On May 25th the MMORPG Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds (PC, Android, iOS) was released in the western market and has since endured a heavy shitstorm. This mainly revolves around the controversial business model of the title. We at MeinMMO summarize.
What kind of game is this? Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds is an MMORPG that you can play on both your smartphones and your PC. It draws upon the setting of the popular “Ni No Kuni” IP and lets you dive into an anime fantasy world.
The game was already released in 2019 in the Asian market and was actually well received by players there. The website SensorTower even reports revenues of over 100 million dollars in the first 11 days of the anime MMORPG (via sensortower.com).
Features of the game include:
- An open world in the well-known Ni No Kuni universe
- A story where you once again have to save the world
- Housing, where you can also plant your own plants
- PvE and PvP content
- An auto-play and auto-walk function, which is however not in use during bosses
- The possibility to earn money with the game due to Play2Earn
- 5 different classes with a comparatively static action combat system
Here you can see gameplay from the MMORPG
However, in the West, the game is not received well at all. This is partly due to the fact that two different cryptocurrencies are in use, Pay2Win aspects play a significant role in PvP, and NFTs are set to be introduced into the MMORPG later this year.
Publisher promises “Endless Possibilities” – Angering the fanbase
What is the problem with the game? Now the game is on the market for us and receives, at least in the PlayStore and AppStore, relatively positive reviews. But if you take a look at the communities on Reddit and other reports, it quickly becomes clear that things are not as they seem.
People are primarily upset about the massive use of Pay2Win and cryptocurrencies in Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds. This goes as far as being able to purchase one of the best armors directly in the shop with one of the two currencies, completely without loot boxes or anything similar. Since there is no normalized PvP, this actually gives you an advantage even in that area.
It gets even worse when you realize that the second cryptocurrency in Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds can only be earned in PvP, unlike the first which can be earned through quests. This makes many fans angry. Especially because these mechanics were not advertised beforehand. Therefore, some people accuse the game of deliberately concealing these crypto mechanics.
The community is angry: But not only the use of cryptocurrencies faces resistance from the community. In a press conference in April, the publisher NetMarble announced that they will also integrate NFTs into the MMORPG later this year (via netmarble.com).
A publisher-wide currency called MBX is set to come, which you can earn and spend in several of the publisher’s games. So far, the currency is only represented in the game A3: Still Alive, but it is supposed to come to Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds and Monsters Arena later this year.
Although it is not yet clear how the NFT integration will look in the game, it already leaves a bad impression on fans. They are warning on Reddit about the game and are mostly angry, but also sad about the path the publisher is taking with the MMORPG.
“Why are they doing this to the brand?”
What are the fans saying? Especially in the threads on Reddit, fans of the franchise are very disappointed. Many were looking forward to another great Ni No Kuni game. The previous titles of the IP were really well received. An MMORPG adaptation had raised great hopes, which have now faded for many.
Some people are speaking up who are enjoying the game and say that you can ignore all these factors if you just focus on the PvE. But these voices are clearly in the minority.
Many also harbor anger towards the publisher NetMarble. A fan even writes “Wow, this time NetMarble is early. They usually wait a few months before revealing that their games are Pay2Win.” The post gets 347 upvotes on Reddit and much support, accurately reflecting the general mood.
The comments are overwhelming: We would like to share some additional comments from two reddit threads related to the game. They show the current mood:
- PommeCitron writes: “I really enjoyed the first 24 hours in the game before I realized what I had gotten myself into. It was expected, but I still uninstalled it immediately.”
- RobinMorgaN writes: “Please don’t play the game and truly warn everyone not to touch it.”
- Kaarpiv says: “Great. Is there still a way we can drive this franchise into the ground? How about a live-action adaptation? Man, why are they doing this to the brand?”
- Nerankori keeps it short: “Then it’s probably ni NO kuni”
What do you think of the game? Have you had a chance to see it or do you stay far away from such titles? Feel free to let us know in the comments here at MeinMMO.
Until then, we have compiled the 9 best mobile MMORPGs 2022 for iOS and Android.
