Subculture Games Proving Their Popularity... First New Release of the New Year Picked

Kakao Games to Launch 'Eversoul' on the 5th of Next Month
Subculture Accounts for 25% of Top 50 Revenue
Will Subculture Games Continue Their Popularity Streak?

Eversoul image [Source=Kakao Games]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Choi] Kakao Games' mobile game 'Eversoul' has secured the first new release of next year. As the subculture genre, which proved to be a trend this year, opens the new year, attention is focused on whether it will continue its success. Expectations are rising as domestic games are gaining popularity not only in Korea but also in Japan, the birthplace of subculture.

Kakao Games to Launch 'Eversoul' on the 5th

According to industry sources on the 26th, Kakao Games will release the mobile game 'Eversoul' on the 5th of next month. It will be simultaneously launched in Korea, Taiwan, North America, and Europe. While major game companies have announced new releases starting early next year, Eversoul has become the first to hit the market.

Eversoul is a collectible role-playing game (RPG). It belongs to the subculture genre, featuring the collection of 2D bishoujo characters. The story revolves around the player, a savior in a fantasy world, commanding various spirits to save the world. Additionally, it highlights a unique dating simulation element where players communicate and bond with the collected spirits.

Kim Cheol-hee, the general PD of Nine Ark, the developer of Eversoul, explained, "We incorporated the bishoujo dating simulation element to foster attachment to characters and deliver a deep story in a collectible game," adding, "It was integrated without compromising the essence of the game."

Kakao Games has been working to capture fans' hearts even before the launch. Given the genre's strong character attachment, various content has been introduced. Representative examples include a webtoon revealing character backstories, autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) featuring character voices, morning calls, and an original soundtrack (OST). Building anticipation, pre-registrations have reached about 1.3 million. This is within a month since global pre-registrations began on the 29th of last month.

Subculture Rising as Mainstream... Popular in Japan Too

This year, subculture games emerged as 'mainstream.' They secured top positions in revenue rankings, creating cracks in the mobile game market dominated by massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs).

According to the mobile big data platform Mobile Index, as of the 25th, Kakao Games' 'Uma Musume Pretty Derby' ranked 4th in Google Play revenue. Although it once dropped to the 50th position due to operational issues in August, it is showing resilience through efforts such as user communication. Alongside it, Shift Up's 'Goddess of Victory: Nikke' (9th) and HoYoverse's 'Genshin Impact' (14th) also secured high ranks. As of last month, the subculture genre accounted for 24% of the top 50 revenue rankings.

An industry insider commented, "This year, it was said that half of the top mobile games were Lineage and the other half subculture, highlighting the prominence of subculture," and evaluated, "Major new releases have settled within the top 10 from the early stages, playing a key role in the trending genre."

Domestic games are also active in Japan, the birthplace of subculture games. As of the 25th, Nikke ranked 3rd and Uma Musume 4th in Japan's Google Play revenue rankings. Nexon Games' 'Blue Archive,' released last November, initially ranked 1st in revenue but has since fluctuated between mid and high ranks. Eversoul is also scheduled for release in Japan in the third quarter.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.