Resident Evil 7 iOS port sells less than 2,000 units showing mobile players aren’t looking for console experiences

My first mobile phone, the Philips Diga, couldn’t even play games, it was so primitive that text messages scrolled across the screen. It would be a few more years until I could enjoy killing time playing Snake and Snake 2. Growing up, being able to play my console games on the go was just a dream, the best we had was a Game Boy. Now that day is here and we can play games that are available on platforms such as PC, PS4, and Xbox One on a small device that goes in our pocket. However, it seems like some things may have been best left as a dream as the recently released Resident Evil 7 iOS port has so far been a major flop.

According to a report by Mobile Gamer, the new iOS port of Resident Evil 7, which was released on July 2nd, 2024, has garnered under 2,000 sales. In total, the game has been downloaded 83,000 times, as it features a free demo version before a mandatory $20 purchase to continue playing. Following Apple’s cut of sales revenue, this means that Capcom has generated just $28,000.

Other entries in the series haven’t faired much better, with Resident Evil 4 Remake selling 7,000 units and Resident Evil Village selling 5,750 since they were released. Titles from other publishers, such as Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Death Stranding have also underperformed and it could be a sign that mobile gamers aren’t looking for a console-like experience from their mobile devices. With devices such as the Steam Deck on the market, there are already great options to experience modern gaming on the go. Resident Evil 7 can be played via touch controls but the game recommends using a controller, which makes the experience less portable, and at that point, you might as well carry a Steam Deck in your bag.

This disappointing news comes shortly after the reveal that the next mainline Resident Evil game is in development, as well as the recent release of a new port of the classic Resident Evil trilogy on PC. There are also rumors that a prequel to the Welcome to Raccoon City movie, and sequel to the 2022 Netflix TV series are set to begin filming soon.