Onmyoji interview: check out the developer’s take on the fantasy RPGs immense success

Launched back in 2018, Onmyoji is a hugely successful Japanese-inspired fantasy RPG that has received over 200 million downloads worldwide and several spin-offs in Onmyoji Arena and Onmyoji: The Card Game - both of which have also gone on to enjoy critical and fan success.

Its combination of traditional mythology, beautiful anime-style visuals and smooth fighting gameplay make Onmyoji stand-out as being easily one of the most thrilling RPG’s currently available on the app stores. But that only scratches the surface of what the game has to offer.

To dig deeper, we discussed with the development team behind the ever-popular Shikigami gacha-title about why Onmyoji continues to be a favourite among RPG fans.

 

Firstly, congratulations on Onmyoji's 4th anniversary. After four years since its release on the app stores, what do you think is the biggest reason for its continued popularity?

I think what lies behind its lasting success is the unique Onmyoji Universe. By constructing the IP ecosystem with a combination of PGC and UGC, we, the Onmyoji team, together with players have developed a broad and fascinating world of Heian-kyo. With a large number of excellent doujin, in-game and offline events, players become more than onlookers of the Onmyoji Universe, but also participants and co-creators.

And of course, as always, the exquisite character design and animation effects are among some of the reasons why Onmyoji is favoured by players.

 

So what do you think Onmyoji offers that you can't get from other mobile games?

An absolutely authentic sense of immersion. You can find in many places the efforts we made in creating an enticing and cohesive story of Heian-Kyo. Every character has its own background stories rather than being simply defined. This is what we have been hoping for all along.

 

Which aspects of the game are you most proud of?

I'm very proud of the storyline, the characterization, the graphics, the music, and things like these. After all, players often said that we should make a movie or something. Well, we hope all players will support us if we do make a movie.

 

As all Onmyoji fans are no doubt aware, a new Shikigami - Suzuhikohime was introduced to the game. Can you explain her backstory and what makes her such a fascinating character?

Suzuhikohime was born in the snow while having a character that is as passionate as fire, and the contrast is truly fascinating. She was originally one of the gods in Takamagahara, but in order to save people, she insisted on leaving and disobeying the High Priest. All in all, this is a touching story of a goddess who sacrificed herself to save humanity. More awaits you to explore!

 

Which are some of your favorite Shikigami?

Kidoumaru, Asura, and Shuten Douji.

 

What is Onmyoji's community like? Did fan feedback play a role when you developed the game?

Our original intention in establishing the Onmyoji community was to provide players a channel to get information and give feedback, and to bring the dev team and players closer together. Our community is doing a great job at that. We have a lot of interactive events, with many players participating actively.

Feedback from players is very valuable to us, since we're mostly reviewing the game from a developer's perspective, and a lot of details actually can only be provided by players who have gotten a better sense after having personally experienced it. Their feedback is valuable for us in the sense that we can continuously update and optimize the game for the long haul.
Again, thank you for your understanding and patience all this time. In the new year, we're looking forward to hearing your feedback in the community, and we'll do our best to offer you a better game experience.