37Games' Loong Craft No.1 Top Grossing Game on Apple App Store in Southeast Asia

SHANGHAI, May 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- 37Games' Loong Craft recently reached number 1 in the Apple App Store's list of top grossing apps in Southeast Asia, surpassing Clash Royale, an immensely popular strategy game that has topped the ranks for several weeks.

Loong Craft, developed by Loong Entertainment, is a MMORPG mobile game which incorporates 3D modeling, a 360-degree rotating camera view, and an open world map that differentiate the game from its peers. It is an RPG but also has features of a SLG. Players play as a hero during the 3-kingdom period of China and fight for themselves and for their states.

A 37Games' "Selected" Game

37Games co-founder, Zeng Kai Tian, introduced Loong Craft for the first time during the 3^rd CIGC (China International Game Conference) earlier in 2016, and said that it would be one of the company's major games this year. Other games published by 37Games include Nightfalls, Felspire, Siegelord, Naruto and The Legend of Sword and Fairy.

According to Zeng, 37Games' strategy is to thrive by high quality instead of large quantity. The company's financial reports show monthly turnover of their global games platform has exceeded RMB100 million in 2015, and is estimated to reach RMB200 million in 2016. 37Games has signed contracts with several renowned developers on their most featured games, and will also publish its own TCG and strategy games in 2016 thereby enlarging its showcase of triple A games.

All-round Marketing Strategies Based on Precise Segmentation

Commenting on the company's successful promotion of Loong Craft, Zeng said, "The global games market is composed of the ever expanding new markets and the mature western market. In the former, advertising and online communities are the most crucial parts. But for western countries like the U.S, Europe and some Asian cities like Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao, the market is already saturated to the point where a comprehensive all-around marketing strategy is necessary to be successful."

In the case of Loong Craft, 37Games tried many innovative ways to promote the game. For example six female models were invited to join the game as the Six Princesses and actually play the game with other players, and 20 other internet celebrities formed a live show team and broadcast PvP battles and "State Wars" on YouTube.

37Games also showed their expertise in the localization of the game. Every detail was important, from background story and game progress to control and UI. The company has a professional localization team composed of Chinese local staff who are experienced in games and cross cultural communication, as well as talents from the target markets who control the quality of the games in aspects such as language and culture. Meanwhile, 37Games recruits local customer service teams, technician teams and art talents in every new market it enters. 

Are we going to see more high-quality Chinese mobile games which are fully localized and well promoted by 37Games? The answer given by the company is a resounding yes!

Zeng mentioned in an earlier interview that 37Games will focus more on mobile games targeting western players in the future. Furthermore, the company is also planning on VR games development.

37Games is expanding its business scope, but we'll have to wait and see if this Chinese 'dragon' can accomplish Zeng Kai Tian and its mission to 'publish an ever increasing amount of high-quality games bearing the cultural imprints of China for western audiences'.

SOURCE 37Games