Truly premium titles are few and far between on mobile. So seeing developer Mi’pu’mi bring Howl to mobile – after the game met critical acclaim when released on PC and Console – is great to see.
We were lucky enough to chat to the Mi’pu’mi team about the challenges of bringing this turn-based tactical folktale to mobile, as well as its plans for the game moving forward.
What were the biggest challenges you faced when it came to bringing the game to mobile?
Mipumi is a truly multiplatform studio and we have and are releasing games on all major platforms from PC to consoles to mobile hence we are aware of the challenges connected to each individual version of a game.
Since the game started on PC & Switch, the biggest challenge was getting the controls right for mobile. And of course the UI/UX elements need to work properly on the smaller screen. When these important matters are solved, the team is able to focus on performance, but that is also a task we are facing regularly on consoles. It is always a bit underestimated how much optimization work is done and needed in creating a game.
Is there anything you think makes the mobile version of Howl better than the home console/PC iterations?
Besides the fact that you are writing the prophecy wherever you are and accompany the prophet’s journey while being on the move yourself, no the versions on different platforms are identical.
Are there any differences between the iOS and Android versions of the game?
No, we always do our best to deliver a similar experience on all platforms.
We see Mi’pu’mi as one of the few developers bringing high quality console-style experiences to mobile, how do you feel about this? And is it becoming a harder place to thrive?
As mentioned before, we are a truly multiplatform studio and licensed developer on all current platforms. We always try to bring our stories to as many players as possible on all platforms currently available. Mobile gaming is definitely a huge and important market and we are quite happy that astragon Entertainment supported us delivering Howl on mobile.
The different platforms are definitely intertwining every year a bit further and the expectations of players for mobile regarding visual quality and immersive gameplay is growing steadily. Making sure players getting the same experience on mobile like on PC or console is definitely a challenge, an attractive one though.
And addressing the last part, has mobile ever been easy?
What is next for Howl, are there any updates or expansions planned for the game on mobile?
The game has just been released on mobile and the team had an incredible journey starting with the feature during the Nintendo Indie World Showcase in November 2023. So we are looking back at an incredible fulfilling as well as satisfying time, delivering a great experience to many players on all major platforms.
We are collecting the feedback and the player’s input from all releases and will discuss how we proceed from here. As a studio and the creative people we are, we want to use the medium games to express ourselves and tell stories our audience would like to experience as well.
So whether it is an addition in the universe of Howl or a completely new compelling story we are developing, keep an eye on the next immersive experience from Mipumi please.
We thank the team at Mi’pu’mi for their time. Make sure you check out Howl for yourself right now via the Google Play Store or the App Store.
