“Blue Archive”, the mobile RPG developed by Nexon Gamescontinues to establish itself as a phenomenon in Japan, more than three years after its release in February 2021. According to a report from Sensor Tower published this month, Japan is not only the largest gaming market in terms of active users, but also in revenuerepresenting 72% of the title's total worldwide gross. Additionally, the report highlights an interesting fact: 90% of gamers in Japan are male, most of whom are between the ages of 25 and 34.

This gacha game, which combines visual novel elements with tactical battles, has caught the attention of Japanese male audiences, likely due to the art style of its characters and the depth of its story. Even though the characters are portrayed as students with adorable designs, fans have praised the complexity of the game's story, which seems to have contributed greatly to its high user retention rate. Many players have also noted the appeal of the characters' different personalities, which adds a layer of immersion to the game.

Some users commented:

• «Now I understand why there are so many bold illustrations in the Blue Archive».
• «Blue Archive understands Japanese preferences well».
• «Oh really? Japan is crazy».
• «It is not uncommon for there to be many players who are both GMs and commanders at the same time.».
• «Still, revenue from all mobile games in Japan is only one-twentieth of that from PC games in South Korea.».
• «Please bring the product campaigns you are doing in China and South Korea to Japan.».

Sensor Tower's study also revealed that Japanese gamers spend an average of more than US$1,450,000 in-game.a number that stands out considering that, although Japan is not the country with the players who invest the most in gacha (being surpassed by South Korea and the United States), The volume of users in Japan makes the country the most profitable market for Blue Archive. One user expressed surprise at this number:

• «More than the number of Japanese gamers, I'm surprised by how much they spend. Isn't it impressive how much they spend relative to the number of downloads?».

Regarding player preferences, The report also notes that Blue Archive fans tend to enjoy other titles with prominent female characters and rich narratives, such as “Goddess of Victory: Nikke,” “Gakuen Idolmaster” and “Arknights.” This relationship between the games comes as no surprise to the community, where one user commented:

• «It's not uncommon for many gamers to also be fans of similar games.».

Additionally, “Blue Archive” has maintained growing interest due to a canceled project by former game developers.which has generated curiosity among fans, who are now closely following the development of a completely different title that parodies the name of this project. Although the community has had mixed reactions, expectations remain high about the future of the game and its developers.

With such a loyal player base, “Blue Archive” shows no signs of slowing downand with the recent rise of games with a strong focus on characters and narratives, it is likely to continue to be a mainstay of the Japanese mobile games market.

Source: Otakomu