Core Viewpoint - The mobile game "Love and Deep Space," which generated nearly 6 billion yuan in revenue last year, is facing a large-scale protest from players due to significant discrepancies between the game's promotional video (PV) and the actual gameplay experience [1][3][54]. Group 1: Player Reactions and Protests - Players have organized a "stop spending" campaign after multiple unsuccessful attempts to address their concerns through customer service [2][3]. - Since the launch of the new event on July 25, the game's revenue on iPhone has dropped from approximately $189.52 million to $18.44 million daily [3]. - Players have begun to take legal action, sending a lawyer's letter to the game developer, demanding acknowledgment of their grievances and compensation for in-game purchases [5][9][10]. Group 2: Discrepancies in Game Promotion - The game developer, Paper Games, stated that the PV was recorded during the development phase and does not represent the final product, which players found unsatisfactory [5][6]. - Players argue that the PV was misleading as it was embedded in the game's payment interface without clear disclaimers, leading to accusations of false advertising and consumer fraud [5][34]. - The promotional video highlighted specific gameplay features that were not present in the actual game, such as instant energy recovery and skill effects, leading to player dissatisfaction [24][31]. Group 3: Financial Impact and Company Response - The game "Love and Deep Space" achieved record revenue, with a total income of $397 million last year, surpassing other titles from the same developer [57][60]. - The company has not provided a direct response to the ongoing controversy, continuing to update its social media accounts without addressing player concerns [53][55]. - The game's success is attributed to its innovative blend of 3D modeling and combat mechanics, which has attracted a large player base, but the recent backlash may impact its reputation and future revenue [56][63].

Core Insights - The female-oriented gaming market, particularly with nurturing and otome games, is experiencing significant growth, evidenced by titles like "Shining Nikki" and "Love and Deep Space" surpassing established games like "Honor of Kings" in sales rankings [1][2] - The launch of the new brand DearNikki by the game company Paper Games, along with the successful release of the "Dream Weaving Prologue" blind boxes, indicates a strong market potential for female-oriented games in the collectible toy sector [1][2] - The collaboration with X11 for offline distribution has proven effective, with rapid sellouts and high consumer demand for the blind boxes, showcasing the popularity of the "Nikki" series [2][3] Market Performance - The initial online release of the "Nikki" blind boxes sold over 60,000 units within hours, with total sales exceeding 80,000 units shortly after [2] - The blind boxes are priced at 79 yuan each, with a height of approximately 13 cm, which is competitive compared to similar products in the market [2] - Offline sales through X11 stores have also been strong, with rapid sellouts and frequent restocking, indicating sustained consumer interest [3][5] Consumer Behavior - The blind boxes initially faced slow sales but quickly gained popularity, leading to frequent restocking due to high demand [5][6] - Players express a preference for purchasing blind boxes in-store, where they have a chance to find hidden variants, enhancing the shopping experience [5][10] - The quality of the blind boxes has received mixed reviews, with some consumers demanding refunds due to quality issues, while others are more forgiving given the price point [11] Industry Trends - The female gaming demographic is growing rapidly, with female players in Asia accounting for 37% of the total gaming population and showing an annual growth rate of 11% [12] - The market for female-oriented games in China reached 16.62 billion yuan in 2022, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 12.8% [12][14] - The success of the "Nikki" blind boxes suggests a potential for further expansion into the collectible toy market, which could provide additional revenue streams for female-oriented games [16]

Core Insights - Tmall's潮玩 (trendy toys) sector has seen a surprising success story with the game company "叠纸" (Paper Games), whose flagship store "叠纸心意" became the top seller during the first phase of the 618 shopping festival, achieving over 100 million in sales [1][5] - The popularity of叠纸's merchandise is attributed to its strong gaming IPs, particularly the "恋与" (Love and Production) and "暖暖" (Warm Warm) series, which cater primarily to a female audience [2][11] - The surge in sales of叠纸's products reflects a broader trend in the gaming industry, where merchandise has become a significant revenue stream, especially for companies focusing on emotional connections with players [20][23] Company Overview -叠纸 was established in 2013 and has gained recognition in the gaming community, particularly for its female-oriented games [2][3] - The company has released several successful titles, including《恋与制作人》 (Producer of Love), which became a phenomenon in the mobile gaming market [3][11] Sales Performance -叠纸's merchandise sales have shown remarkable growth, moving from sixth place to second in Tmall's潮玩 sales rankings within two years [4] - During the 618 shopping festival,叠纸's store topped the sales charts, surpassing established competitors like泡泡玛特 (Pop Mart) and米哈游 (miHoYo) [5] Product Strategy -叠纸's merchandise primarily consists of affordable items, with over 70% priced under 60 yuan, and the highest-selling products being low-cost items like 18 yuan figurines and 12 yuan postcards [8][9][10] - The company employs various sales strategies, including pre-sales and limited-time offers, which create urgency among consumers [14][15] Consumer Demographics - The majority of叠纸's user base consists of women, with 87.2% of《恋与深空》 (Love in Space) players being female, and over half being born in the 1990s [11] - Players often exhibit strong emotional attachment to game characters, leading to high demand for related merchandise [12] Market Trends - The gaming merchandise market is experiencing explosive growth, with domestic orders for gaming-related products increasing significantly, indicating a cultural export of "国谷" (national trendy toys) [21] - The trend reflects a shift in consumer behavior from practical to emotional value in toy and merchandise purchases, with a growing interest in collectibles and character-based products [25]

Group 1 - The game "Light and Shadow: Expedition No. 33" achieved over 1 million sales within three days of its release, indicating strong demand in the gaming market [1] - The game received high scores on Metacritic, with player ratings at 9.7 and media ratings at 9.2, making it the highest-rated game of the year so far [1] - The success of "Light and Shadow: Expedition No. 33" may positively impact related companies' stock prices due to its quality and market acceptance [1] Group 2 - Bethesda's "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered" has surpassed 4 million players since its release, showcasing the ongoing growth potential in the gaming industry [2] - The game reached a peak of 205,499 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, indicating strong player engagement and interest [2] - The positive reception of "Oblivion Remastered" is likely to drive attention from the capital markets towards game development and publishing companies [2] Group 3 - Paper Games issued an apology regarding the voice actor change in "Shining Nikki," highlighting the importance of user experience in game operations [3] - The controversy surrounding the voice change may exert pressure on Paper Games and the gaming sector, particularly for products with significant player emotional investment [3] - The development of a voice-switching feature indicates the company's proactive approach to addressing player concerns, though future player reactions remain to be seen [3]