This promotional image, provided by Nexon Co. shows its new game “”Blue Archive”
SEOUL, April 28 (Korea Bizwire) — Games inspired by the aesthetics of Japanese anime are no longer just popular among subculture fandom, but are also gaining popularity among mainstream gamers.
All 7,000 tickets for the 1.5-anniversary festival of the collectible role-playing game “Blue Archive,” taking place in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province next month, sold out in only seven minutes.
According to industry tracker Sensor Tower, the game generated over US$240 million in revenue from February 2021 to January of this year, with more than 75.2 percent of total sales coming from Japan.
“Goddess of Victory: Nikke,” developed by South Korean game developer Shift Up and distributed by Level Infinite, a subsidiary of Chinese tech giant Tencent, topped the country’s app market charts following its release last November.
Last year, Kakao Games Corp. successfully launched the Japanese-developed mobile game “Uma Musume Pretty Derby” and began distributing “Eversoul,” a game developed by NINEARK, in January.
The popularity of these Japanese anime-inspired games, as well as related merchandise and events, is largely driven by young gamers in their 20s and 30s.
“Starting a Japanese anime-like game is easy for gamers, as it ensures rewards based on the amount of time and money invested in the game,” an industry official said.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
