A mobile title from Bilibili aimed at female users has stormed to the top of the paid game ranking on Apple’s app store in China.
Why it matters: Developers and publishers in China are putting more emphasis on games targeting female audiences as the user group’s purchasing power surges, as has been demonstrated by a stream of successful titles such as “Mr. Love: Queen’s Choice.”
Details: The title, which translates to “Palms That Can’t Be Reached,” was first released in Japan by Capcom in 2016 with the name “Imprisoned Palm.” Bilibili won the rights to distribute the game in China some time ago but had been unable to move forward due to a freeze on new game approvals in the country, GameLook reported.
- The game allows users to interact with two male non-playable characters stuck behind glass panels, who are imprisoned on a desert island.
- Even when “visitations” are over, players can snoop on the characters using surveillance cameras and communicate with them using in-game phones.
- Although the title is priced at RMB 6 ($0.85) in Apple’s China App Store, users need to pay RMB 56 through in-game purchases to unlock the game’s most essential content.
- More in-game purchases are offered to extend face-to-face meetings, unlocks special conversations, and add additional events.
Context: Bilibili has been stepping up its game publishing effort in recent years. The company plans to publish five independent games, according to a statement last month.
- Bilibili’s net revenue from gaming grew 27% year on year thanks to a strong showing from Japanese mobile title “Fate/Grand Order,” which it distributes in China.