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Big In Japan: Japan joins the Clash Royale

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Big In Japan: Japan joins the Clash Royale

In Big in Japan, we take a look at a game that is currently topping the charts in Tokyo, to see what mobile gaming looks like across the pond (and then a few more ponds).


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So what's big in Japan this week? Well, it's Clash Royale of course.

Now I know this may not be what you were expecting from this column, but this is actually pretty big news in Japan.

You see, not many western mobile games are able to break through the dominance of Japan's domestic companies. But it seems like SuperCell's latest hit has done exactly that.

In fact, Clash Royale's card collecting MOBA gameplay has now topped the Japanese mobile games charts, and sits in the top 10 for overall apps on both iOS and Android.

So what exactly is it about this game in particular that has made it such an immediate hit in Japan?

Well, what many may not know, is that 73.2% of Supercell is now owned by the Japanese telecommunications and Internet giant, and Japan's third largest company, SoftBank.

What's more, SoftBank isn't new to the mobile game either, given that it owns 58.5% of Puzzle & Dragons creator GungHo.

This gives Supercell a great pool of resources and insight when it comes to the Japanese market. An important fact given that Clash of Clans has generally struggled to maintain it's popularity in Japan, rarely hitting the top ten.

It's clear when taking a look at Clash Royale's Japanese launch, that an extra special level of attention has been given to the Japanese market. Just look at all of the localised marketing content.

Supercell also went to the effort of having both the store descriptions, and the entire game itself, fully localised into Japanese in time for their global launch.

This has allowed the Japanese public a level playing field with the rest of the world, something that's vital in the MOBA world.

Nevertheless, marketing power and localised content will only get you so far. Ultimately it's the gameplay that will win players over, and Clash Royale has many elements that speak to the Japanese market.

First of all, it won't come as any surprise to learn that the most popular games in Japan are RPGs, and Clash Royale features shares a chunk of its DNA with that genre.

Look at all the levelling up, squad building, and grinding. There's plenty of RPG-style entertainment to be had here.

Importantly though, the title does this through bite-sized gameplay. Ideal for those in Japan who work long hours, and do some of the longest commutes.

Another aspect that speaks to Japanese tastes is card collecting. Card games are extremely popular in Japan, especially with younger audiences.

In fact, the majority of the world's most popular trading card games, like the Pokémon Trading Card Game and Yu-Gi-Oh, originate from Japan.

Not only is the element of collecting a complete set popular, but the random draw Gacha mechanic, seen in Clash Royale's chests, is also highly popular too.

It's not just the mechanics of the game that have helped Clash Royale to the summit of Japan's charts though, it's also the presentation.

Clash Royale may not use an anime art style, it does contain a fantasy theme and cute character designs. Both of which are extremely popular in Japan. This plays perfectly into the escapism that the market looks for when gaming.

Something else that's important is the fact that at it's core, Clash Royale is a social experience. Games you can play with your friends, working together to be victorious, are extremely popular in Japan.

Pioneered by Japanese mega hit and system seller Monster Hunter, this has also been attributed in part to Puzzle & Dragons massive domestic success.

Whilst the clan aspect may not be entirely the same, the notion of becoming a team and working together towards a common goal is something that speaks to the collectivist nature of the Japanese audience.

Ultimately, Japan is a country that generally supports its own developers. Nevertheless, whilst it's still early days, Clash Royale arguably has the best chance of any Western mobile game when it comes to breaking Japan.

Will it be able to replicate the success of titles such as Puzzle & Dragons and Monster Strike though? Only time will tell.

Sophia Aubrey Drake
Sophia Aubrey Drake
A lifelong gamer with a fanatical love of all things Nintendo and Japan. So much so that she's written a thesis on one and lived in the other. She's also currently on a quest to catch every last Pokemon.