RPG Genre Snapshot
Download PDFJun, 2021 RPG GenreSnapshotJune 2021
•Using a Category -> Genre -> Subgenre hierarchy we are able todifferentiate games in a meaningful way and offer accurate insights for all individual game types currently found in the market•Our taxonomy is created together with industry experts and is based on thorough testing and data-analysis of the market•In this report we are focusing on the RPG genre under Mid-coreGameRefinery’sGenre TaxonomyGameRefineryuses a three-layered approach to categorize games
RPGs are a staple of gaming stemming from the very first text-based adventures. On mobile, they remain one of the largest genres with around 14% market share (US iOS).Over the past year, we haven’t seen any major shakeups. Hits like Raid: Shadow Legends, Dragon Ball Z DokkanBattle, and Marvel Strike Force continue to top the charts. But compared to our previous RPG snapshot in Q1 2020, we’re starting to see a shift in the types of new RPGs that are dominating the charts. Whereas before the titles that caught our attention were almost without exception Turn-based RPGs, the past year has been characterized by action RPGs. We’re, of course, talking about the jaw-dropping performance of Genshin Impact that on its own accounts for 10% of the RPG market share and, more recently, the success of MHA: The Strongest Hero.Both games are characterized by their strong focus on narrative and story elements, open-world elements along with their high production values, particularly in the case of Genshin Impact that brought PC/console-level production rarely seen on mobile. However, they also have some differences. Genshin Impact is excelling in providing a single-player role-playing experience with a vast world to explore, while MHA also has competitive elements as a key part of the experience.Short Match3 Genre Overview
•Currently, RPGs are the 4th largest genre in the US iOS market, contributing about 14% of the market’s revenues.•Overall, no major shakeups in the top RPG games aside from Genshin Impact that dominates the charts with over 10% of RPG market share and in a league of its own. MHA: The Strongest Hero was released in Q2 2021 (so not yet visible in Q1 charts)•This past 12 months has seen two very successful RPG launches, Genshin Impact and MHA. What’s interesting about both of thesegames is their strong focus on open-world experiences with narrative and story elements along with their high production values, particularly in the case of Genshin Impact that brought PC/console-level production rarely seen on mobile. •With the success of Genshin Impact and MHA, we’re starting to see a shift where Action RPGs are starting to gain FINALLY more ground on the western markets also. In our previous RPG snapshot, Turn-based RPGs were still giving other games in the genre a run for their money in the US market, and Action RPGs were making only a fraction of the revenues•The most successful RPG updates naturally revolve around live events where new characters are added to the games. Collaboration events have also been successfully utilized in various games. Key points
Market•Top games and their market share
Top games and their current market share within the RPG genre in US iOSKey takeaway: Overall, no major shakeups in the top RPG games aside from the obvious Genshin Impact dominating the charts with over 10% of RPGmarket share and in a league of its own. This also marks a shift where action RPGs are starting to gain more ground, also enforced by the recent success of MHA: The Strongest Hero (another action RPG hitting the very top of grossing charts in the US, released in Q2 2021, so not visible here).In our previous RPG snapshot, Turn-based RPGs were still giving other games in the genre a run for their money, and Action RPGs were making only a tiny fractionofthe revenues in the US marketSource: GameRefinery SaaS Dashboard* Change YoY
Top games and challengers in the RPG genre (US iOS) Key takeaway: These past 12 months have seen two very successful RPG launches, Genshin Impact and MHA. What’s interesting about both of these games is that they are both open-world action RPGs with a strong focus on single-player experience and story elements along withtheir high production values, particularly in the case of Genshin Impact that brought PC/console-level production rarely seen on mobile. However, theyalso have some differences. Genshin Impact is excelling in providing a single-player role-playing experience with a vast world to explore, while MHA also has competitive elements as a key part of the experience. Also noteworthy is that all the three latest hit RPGs in this chart have an anime art style. 30d averagetop grossing rankDays since release1-100101-200NewOld+5 years0Source: GameRefinery SaaS DashboardRAID: Shadow LegendsGenshinImpactMHA: The Strongest HeroHero Wars -Fantasy WorldAFK ArenaDRAGON BALL LEGENDSGame of SultansMarvel Contest of ChampionsMARVEL Strike Force: Squad RPGKing’s ThroneMortal KombatBest Fiends -Puzzle AdventureLast Day on Earth: SurvivalAzur LaneMARVEL Future FightEpic SevenThe Seven Deadly SinsDRAGON BALL Z DOKKAN BATTLESummoners WarStar Wars™: Galaxy of HeroesEmpires & Puzzles Epic Match 3Idle Heroes -Idle GamesFate/Grand OrderFire Emblem Heroes
The megahits of the RPGgenre in the past 12 months –what are they all about?Genshin ImpactRead more and research the games in more depth with hundred of screenshots in the GameRefinery service…Source: GameRefinery SaaS Dashboard
The megahits of the RPGgenre in the past 12 months –what are they all about?MHA: The Strongest HeroSource: GameRefinery SaaS DashboardRead more and research the games in more depth with hundred of screenshots in the GameRefinery service…
Features & Updates•Top updates•Implementation examples
Top updates with the biggest 7D revenue impact within the RPGgenre Mobile F2P RPGs are feature-rich titles where often the monetization is all about character collection mechanics. That can also be seen with the updates with the biggest upticks in the revenues. Especially for gacha-based RPGs, there are always absolutely massive spikes on revenues when new characters are introduced through new banner gachas / other offers.Another increasingly common way to engage new audiences and offer something very out of the box in various RPGs (especially from Asian companies) are different collaboration events. We have seen a bunch of games (again, often Asian-based RPGs) do this to great success. For example, Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross has had multiple interesting collaborations with IPs like Stranger Things + Attack on Titan.Source: GameRefinery SaaS Dashboard
Implementation examples from top RPGgames:Limited-Time EventsGenshin Impact –Theater MechanicuseventTheater Mechanicuswas a tower-defense-inspired live event. The objective of Theater Mechanicuswas to use various strategies to withstand waves of enemies. During these waves, monsters will follow predetermined paths through the level. Players’ job was to stop them before they reach the other end. But the twist here is that you can’t actually doany damage to them, only inflict them with different elemental effects. Players need to construct various Mechanici(towers) at predetermined positions and use them to deal damage to monsters and prevent them from getting to their goal. When the level ends, you will receive a certain number of VeneficusSigils as a reward. VeneficusSigils can be used to unlock and upgrade Mechaniciso that they are stronger for the next round. Genshin Impact’s rumored 200 million USD/year budget for live ops can be noticed by the incredible cadence of super-polished events with even new gameplay modes like in this event.The Seven Deadly Sins –Stranger Things Collaboration Event The Seven Deadly Sins is no stranger to rolling out IP-crossover events. One of the most recent ones was the collaboration between 7DS and Stranger Things. The event’s content included, e.g., specially made cutscenes, areas to explore both in Lionesand Upside Down, new heroes from Hawkings, and a separate PvE-mode.The event also had a robust monetization scheme with limited time gachas, exchange shops, and bundle offers –truly making the event feel exciting and exclusive.Source: GameRefinery SaaS Dashboard
Implementation examples from top RPGgames:Special Gacha MechanicsAs everyone knows, gachas are one of the leading monetization mechanics for mobile f2p RPGs. But there are also a bunch of different ways that gachas can be implemented instead of your usual approach. Gachas can, for example, have limited-time higher rates for new characters (the basic ”banner gacha” implementation), special step-up gacha mechanics with additional bonus rewards for pulling the gacha, board-game like gachas, and more. In this example, Dragon Ball Legends celebrates its 3rd anniversary with a collection of different limited-time gachas. In the so-called step-up gacha are five different steps with increasing bonus rewards for pulling the gacha. Each consecutive gacha pull gives the player an additional bonus reward, which in this case was tickets for other anniversary gachas in the game.For more detailed case-by-case examples, check out the GameRefinery service and/or contact us directly!Source: GameRefinery SaaS Dashboard
Motivations•The motivation framework•Top game’s motivation comparison
•••GameRefinery’sMotivation Framework
What sets Genshin Impact apart from other RPGs is its increased focus on exploration and enhanced role-playing elements, and skill-based gameplayGenshinimpacts vast open-world gives players an exceptionally large sandbox to explore while the meta game provides players with different characters to collect, upgrade and gear up. The fleshed-out fluid combat system makes the game more skill-focused than most action RPGs on the market.Motivational Drivers of GenshinImpact vs. RPG games in generalMotivational drivers describe the main reasons players enjoy playing the gameSource: GameRefinery SaaS DashboardScore 5 = very important, 1 = not important
Although both games are action RPGs Genshin Impact and MHA: The Strongest Hero appeal to slightly different player types. While Genshin Impact excels in providing a single-player role-playing experience with a vast world to explore, MHA leans on competitive gameplay elements.MHA provides players with social experiences with both co-op PVE gameplay along with synchronous and asynchronous PVP combat.Source: GameRefinery SaaS DashboardMotivational Drivers of GenshinImpact vs. MHAMotivational drivers describe the main reasons players enjoy playing the game.Score 5 = very important, 1 = not important
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