Chinese fans think Call of Duty Mobile can be a PUBG Mobile killer

The game has amassed more than 30 million downloads and raked in US$2 million in 36 hours

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Published: 12:26am, 4 Oct 2019Updated: 7:47pm, 28 Jan 2021

The best shooter on mobile. PUBG killer. Tencent’s best. That’s just some of the lavish praise Chinese gamers are heaping on Call of Duty Mobile.

The game’s success in China is notable because it’s not available there. Ironically, despite being developed by Tencent, Call of Duty Mobile hasn’t officially launched in China, where authorities are often slow to approve new games.

The absence of the world’s largest mobile gaming market hasn’t hurt the game so far: Call of Duty Mobile has already amassed more than 30 million downloads and raked in US$2 million in revenue worldwide in just 36 hours after its launch, according to Sensor Tower.

Those numbers likely do include Chinese players, given the chatter about the game online. Plenty of tech-savvy Chinese gamers have been getting their fix by using VPNs and overseas App Store accounts, and they’re happily sharing their opinions online.

“Across the entire mobile games market, there hadn’t been a game that could make me all the way happy until I met Call of Duty Mobile,” one of the most upvoted comments on China’s top mobile gaming forum Tap Tap said.

Many Chinese gamers say Tencent has outdone itself with Call of Duty Mobile. (Picture: Tencent)

While they are two very different games, many are comparing Call of Duty Mobile with PUBG Mobile. It could be because they’re both from Tencent, or because the latter game is the current king of mobile shooters: PUBG Mobile, along with its China-only counterpart Game for Peace, has grossed more than US$1 billion.