GameLook report/November 22-24, 2021, the 5th Tencent Game Developers Conference (TGDC) held by Tencent Game Academy was held online.
Since its establishment in 2017, TGDC has always adhered to the perspective and needs of developers as the starting point, combined with industry development trends, and continuously upgraded and expanded the content of the conference. It aims to create an open communication and sharing platform for game professionals at home and abroad to promote the game industry. Healthy development, exploring more possibilities for games.
In the event on the first day (November 22), Lu Qunwei, the overseas distribution producer of Tencent Mutual Entertainment GPP, explained in detail the idea of ”White Night Aurora” in overseas distribution and operation.
The following is the speech record:
Lu Qunwei：Hello everyone, I am very happy to be able to participate in this TGDC event. The theme I share this time is the two-dimensional game going to the sea.
First, let me introduce myself. I came to Tencent in 2010 and have been engaged in game-related work. For so many years, I have been studying overseas game markets and overseas manufacturers, and I am also very curious about many overseas games, especially two-dimensional games, how can they be sustainable? Until recent years, the overseas distribution of two-dimensional games has become a trend. I have also joined the overseas distribution team of Tencent Games. I have successively released a number of cards and two-dimensional games. I also have some understanding of overseas distribution. So, this time I will share with you: the relevant experience of the two-dimensional game going to sea.
First look at the current situation of the overseas two-dimensional game market. When it comes to two-dimensional games, we usually think of the Japanese market. We have done a preliminary research. The share of the Japanese two-dimensional market accounts for more than 70% of the global overseas two-dimensional share, which is veritable overseas. The main battlefield of the game.
So what is the situation of the second dimension in Japan? We often say that Japan is a full-staffed two-dimensional country. Although it is not so exaggerated, we have also done some analysis: themed games related to the two-dimensional animation accounted for more than 40% of the Japanese market share, a single product It can even contribute more than 1 billion U.S. dollars in annual revenue. At the same time, 2D has also shown some characteristics of continuous vitality in overseas markets mainly in Japan.
When it comes to the two-dimensional element, we can usually think of the two-dimensional element as an imported culture. For a long period of time, the two-dimensional element is an imported product for us. But what about the actual situation? In the past few years, the second dimension has gone through the process of the imported era, and has entered the era of real sailing.
We have made a simple analysis. In the three years from 2018 to 2020, the share of China’s second-dimensional products going overseas has been continuously increasing in Japan’s second-dimensional market. In 2018, this number was only 15%, but by 2020, 40% of the new products of the two-dimensional in Japan will be provided by Chinese manufacturers.
Although the products are very rich, there are very few products that can actually enter the head. For publishing, we can’t help asking ourselves, how can we ensure that our two-dimensional games can stand out from so many products when they go to sea?
First, let’s take a look at a case of our predecessors. There is a game called “Blue Fantasy”, which has been selling well in Japan for 7 years, so what kind of magic power does it have to achieve its long-term operation? We first refined its longboard. First of all, its art quality is still very good even if it is placed on the current mainstream aesthetic point of view. Its art painting style is very unified and very unique.
Secondly, “Azure Fantasy” is the first product to bring the kingly two-dimensional Japanese fantasy on the console to the mobile game. So far, it has continuously updated more than 130 chapters. For important characters, it can even propose The extra plots of chapters 3-5 are used to shape their characters.
In other aspects, including music, voice actors, etc., “Blue Fantasy” is also the industry’s leading level.
Behind such a continuous best-selling achievement, what we see is actually the 7-year continuous content cultivation process of Azure Fantasy. In the past 7 years, “Azurite Fantasy” has carried out IP cooperation and linkage with more than 30 other IPs. During this period, “Azurite Fantasy” has filmed two animations and held several independent events with the theme of Azure Fantasy. At the press conference, in the core content position of Azure Fantasy, the official has been continuously working on its content output. The four-frame comics related to “Blue Fantasy” have been serialized for more than two thousand issues, which completely brings a grand and interesting fantasy world to users.
Based on such a case, we are also asking ourselves, does the two-dimensional game of going to sea have its own iron rules for survival? What are the essential elements of a two-dimensional game going to sea? For the summary of the case, we try to explore and summarize such laws.
We believe that it must first have its own unique longboard. Second, a continuous content output must be maintained during operation. Finally, as a game going overseas, we must always have insight into the aesthetics and preferences of local core users.
After reading the previous case, let’s look at an animation.
After watching this animation, do we think this is an imported two-dimensional game, or a two-dimensional game created by the Chinese team? This is actually our first two-dimensional game to go to sea this year. The name is “White Night Aurora”.
Following the practice of our predecessors, we also very much hope that when the two-dimensional game goes out to sea, the high-quality content of the game can be shown to users in the form of various fragments. In this one-and-a-half minute animation, we showed users the world view of the game, the six camps, and the main characters.
As our first two-dimensional game to go overseas this year, we are here to share with you the main release ideas of “White Night Aurora” going overseas.
According to the previous market analysis, in the early days when “White Night Aurora” was launched, we made it clear that Japan was the core base for content, and Japan was the core area for content radiation, and it was radiated to other overseas distribution areas around the world through Japan.
The reasons for this are: first, Japan is the main position of the overseas two-dimensional market; second, Japan has its own unique advantages in the creation of two-dimensional content and long-term cultivation, and the aesthetics of this part of the two-dimensional can radiate. To other areas overseas.
As mentioned earlier, we believe that two-dimensional games must have enough longboards when going to sea. Then what did we do when digging into the longboard of the game “White Night Aurora”?
The first is art. Art is the most intuitive longboard of “White Night Aurora”. The art of “White Night Aurora” is considered by users to be individual, fashionable and fashionable. For the characters of different rarities, “White Night Aurora” has given the same attention and made very detailed creation. At the same time, “White Night Aurora” is also one of the few in this industry. Each character’s vertical painting has a dynamic vertical painting game. Even if it is placed in Japan, where the content of the second element is very involved, this is a very rare phenomenon. So this is the clearest selling point of “White Night Aurora”.
At the same time, as a two-dimensional game, “White Night Aurora” does not follow a very vertical plot system, but uses the Japanese kingly plot experience. In the game, we also try our best to use CG animations and inter-character Interaction to strengthen the player’s link with the world.
In the process of digging selling points, we found a question. For content-oriented two-dimensional games, is the gameplay important? “White Night Aurora” has been tested three times in Japan. In each test, users gave a very good evaluation of the gameplay of connection elimination. So we made it clear when we launched it as a selling point.
Based on the aforementioned selling points and longboards of “White Night Aurora”, what do we want to convey to users?
The first is the vitality of human design. “White Night Aurora” has more than 150 painters to create art, and its art is very imaginative and individual.
In addition, “White Night Aurora” shows a unique worldview, and also involves the relationship between various camps. Secondly, the gameplay of “White Night Aurora” is also very easy to use. Whether it is the chain caused by a one-off elimination, or the rich strategy combination, it has been well received by players.
The second point of the game going overseas, how do we locate the local core users, and how do we contribute the content they want to the local core users?
Is the so-called full-staff two-dimensional in the Japanese market really the full-staff two-dimensional? In fact, after many levels of screening and research, we finally locked the target, the core users of “White Night Aurora”, or the group of in-depth users of the second dimension, they like the role of the game, like to collect and develop around the role of the gameplay.
What kind of attribute is the core two-dimensional user? They have very high requirements for pictures, characters, and plots, and they also hope to see different and differentiated displays in the game. At the same time, they also pay great attention to the rationality of IP growth. They hope that the growth through IP is reasonable. Without OOC, the characters in the game have the same growth process as the players.
At the same time, the official needs to have standards when operating content, involving some CP team, subdivision preferences and OOC content, the official must be particularly cautious. At the same time, this part of users is also a user who “likes the new and loves the old”. The so-called “likes the new and loves the old” means that their content consumes very fast, but they will not forget the old characters that they first conveyed. I also hope that the official will continue to produce content for these old game characters. So when we are making content, we must pay attention to the balance and proportion of this ratio.
This part of the core users is also a group that has distinct loves and hates and is willing to be independent and amway. Therefore, we must pay attention when supplying content to them. First, the content must not have lightning spots. Second, try to avoid looking for KOLs with black history to avoid risks.
In addition, the atmosphere and popularity of the community and the fandom is also a position that can form a good emotional link with core users.
For the core users in Japan, what have we done in terms of localization? First, it is the choice of name. After a lot of research, including partners and users, we finally chose the four Chinese characters “White Night Aurora” as the official name in Japan.
Secondly, as a game going overseas, the red line must comply with local policies and regulations. As a content-oriented game, “White Night Aurora” has more than one million texts and is a continuous update process. We use the best local translation providers to deliver the most accurate game content to users. In the process of localization, we pay special attention to the display of different roles and personalities. We set up a lot of character ending words, oral addiction, etc., with the purpose of showing the vivid characters to users.
Based on the local users in Japan, what kind of preparations have we made on the team? The first is the preparation for the release side. The operation of “White Night Aurora” is a highly integrated team with the market. We also hope that professional people will do this. More than 50% of the members of the team are members with Japanese work and life experience or deep two-dimensional game experience.
The second is the resource side. We hope to obtain local content in Japan in a short and quick time. Therefore, we have established a local resource acquisition team in Japan. Currently, we are first-hand to obtain local high-quality resources in Japan.
Furthermore, on the content side, we strive to achieve a pure-blood model of production and sales in one place. More than 50% of the important content produced in “White Night Aurora” was produced locally in Japan.
The third key point of overseas games is how we can accurately and continuously convey high-quality content to users. For distribution, there are mainly several points to be done: First, we have to achieve a concentrated outbreak of content when it goes online.
Second, after the launch period, we must continue to cultivate content. In such a long process of content cultivation, we must continue to bring surprise content elements to users. In the eyes of users, how are all our publishing behaviors projected? For the online outbreak, the user’s interpretation is that publishing attaches great importance to this market, and continuous cultivation also means that for local users in Japan, you are a publishing that will not run away. We know that Japanese users are a relatively vulnerable group. They are very cautious about foreign games and worry about whether you will run away.
At the same time, if you can continue to surprise users during the content operation process, they will feel that the operation is as good as you, and they will also understand and like the game very well, which will increase their trust in you.
So how do we achieve the accuracy of the content? Although “White Night Aurora” is an original IP game, it still sorts out a content supervision process and system internally.
First of all, the publishing side will conduct an overall supervision of the content. The first consideration is the matching of regional users and whether there is a risk of word-of-mouth. After completing this initial investigation, we will invite the script teacher on the research and development side to do one. Supervise, conduct a second confirmation of the characters and worldview.
After the confirmation is completed, we will invite the R&D art teacher to confirm the art style and setting details. After confirming everything, we then communicate these content and information to the localization team of our distribution, and then let the localization team carry out the supervision of regional culture and risk.
After such a layer of supervision, we can ensure that the most accurate game content is conveyed to users.
How does “White Night Aurora” guarantee the continuity of the content? “White Night Aurora” in the preparation period clarified its various stages in the preparation period, the appointment period, the online period and the continuous operation period, as well as the key points of the corresponding content under each stage.
Based on the aforementioned, we should try our best to achieve resource explosion and centralized exposure of the content during the launch period. How did “White Night Aurora” do it?
Two-dimensional games are overseas, especially the Japanese market, which is a very homogenized market. “White Night Aurora” is clear in the launch period. It is necessary to use high-quality PGC content to convey more worldviews and character-related content. To the user, increase the user’s sense of immersion. While creating content, we also try to bring surprises to users as much as possible, so that these surprises can form a source of dissemination and promote sharing among players.
At the same time, we will be surrounded by carpet-like resources in the launch period to accurately convey these high-quality content to users, and finally form a popular trend in the local area. Through this popular trend, “White Night Aurora” will be shaped in Japan. The phenomenon of “really hot” promotes more target users to enter this game.
The first is offline advertising. “White Night Aurora” is currently the most invested offline product among our overseas Japanese games. Unlike other games, “White Night Aurora” fully integrates with the game world view offline. During the publicity period, we created the “White Night” train based on the world view of the game. Every week, we recommend and introduce one of the game camps to users, with related character introductions, voice actors videos, and so on.
In the early stage of the launch, after the introduction of these six camps, we released a suspense map on the community, allowing users to guess where the White Night will go next? Is it reality, or where?
At that time, many users were speculating that “White Night Aurora” would not really be going to contract a subway. When they went online, when they saw that we had really contracted the most famous Yamanote Line in Japan, they made the Yamanote Line look like “White Night Aurora” and launched “White Night Aurora” at various stations along his railway line. Related ads, this move shocked users very much. They believe that the official can provide such resources to promote “White Night Aurora” and must attach great importance to this game.
The second point is the virtual anchor. We all know that virtual anchors are gradually becoming popular in Japan. The previous approach was that some games might invite a single live broadcast, but “White Night Aurora” was different in that it contracted the team of the main virtual anchor of the Rainbow Club during the online period.
We create suspense before going online, let the virtual anchor forward the information about White Night to cause speculation. When going online, we directly tell users that we will cooperate with the 18 anchors of Rainbow Club. In the first six days of the launch, there will be three anchors each day to produce White Night-related content. After the stable period of the launch, these anchors are still providing content for “White Night Aurora”.
In addition, it is the voice actor. We did a voice broadcast event for the voice actor during the launch period. We invited voice actors, hosts, and COSER, and set up the stage like “White Night Aurora”. At that time, this event was very well received and it was also ranked first in the hot search on Twitter.
The cooperation between “White Night Aurora” and voice actors is relatively in-depth. The voice actors will not only contribute, interview and introduce the game, but also forward and disseminate related content of “White Night Aurora”. There are even some head voice actors. They will create some content related to “White Night Aurora” by themselves. What’s more special is that “White Night Aurora” made a seiyuu activity linkage during the launch period, and users can connect with “White Night Aurora” to listen to the voice of the voice actor.
When “White Night Aurora” was launched, more than 80 painters were invited to make a pre-heated creation for “White Night Aurora”. In the end, these creations were on the community and gained more than 1.8 million interactions. This is in the industry. It belongs to a relatively leading level.
Speaking of “White Night Aurora”, there are two main surprises for users. The first point is the title animation. In fact, “White Night Aurora” did not tell the user during the publicity period that there was such an animation. Until the day before the launch, the user entered the game through pre-download, and the first thing that appeared in front of him was this. Segment animation.
At that time, it still caused a lot of discussion and related dissemination and transportation by users. We prepared this animation for half a year and invited well-known Japanese directors and animation production companies, but in the past half a year, we have not made such a presentation with users. , I also hope to give users a feeling of surprise.
Another surprise element is the singer’s choice. When “White Night Aurora” was launched, we did a lot of discussions about singer selection, and many of them were to invite the most popular local head singer option in Japan. In the end, we chose the singer with the highest match with the game.
There are several reasons. The singer is from Niconico. She actually has a very loyal core user. At the same time, the popular elements and unique atmosphere she presents are highly matched with “White Night Aurora”. So we invited her to create the theme song for “White Night Aurora”, and we also hope that she can combine the theme of “White Night Aurora” to create works with some sad elements but without losing the majestic style.
In the actual publicity process, we made some suspense for the singer’s cooperation. When it was officially released, the singer’s choice and work were highly recognized by users, especially core users.
What’s surprising is that not only the local users in Japan, but also the core users in Southeast Asia, Europe and the United States, have given this cooperation a very high evaluation. At present, among the video views of “White Night Aurora” on Japanese video websites, the MV based on this song is still the most clicked one among all the video works of “White Night Aurora”.
After the explosive exposure of the content in the online period, “White Night Aurora” achieved new results that exceeded expectations. In the online period, “White Night Aurora” won the first download ranking, and in June, when the competition pressure was very high, This result lasted a total of six days.
What did you do in the continuous content cultivation of “White Night Aurora” going overseas? After the first wave of enthusiasm on the line, what will happen to “White Night Aurora”? We can see that the popularity of the community is still not too high, the output of players is still very small, and the quality is not particularly high, in addition, players also have continuous optimization requirements for the version.
In response to these conditions, how did “White Night Aurora” do it? First of all, we hope to create a sense of substitution of native IP in the community and carry out an in-depth packaging of content.
In the world of “White Night Aurora”, many characters are actually deeply connected. We hope that by conveying this kind of relationship between roles to users, users can better achieve personal role links.
At the same time, the official will continue to lay out some content based on the current game situation. For example, some users complain that our game AI is relatively weak, so the official will also produce some four-frame comics and other content to tease the game’s AI. After users receive some revelation from the official, they will also make some creations for these things. Gradually, we will form official content. Users will discover and spread the stalks themselves. At the same time, the official will carry out these stalks again. Go in the positive cycle of further creation.
The community of “White Night Aurora” wants to convey to users is a vivid one that allows users to see your changing image. “White Night Aurora” will continue to listen to users’ thoughts on the community. After the event ended, we coordinated some user opinions on the community, and received more than 800 feedbacks. At the same time, at some nodes, we will also use letters from some producers and so on to convey to users the next changes in “White Night Aurora” and what needs to be done.
In response to insufficient player output and low quality, “White Night Aurora” launched a user creation solicitation activity more than half a month after its launch. We have conducted in-depth cooperation with pixiv. Not only did we provide bonuses, but we also promised users that for the winning works, we will use it in future outdoor advertising in the future.
This event received enthusiastic participation from users, and by the end of the event, we received almost two thousand content creations. At the same time, the magic is that, driven by pixiv, in other core communities, such as Twitter, users’ self-created content is constantly changing and the quality is constantly improving. For these works, the official will give him a thumbs up to stimulate their motivation for further creation.
When “White Night Aurora” is in operation, it will follow the nodes or create nodes by itself to strengthen the interaction with users. For Japan, Summer Lives from July to September each year and Christmas at the end of the year are the two most important nodes. “White Night Aurora” is dedicated to delivering more high-quality content to users on these important nodes. .
At the same time, “White Night Aurora” will also spontaneously dig out some nodes, such as when it goes online full moon, when downloads exceed 10 million, when it goes online for 100 days… We will all convey the current game situation to users. The next trend of the game strengthens the expectations of the players, and also allows the players to see that the game is constantly improving dynamically.
To sum up, after the two-dimensional game bid farewell to its online bonus period, we still have to do continuous content delivery, the purpose is to brush the presence of the player group.
Our approach is, first, the operation must have a temperature, to close the distance with the user, through this to revitalize the community.
Second, we are going to create an image of love. We publish IP content to attract and guide users to create ammunition that provides them with secondary creation, so that they can improve their output as much as possible.
The third is a sense of security. We need to show our sincerity in front of the players through continuous content output, so that the players think that you are a reliable image that will not run away.
The fourth is a sense of ritual. We need to use more high-quality operation methods to allow users to enhance their sense of pride and identity. In the end, we continue to appear in the players’ vision through this series of content supply forms, so that they can deeply feel that you are continuously with them and that you are a living operation.
After all, “White Night Aurora” is a game that has been online for less than half a year. For his overall construction, there is still a very long way to go. Next, what is our focus-we still have to provide users with continuous surprises content.
The first is the surprise in the game. What we want users to see is that “White Night Aurora” is a dynamic game that keeps getting better. We will further explore the long board of “White Night Aurora” in the future, and make this long board better with the times. In addition, at the level of gameplay, we will try our best to provide some new gameplay in each version, so that users can feel that we are constantly working hard and changing.
Since the launch of “White Night Aurora”, the main overseas regions still revolve around the rhythm of a new version in 21 days, the purpose is to bring users a continuous optimization and adjustment, and continuous creation of surprises.
Next, we hope to make “White Night Aurora” a successful IP through a long period of time.
At present, “White Night Aurora” is only in the earliest incubation stage of content. In the future, we will fill and supplement the system of “White Night Aurora” through various forms of official content. Hopefully, in the next 3-5 years, “White Night Aurora” can grow into a successful IP that is representative in all dimensions.
We will continue to produce some continuous content based on core users, including peripherals, including official materials that allow users to create secondary creations, including linkage with other IPs, etc…. Gradually hope to use this continuous content output , Let the game form a positive content cycle.
Finally, we still have to say that going to sea is actually a very difficult thing, especially after choosing the two-dimensional game, which is a very long content operation road.
So what is our meaning? The first is the confidence and dissemination of culture. We currently have the ability to produce content that is comparable to the cutting-edge content in this field in the world. We also hope to be able to transform ourselves in the context of this new era of cultural creation. The content is better to promote to the world.
Secondly, two-dimensional game operation is a long way of content operation. We hope that in the process of going overseas, we will continue to learn and learn from the practices of our predecessors, to form and exercise a content operation method, so as to help other categories in the future. Operation provides materials and experience.
In addition, we also hope that overseas high-quality content can help “White Night Aurora” grow into an excellent IP in the future.
Go to the TGDC official website or WeChat to search for “Tencent Game Academy” to watch the exciting content of the conference.
This Article is curated from Source and we only provide the English version of the Story.
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