Desires for “Male Characters”, Game Developers Confused by Community Reactions
Surely, when the target audience is mentioned, the game that is being referred to is none other than Goddess of Victory: Nikke – a Gacha game specifically designed for a female audience where the entire roster consists of female characters. Since its launch three years ago, this game has never introduced a male character, making this a notable point of contention among the gaming community.
However, recently, Goddess of Victory: Nikke has stirred up discussions among fans when it announced a collaboration with a Chinese animated series. This collaboration sparked debate as it would be the first time the game introduces a male character.
The controversy arose from the promotional images of this event, which only featured the main male character from the animated series, leading many to believe that Nikke would finally include a male character in its gameplay. The backlash escalated quickly, prompting Nikke’s official account in China to release a statement for clarification.
Nikke’s Decision to Cancel the Collaboration in an Instant
In a notice (now deleted), Nikke apologized for causing controversy and clarified that the collaboration would only include female characters, and there was no intention to add male characters to the playable roster. They further explained that the primary goal of the event was to incorporate elements of Chinese culture into the game, thereby enhancing the connection with local players.
However, the community’s enthusiasm has not diminished. Just a few hours later, Nikke CN deleted the official post and uploaded a new message, confirming that the collaboration with the animated series had been officially canceled. In the final announcement, they continued to extend their apologies to players for having chosen a controversial collaboration format, while also committing to be more cautious in selecting partnerships and how they communicate information in the future to avoid misunderstandings or causing discomfort within the community.
It can be seen that the events mentioned can significantly impact the community’s feelings, especially regarding any changes that could affect the core identity of the game. Particularly with a title like Nikke, where female characters are central to the gameplay, the potential introduction of male characters, even as mere speculation, could create a strong backlash.
