Vampire Survivors gets surprise mobile release, and it's free

Vampire Survivors
(Image credit: Poncle)

Vampire Survivors just got an unexpected release on mobile during The Game Awards pre-show—the entire thing is available to download right now on iOS and Android. The game is free on both platforms, though there are optional ads if you wanna score extra gold or a revive.

I've played a few rounds of the iOS version so far and it does appear to be a complete (or near complete) version of the $5 Steam game that's been consistently popular throughout 2022. 

Poncle is proud to proclaim that this is a "100% free, for real" version of Vampire Survivors on iOS, but there is one catch: you can optionally watch an ad to get a free revive or score some extra gold, two options that can be incredibly appealing if you just screwed up a 30-minute run.

vampire survivors mobile interface

(Image credit: Poncle)

It won't surprise you to hear that Vampire Survivors plays really well on a phone screen. All you need is one thumb dragging in the direction you want to move, and the rest is done for you. You can turn on an on-screen joystick if you prefer and switch from the default portrait view to landscape—which, depending on your playstyle, might be the way to go. Whichever direction you can see more of (up/down or left/right) is typically the safest direction to travel, especially once you're 15-20 minutes into a run and the enemy density is ridiculous.

Assuming this is an unofficial Game Awards reveal, it's just one of many expected to unfold tonight. You can watch the awards here and read about the rumors, confirmed reveals, and our predictions before the festivities kick off.

Morgan Park
Staff Writer

Morgan has been writing for PC Gamer since 2018, first as a freelancer and currently as a staff writer. He has also appeared on Polygon, Kotaku, Fanbyte, and PCGamesN. Before freelancing, he spent most of high school and all of college writing at small gaming sites that didn't pay him. He's very happy to have a real job now. Morgan is a beat writer following the latest and greatest shooters and the communities that play them. He also writes general news, reviews, features, the occasional guide, and bad jokes in Slack. Twist his arm, and he'll even write about a boring strategy game. Please don't, though.

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