Core Viewpoint - The international server of "Black Beacon" will officially cease operations on December 31, 2025, due to operational difficulties related to global services, as stated by the company [1][3]. Company Overview - Mingzhou Technology, founded in 2021, is a star startup with a core team from well-known companies like Kuro Game. It secured a 15% investment from Tencent within two months of its establishment [3]. - The company has only one product, "Black Beacon," which is a classical sci-fi ARPG with philosophical themes and a unique combat system [3]. Game Performance - The overseas version "Black Beacon" launched on April 10, 2023, but performed poorly. The domestic version launched shortly after faced significant issues, including a major server crash on the opening day and quickly fell off the iOS top 50 chart [3][5]. - The 1.3 version of the game faced multiple delays, with the team citing relocation and adjustments as reasons. The version was finally released after a 67-day delay [5][7]. Internal Challenges - Reports indicate that the company had to announce indefinite leave for employees, with only social security payments being made during this period. The office was found empty during investigations [5][9]. - Despite having a project team that once exceeded 100 members, the game's revenue did not meet expectations, and there were numerous unfixable bugs in the underlying code [9]. Future Outlook - With the international server now shut down, uncertainty looms over the fate of the domestic server [10].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the challenges faced by the game "Black Beacon" and the broader implications for the mobile gaming industry, particularly in the context of a declining market and the difficulties of new game development. Group 1: Company Challenges - "Black Beacon" has faced significant delays in version updates, with the latest announcement pushing the end of version 1.2 to October 14, a delay of 50 days [3] - The company has experienced a relocation of its headquarters, which has led to speculation about potential downsizing and operational difficulties [4] - Technical challenges have hindered the development of "Black Beacon," with reports indicating that the dual perspective design and complex gameplay mechanics have extended the development cycle by 30% [8][9] Group 2: Market Conditions - The mobile gaming market has seen a decline, with a reported 8% drop in actual sales revenue in the first half of 2025 compared to the previous year [12] - The number of new games in the mobile gaming sector has decreased by nearly 40% from peak levels, indicating a stagnation in innovation and new product launches [14] - The market is characterized by a "frozen" state, where older games maintain player engagement through continuous updates, while new games struggle to gain traction due to high technical demands and market pressures [15][17] Group 3: Industry Trends - The article highlights a growing divide between large developers and smaller teams, with larger companies taking on the responsibility for innovation, which may lead to a concentration of resources and potential stagnation in creativity [21] - There is a notable trend of nostalgia among players, with older games like "FGO" and "Arknights" continuing to perform well, while new titles face challenges in capturing player interest [15][17] - The industry is witnessing a restructuring, with opportunities for smaller teams to find niches in the market, despite the overall competitive landscape becoming more intense [21]