Shift Up's Goddess of Victory: NIKKE Evangelion collaboration fell short of expectations, according to a recent interview with the game's producer. The August 2024 crossover event, featuring Rei, Asuka, Mari, and Misato, faced several setbacks.
Design Challenges: The initial character designs, created collaboratively by Shift Up and NIKKE's team, were considered too suggestive for the Evangelion licensors. Subsequent modifications, while acceptable to the licensors, failed to resonate with players. The toned-down aesthetics lacked the appeal of the original concepts.
Player Dissatisfaction: The issue wasn't solely the altered designs. Players found limited incentive to acquire the limited-time characters and costumes, particularly given the lack of significant visual differences. Asuka's premium gacha skin, for example, bore a striking resemblance to her standard model.
Diluted Identity: The collaboration, according to player feedback, diluted the game's core identity. NIKKE's strength lies in its bold anime aesthetic and engaging narrative; these recent collaborations haven't lived up to that standard, leading to player apathy.
Looking Ahead: Shift Up acknowledges the shortcomings and plans to incorporate player feedback into future collaborations. The hope is that upcoming events will offer more compelling content and designs.
You can download Neon Genesis Evangelion and Goddess of Victory: NIKKE from the Google Play Store. The expectation is that Shift Up will learn from this experience and deliver more satisfying content in the future. For more gaming news, check out our coverage of the Wuthering Waves Version 1.4 update.
