Core Viewpoint - The game "Dual Helix," initially criticized and labeled as a failure, has experienced a turnaround in public perception due to the producer's announcement of abandoning the gacha system, allowing players to earn all characters and weapons for free, which has resonated positively with many players [1][3][17]. Game Design and Mechanics - "Dual Helix" positions itself as a "box garden action RPG," drawing significant inspiration from the well-established MMORPG "Warframe," which has been operational for over 12 years and is known for its high freedom in combat and diverse character and weapon systems [5][19]. - Despite its imitation of "Warframe," "Dual Helix" lacks key experiential breakthroughs, with inferior basic operation design, weapon types, and overall gameplay experience, leading to a perception of it being a low-quality version of "Warframe" [9][15]. - The game initially incorporated a gacha system with low drop rates, such as a 0.6% character pool drop rate and a 0.8% weapon pool drop rate, which contributed to player dissatisfaction [11][21]. Economic Model and Player Reception - The recent decision to remove the gacha system and allow players to earn items through gameplay signifies a major shift in the game's economic model, aligning it more closely with "Warframe's" successful free-to-play model [16][21]. - This change has sparked renewed interest among players, with many expressing a willingness to give the game another chance due to its new free-to-play approach, which is seen as a courageous attempt to challenge the prevailing gacha-centric model in the industry [17][27]. - The game's previous forced gacha mechanism was viewed as a misalignment with its core gameplay, leading to a disjointed experience that the recent changes aim to rectify [21][25]. Industry Context - The shift towards a free-to-play model in "Dual Helix" represents a potential challenge to the dominant gacha system in the mobile gaming industry, particularly within the niche of anime-style games, which often rely heavily on gacha mechanics [27][28]. - The success of "Warframe" serves as a benchmark for "Dual Helix," suggesting that a well-implemented free-to-play model can be profitable without relying on gacha mechanics, provided the gameplay is engaging and offers sufficient depth [19][28].

Core Viewpoint - The recent trend in the ACG (Anime, Comic, Game) mobile game market is the emergence of games named with the "X Ring" format, indicating a shift in naming conventions and thematic elements in the industry [1][7]. Naming Trends - Historically, Chinese ACG games featured clear themes, often centered around beautiful girls, as seen in titles like "Warship Girls" and "Girls' Frontline" [3]. - Recent games have adopted more complex naming conventions, often requiring unique world-building terminology, leading to names that may seem extravagant or confusing [3][5]. Specific Game Examples - "Fire Ring" has been criticized for its monetization strategy and gameplay quality, leading to a negative reception during its initial testing phase [9]. - "异环" (Yihuan) is expected to be the first to launch among the "X Ring" games, with a name that suggests a theme of alternate worlds [12]. - "虚环" (Xuhuan) plays on the concept of virtual circles, indicating a playful naming approach [17]. - "归环" (Guihuan) promotes itself as a time-loop open-world RPG, but its actual impact on gameplay may be limited due to the constraints of mobile game frameworks [19]. Market Implications - The "X Ring" naming trend may lead to confusion among players, as many games share similar naming structures, potentially affecting product recognition [19]. - Ultimately, the success of these games will depend more on content quality and innovation rather than just their names [21].