with works like Game of War. So you know that you can expect to spend plenty of late nights waiting for a rival clan to attack. [Download]

warhammer chaos conquest screenshot1 The best games in soft-launch you can play on Android in 2019

Revolve8

  • Initial release date: January 2019
  • Originally released for: Southeast Asia and Australia

SEGA is getting serious with this Clash Royale-style strategy and collectible card game where you control different fictional characters like Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White. The designs are from Koji Igarashi himself, the heart and soul of modern Castlevanias and the producer who’s worked on sagas from the company like Yakuza and Shin Megami Tensei Liberation. On February 5, it will come out officially in many other languages. [Download]

revolve8 screenshot 2 The best games in soft-launch you can play on Android in 2019

Disney Epic Quest

  • Initial release date: January 2019
  • Originally released for: Southeast Asia

The release of the long awaited Kingdom Hearts 3 may have had something to do with it, but Android now has its own game that comes packed with a huge collection of Disney characters. Here we have an action RPG where you have to save the digital world from a virus that’s infecting the iconic characters from the studio. Captain Jack Sparrow, Mickey Mouse, and Wreck-It Ralph are just a few of the familiar faces you’ll find in this game. [Download]

disney epic quest screenshot 2 The best games in soft-launch you can play on Android in 2019

The new game from Disney and Pixar is here: Disney Epic Quest

Contra: Return

  • Initial release date: August 2018
  • Originally released for:  Southeast Asia

The most seasoned veterans will remember the legendary Contra saga from Konami, the side-scrolling arcade game that established a good deal of the groundwork for the genre, both in arcades as well as in its later console versions. This adaptation of the original game by Tencent and published by Garena expands the formula on all the levels, adding more characters, RPG components, and a much more manageable difficulty level than the original. [Download]

contra return screenshot The best games in soft-launch you can play on Android in 2019

Knights of Fury

  • Initial release date: July 2018
  • Originally released for: Sweden, Denmark, and Thailand

Although we’ve always associated the studio King with the never-ending promotion of its Candy Crush saga, in this case, the studio is working with an external studio to put a new spin on the tiresome colored stones. Knights of Fury is an RPG with turn-based combat and a combat system where you’ll have to make touch gestures on the screen to deliver hits and put together combos. Of course, you’ll still find the typical map with different levels to complete and the score out of three stars, but the formula is a real revolution for the studio. [Download]

knights of fury screenshot 2 The best games in soft-launch you can play on Android in 2019

Knights of Fury is the latest game from King, but it’s not what you’d expect

Ragnarok M: Eternal Love

  • Initial release date: October 2018
  • Originally released for: Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia

The Ragnarok saga has had various adaptations in the mobile market, stemming from the success of the PC version of the well-known MMORPG. Its relaxed nature and the sick customization resources for the big-headed characters have always been its hallmarks. And now, they’ve been transferred to the Android world with this adaptation inspired by Ragnarok 2 on a visual level, since it forgoes the 2D sprites from the original game. After various months in closed beta, the Asian servers have finally been opened, with the title translated into English. [Download]

ragnarok m eternal love 1 The best games in soft-launch you can play on Android in 2019

[Updated] Ragnarok M: Eternal love is now available internationally

Skylanders: Ring of Heroes

  • Initial release date: December 2018
  • Originally released for: Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

Activision was spot on when they created Skylanders, a videogame associated with a line of toys that could interact with the game itself through an external device. In its jump to mobile devices, they’ve gotten rid of the physical component, but have maintained the collecting and creature discovery, although taking it to the field of the mobile MMOs with turn-based combats and the typical gatcha system. And yes, Spyro is back. [Download]

Skylanders Ring of Heroes is now available on Android

RebirthM

  • Initial release date: November 2018
  • Originally released for: Southeast Asia and Brazil

MMORPGs are living their best life on Android right now, with the success of sacred sagas that are being transferred to the platform. RebirthM is developed by Caret Games, a studio made up of ex-workers from Nexon, NCSoft, and Netmarble, or in other words, the top dogs in the genre. RebirthM is impressive on various levels, both for its graphics as well as the enormity of its world. It’s so immeasurable that it would almost make more sense on PC. [Download]

rebirthm screenshot 2 The best games in soft-launch you can play on Android in 2019

RebirthM, a great MMORPG for Android that’s just as good as big PC games

Devil Crasher

  • Initial release date: August 2018
  • Originally released for: ???

There are many hidden gems that spend months in soft-launch without anyone really paying them much attention. Devil Crasher is definitely a diamond in the rough, not only for its superb graphics, but because unlike what we tend to see in this genre, this JRPG with turn-based combat offers a gameplay that’s truly interesting and detached from the typical gatcha system. [Download]

devil crasher blog 3 The best games in soft-launch you can play on Android in 2019

Devil Crasher, a stunning JRPG with turn-based combat

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