#( genshin alone will take like 6 years to download so )

[daybreakrising]

when you finish a thing at almost midnight so you have to schedule it to drop tomorrow instead at a more sensible hour-

anyway, now that that's done, i'm going to call it a night since i wanna be up early to wait for my delivery. all i know is that it should be here by midday so it could honestly turn up at any time ldkjbgkdfjh

hopefully some more writing tomorrow \o/

[rimeiii]

Came back on WHB Tumblr to see the entire fandom up in flames and atp I can't say I'm surprised. The choices PB made always seemed to me as money-hungry. The fact that there wasn't any form of soft pity on launch, then the introduction of Solomon's Seals, paywalling L-grade units under a battlepass that is insanely expensive, now this...

One thing I will ask is how big is the size of WHB now? It was ~ 1.8 GB on launch iirc and that seemed fairly reasonable to me. Arknights on launch was around that size (if not more) and the gameplay is similar and, dare I say, much more nuanced and engaging. Tower defense with chibis, 2D art, a large variety of maps and stage mechanics, some L2D animations (and even then on launch it was just Closure, the shopkeep), longer and more varied voicelines, and a complex story detailed in VN cutscene segments that rival novels in length.

(More below cut because dear god I rambled way too much, sorry OP-)

No, seriously. This is Arknights's gameplay within the roguelike modes alone.

And while the story segments are unvoiced, they're in a visual novel style, complete with the occasional CG and animated cutscenes (though usually in celebration events and the climax of a main story arc).

The current size of Arknights on a fresh account is ~5 GB (if only downloading JP voices; many Operators also have voice dubbing in EN, KR, CN, and/or traditional CN - which bumps up total size to ~6 GB), and if you don't reinstall to clear unused event data the storage does get more bloated (my Global acc is ~9 GB with all language dubbing for context, and Arknights has been in my current phone for ~2 years). Keep in mind Arknights is 4 years old in EN/JP/KR, 5 in CN.

Back to the main topic, however...

I keep on saying this but it bears repetition: PB's decisions are growing to be very anti-consumer, and unfortunately this is a trend among a lot of KR devs. Devsisters, the people behind Cookie Run Kingdom, have also come under fire recently for basically adding a new rarity. There is only one (1) gacha from KR devs in recent memory that is F2P-friendly, that being Limbus Company - and even then Project Moon initially didn't plan for Limbus Company to be a gacha. And let's face it, the main reason why people WANT to spend on CN games is because the CN games you're likely thinking about are well-crafted experiences, and to be frank, WHB just can't compare. To note:

Love and Deepspace? A genuinely interesting concept as an otome that has action gameplay, paired with really great graphics.

Arknights? Probably one of, if not the best tower defense gacha game in the market atm, with solid gameplay and a complex overarching plot.

Genshin Impact? A stunning open world RPG, with simple yet very polished gameplay - one that serves as many people's first gacha.

Wuthering Waves? Take open world RPG and elements of Punishing: Gray Raven's stylish, fast-paced, dodge-based combat, and you have this gem.

Tears of Themis? An otome with four well-written male leads, an equally compelling MC in Rosa, and an interesting plot.

And please don't confuse "the existence of limited banners" with "being paywalled". There's a key distinction in that you can STILL grab characters in the limited banners of most gachas for free as long as you saved up for them, because you can use your free premium currency to pull on them. I'm an F2P who managed to hard pity Jiyan in Wuthering Waves, but as an F2P I stand no chance in getting the paywalled units in WHB.

If anything, any game that focuses more on gameplay and has playable units locked behind a paywall WILL earn the ire of people. I can't imagine how many people would riot if a strong character like Skadi the Corrupting Heart, Ling, or Ch'en the Holungday is paywalled...

TO BE CLEAR: I don't mind some content being locked behind paywalls like paid battle pass, so long as they don't directly have a large impact in gameplay. These devs need money after all. Reverse 1999 had character skins, Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis had home screen wallpapers, Love and Deepspace had 4* Lunar Memories that you're likely not going to use because you built Lunar Memories from gacha, Pokémon Unite had Trainer customization items as well as Holowear (skins)...

But having playable characters be stuck behind paywalls is where I draw the line. I already wasn't a fan of the Solomon's Seals gacha - and they're not showing any signs of stopping with that, plus the paywalled units. The Pancake shop changes might just be the hay that breaks the camel's back now.

I really love the angels more on this game just because which I didnt get since I deleted the game before christmas and I dont really have solomon seals to get them lmfao, and gabriel is behind paywall.

I came from obey me, my bias if of course mammon so I need to get mammon in whb too but this game, unlike obey me actually made me love the other characters because of how much personality is there in each of them. (sorry to other obey me fans I don't really like Belphie and asmo but its not like I hate them)

I redownload whb after the chrismas event hoping to get gabriel since I didnt know I had to pay for him but after finding out I gave up on his limited event lol

Actually I got bored in this game. Theres so much farming and leveling to do and the energy thing is just not enough for me.

I love the characters of the game so I stayed in the fandom. The reason for my tumblr was to follow fanfic writers about whb but with their new update they're losing players. Listen, I have artist I follow that draw whb on twitter(example was the michael artist I follow) If this update continues then I Probably completely lose interest in game if those artist stops posting or deleted their account about whb.

I deleted the game yesterday before I find out about this update. (glad I deleted it because wtf)Those pancakes are my life. MF I got gamigin, satan, levi and mammon out of those and it was taken away.

To be honest if this was a chinese game then It might survive the gacha being paywall since chinese players most of the time dont care about money for some reason. But no. From what I see the game is mostly active in global, idk what they're doing but usually global is mostly f2p or doesn't spend as much.

The gacha being paywall could work of this is a openworld game like genshin or wuwa but its not, its a dating nsfw game that acts like a visual novel with gacha. Additionally, the game is like quite a lot in terms of storage?? Like??? Bud have NO REASON being that big.

It might because of the voicelines but like most of data also came with the events they do. Can we add deleting finished events data in game?? Cuz I will not be clearing data and reinstalling the game again.

From perspective of anyone with logic, spending A LOT of money for a gacha game that does not reward the player as much is not worth it.

Blud lets be honest here, the characters is only 2D animated art with voiceline. The battle is annoying and repetitive. The farming for tears is annoying for me. The 18+ room doesn't really express me much.

Spending those money in action figure or merch is much more worth it ngl

To those who's gonna email prettybusy, do talk to them nice and polite. I hope that they could see what's wrong and how is it bad for the game but as long as prettybusy don't listen then.. This game might as well bury itself.

[ddarker-dreams]

dropping by to tell u that ur my favoritest yan fic writer out there and your yan genshin updates give me life MUAH

thank you so much nonnie!!!! 😘😘😘 i appreciate you!!! i’ve absolutely loved writing for genshin, so i’m glad that the community is thriving with so much content aaaa ❤️ warms my heart...

anon 2 asked: I’m not sure if this has been asked before or not, but have you read/watched Togashi’s other work Yu Yu Hakusho? If you haven’t, I think you’d definitely like Kurama.

i have heard of it but i haven’t watched it before! i looked up the design for kurama and wow... he is a very pretty boy. he has these mysterious vibes that makes me think i would like him. if i ever get around to watching it i’ll keep an eye out for this boy 👀

anon 3 asked: If you don't mind me asking, what other games do you play besides genshin?

my cycle of playing games is kind of messed up by genshin right now since that’s the main game i play whenever i get hit with Gamer Urge. however, the games ive enjoyed the most recently other than that would be divinity original sin 2, darkest dungeon, pokémon, animal crossing, and fire emblem!

anon 4 said: it's nice to see a fellow hu tao simp! i was so excited to see you make a yandere hu tao x reader,, i rarely see any x reader content of her so i just silently suffer most of the time 💔 ty for feeding us hu tao simps good food op i will be reading that story religiously everyday 🛐

we need more hu tao in this world, i fully agree. every time i see her i just can’t help but smoke... i think it’s the super cute hair. long pigtails 🥺 ANYWAYS you have god tier taste anon. i trust anyone that loves hu tao.

anon 5 said: i am going to kiss u on the forehead as gently as i can,,, that hu tao fic was absolutely delicious❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

THANK YOU NONNIE!!! i was worried at first over how much macabre hu tao typical dialogue to incorporate into a fanfic, but i ended up content with the balance. she can be soft when she wants to, after all. i’m happy that you enjoyed it!

anon 6 said: You posted the harem HCs right after I finished work and it was such a treat to read. I love them. I know you obviously didn't write them for me in mind but thank you for brightening up my day!

PHEW what good timing!! i end up working on my writing on and off throughout the day and finishing it around the time people (in american) time zones would be getting home. i’m glad that you were able to enjoy the headcanons after a day of work!!

anon 7 said: I loved the Liyue reverse harem, how can you be such a good write???Xiao being a puppy is actually cute and I love this concept

i was looking forward to including vigilant xiao watching over his crush the most 😭 it’s just an adorable sight to picture. he’s such an intimidating figure, it can’t help but melt your heart that he’s there to ensure you’re always safe. the main trick is writing the most self indulgent stuff, anon. that is what produces the best you have to offer because you’re having such a good time writing it.

anon 8 said: akfhdsh Lock why was that Zhongli fic so hot🔥?? Ahh I haven't been able to get it out of my head ALL day & 5000 words? You are superb 😍 I can't help but feel so sorry for poor darling. Having to do that with him on the very first night, man didn't even give her a break/a chance to settle down. Either way I'd love for you to throw some concepts here & there if you can 👉👈 or share your afterthoughts ^_^  the universe in this one felt especially great! I wish you the best of luck, take care <3

it’s all because of the random zhongli dream anon 😭 i couldn’t get him out of my mind until i wrote a loooong fic for him. the idea of his darling being with him since the archon war days is my favorite! i’ve always had a soft spot for it, ever since i was trying to figure out what a yandere zhongli might look like back in november. it’s just... genuinely horrifying to imagine being stuck with that for thousands of years. especially when people view rex lapis so highly in liyue, darling feels even more alone on her festering feelings. there’s no relief to be had.

i think i’ll do a big ol headcanon post because the world for yan zhongli and his god darling is so big, i’ve given it a Lot of thought. but the main gist of it is how darling deals with the inaccurate portrayal of their history together. and of course, she interacts with others, since zhongli has the reassurance from the contract that she won’t try to escape. so there’s a lot of angst there. 😭

anon 9 asked: Hey! any plans for more Hu tao content in the future? your last story was just really gooood, she's such an interesting character! I've also been hooked to Rosaria and I'm wondering if you plan to write for her aswell... hopefully no one asked this already lol

i’d love to write more for hu tao!! she is a character that i adore a lot. currently, i don’t have any ideas for her that would get me going, but once i see one or get hit with inspiration she’ll make a reappearance. i do have a few hu tao requests so hopefully those will help inspire me. AND ROSARIA... 🥺 WHAT A WOMAN. i want to learn more about her!! i’ll write for her when her stories and voice lines are all out, that way the characterization is more accurate. she captured my heart with that distant attitude and those listless eyes 🥰🥰

anon 10 said: hi hi!! i just wanted to say i discovered genshin impact bcs of you! i saw your yandere genshin posts back in november, i didn't know anything abt genshin or their world but i read it and just googled their names to know their appearances lmfao and until then i just fell into a rabbit hole of genshin. i eventually grew tired of not knowing anything abt genshin and its lore so i craved around early january and downloaded the game despite me not rlly being a gamer™ and now i'm here at ar 51, a hu tao main and no, i haven't touched grass since downloading the game 😭

ah yes, welcome anon, to what could be considered heaven or help depending. if you were able to get hu tao then i’d say you’re in the latter camp (aside from having to grind for her ascension materials, that is pure suffering). it’s a fun game to get into during this quarantine/spotty lockdown time, so i hope you’ll enjoy your time with it! i’m glad that mihoyo releases content often enough to keep us well fed.

anon 11 asked: Lock dearest, have you ever watched Jujutsu Kaisen?

i like that super cute girl with short finger hair!! i’m planning on watching the show when it’s completed, which i think is soon? ill binge watch it. i’ve recognized a lot of my favorite voice actors from the clips i’ve seen posted, so i’m excited to give it a shot.

anon 12 asked: You watch Demon Slayer? It's really great 🤯

i’ve seen clips of the amazing animation before! it’s currently on my list of shows to watch. 👀👀

[edwardpotts]

2020 Year In Review: 10 Mobile Milestones

From the ascendency of conferencing apps to mobile games hitting new records in consumer spending, Sensor Tower Store Intelligence data shows that the mobile market has reflected many of the shifts in lifestyle and consumer interest throughout an unprecedented year. Ahead of our upcoming market recap analysis, we’re taking a look back at some of these major milestones from 2020 across both mobile games and apps.

1. Consumer Spending Passed $100 Billion

Worldwide spending across the App Store and Google Play has climbed each year, but it was supercharged in 2020 as many users turned to mobile games and video-on-demand apps for entertainment, and video conferencing for work and school.

Year-to-date, consumer spending has now reached approximately $106 billion globally between January 1 and December 17. This figure represents 30 percent growth year-over-year when compared to the same period in 2019. It’s also 24 percent greater than total consumer spending for all of last year, which reached approximately $85.2 billion.

About 65 percent of consumer spending so far this year has occurred on the App Store, which has generated more than $69 billion. This is about 30 percent Y/Y growth from the same period last year, when the App Store saw approximately $53 billion in spending. Google Play has generated nearly $37 billion in revenue, a figure that represents 30 percent Y/Y growth from $28.4 billion in the previous year.

Mobile games accounted for 71.7 percent of spending year-to-date, reaching $76 billion. Non-game apps collectively reached $30 billion, led by Entertainment.

2. TikTok’s Record-Breaking Year

It’s been an eventful year for TikTok, which has reached nearly 2.6 billion installs globally to date, including Douyin on iOS in China. In Q1 2020, it set a new record with 315 million installs globally, the most any app has seen in a single quarter. From January 1 to December 17, the app has reached nearly 961 million installs globally this year.

From January 1 to December 17, the app has generated approximately $1.2 billion in user spending, up 627 percent from $165.1 million during the same period in 2019. Bytedance is continuing to innovate on in-app commerce as well, partnering with big brands such as Walmart. The next year will likely herald even more brand partnerships as TikTok continues to race against competitors such as Byte and social media giants Instagram and YouTube.

3. Buy Now, Pay Later Apps Continue to Grow

Earlier in 2020, the top BNPL apps in the U.S. saw their installs climb each month starting in June—and this trend has only continued. The top four apps of this kind in the United States, including Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay, and QuadPay, have set and broken new monthly download records in October and again in November.

Last month, the apps collectively saw 2.6 million installs from across the U.S. App Store and Google Play, up 136 percent Y/Y from 1.1 million in November 2019. From January 1 to December 17, the four top BNPL apps have reached 14.7 million installs in the U.S., up 137 percent Y/Y from 6.2 million between January 1 and December 17, 2019. These apps’ monthly active users have also continued to steadily climb, experiencing 162 percent Y/Y growth last month compared to November 2019.

Sensor Tower’s latest report on mobile retail trends revealed that e-commerce has seen a huge acceleration and shift due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in popularity of BNPL apps will likely continue into 2021.

4. Business Boom on Mobile

We revealed in our Q2 2020 Data Digest that the Business category has seen unprecedented installs this year, and, since the second quarter, first-time downloads have remained high.

From January to November, Business apps saw approximately 3.6 billion installs globally from across the App Store and Google Play. This figure is more than double the 1.5 billion installs the category saw in the same period in 2019, representing 140 percent Y/Y growth.

The top three apps in the category are all centered on facilitating communication between consumers. Zoom was the top downloaded app, reaching over 667 million installs between January 1 and December 17 globally. It was followed by Google Meet and Microsoft Teams, which have seen 324.5 million and 195.5 million installs, respectively. These tools have found widespread use this year, not only for remote work but also for distance learning and also socialization—a trend that may very well continue into the next year.

5. Small Screen Battles Loom Large

As consumers around the world turned to their phones and tablets for entertainment, various streaming services have vied for their attention. 2020 saw the launch of bespoke services such as Quibi as well as network-backed platforms such as Peacock and HBO Max.

Already established platforms have turned their eyes to appealing to wider audiences by launching in new markets. The Disney+ mobile app saw the most downloads in a month ever in November when it hit more than 25 million installs globally, largely due to its rollout to Latin American markets. Netflix offered free trials during its StreamFest event in India, which led to a 200 percent W/W increase in its installs there.

With more services on the way in 2021 such as Paramount+ and Discovery+, the SVOD space will see even more fierce competition.

6. A Record Five Mobile Games Generated More Than $1 Billion in 2020

Player spending has risen across the mobile games market in 2020 and as a result of that the world’s top revenue generating titles have also experienced significant growth. This year has already seen five titles surpass $1 billion, with PUBG Mobile from Tencent leading the way at $2.6 billion, up 64.3 percent from 2019. Another Tencent game, Honor of Kings, has accumulated close to $2.5 billion in player spending, up 42.8 percent from the year prior.

The titles were followed by Pokémon GO from Niantic at No. 3, Coin Master from Moon Active at No. 4, and Roblox at No. 5. The quintet could yet be joined by a sixth title, with Monster Strike from Mixi having accumulated $958 million so far this year. 2020’s tally of five games generating $1 billion-plus in a single year is a record, with 2019 and 2018 both seeing three titles achieving the milestone.

7. Roblox Passes $2 Billion in Consumer Spending

After years of flying under the radar, Roblox from Roblox Corporation is now obtaining global recognition as one of the industry’s leading MMOs. Sensor Tower estimates show that the title surpassed $2 billion in player spending in October 2020. It took seven months to generate $500 million and cross the $1.5 billion mark in May 2020, and just five months after that to accumulate a further $500 million and surpass $2 billion. Lifetime player spending for the game currently stands at $2.2 billion.

So far in 2020, Roblox has generated close to $1.1 billion, an almost two-times increase from 2019 revenue. Player spending surged as lockdowns were enforced across the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Revenue hit a peak of $112.8 million in May 2020, a three-times increase year-over-year, and up 72.3 percent from January. With sales remaining strong, Roblox Corporation is well-positioned for its IPO, which is now expected in 2021.

8. Genshin Impact is the Biggest RPG Launch To Date

Genshin Impact from miHoYo was an instant hit when it officially launched on September 28. The RPG generated approximately $60 million worldwide from the App Store and Google Play in its first week, and by the end of its first month had amassed nearly $250 million. After two months, it had picked up close to $400 million and was averaging more than $6 million a day. The title is currently closing in on $500 million less than three months after its release.

Genshin Impact is smashing records, becoming one of the biggest mobile game launches of all time. Utilizing Sensor Tower Game Taxonomy data, we can see that it was the biggest mobile RPG launch ever in the United States, picking up $45 million during its first 30 days, putting it above the likes of Fire Emblem Heroes from Nintendo and The Seven Deadly Sins from Netmarble.

The title is another example of the increasing influence of China’s top publishers on the global mobile games market. Not just a success at home, 69.5 percent of player spending has been generated outside of China, making it a true international success.

9. PUBG Passes $4 Billion Grossed—$2.6 Billion This Year Alone

Currently 2020’s top-grossing mobile game, PUBG Mobile has had astonishing success this year. It’s already picked up $2.6 billion, bringing lifetime player spending to $4.3 billion. Monetized successfully through its battle pass system—known as the Royale Pass—the title is easily one of the most successful mobile games of all time.

Its best month ever came at the height of initial lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, with revenue racking up $300 million in March alone. While spending has since dipped, November still saw the game generate $174.2 million, ranking as the No. 2 title by global revenue for the month, behind Honor of Kings in the top spot.

As with Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile’s success is a key example of China’s influence on the global market, with 45.7 percent of player spending coming from outside of China.

10. Among Us Picks Up More Than 275 Million Downloads

Among Us from InnerSloth has been one of 2020’s biggest breakout hits, a feat made all the more impressive by the fact that it was first launched in 2018 to little fanfare. The title began to garner attention through the influencer sphere across YouTube and Twitch, with increasingly more creators making video content and streaming it.

In August, downloads spiked 661 percent month-over-month to 18.4 million, while downloads grew a further 351 percent M/M to approximately 83 million in September. To date, Among Us has accumulated 276.8 million lifetime downloads, with 94.7 percent of downloads coming in 2020. Among Us is currently the No. 2 most downloaded mobile game of 2020, just behind Garena Free Fire from Garena Games at No. 1.

Accelerated Growth and Changing User Needs

As platform owners such as Apple move to change their revenue-sharing model, developers grapple with shifting consumer needs, and categories continue to grow, the mobile landscape will continue to evolve over the next year. We will be taking a more in-depth look at how the mobile market has changed over the course of 2020 in our market recap post coming in early January.

Craig Chapple, Sensor Tower’s Mobile Insights Analyst, EMEA, contributed gaming insights to this article.

Sensor Tower’s Store Intelligence platform is an Enterprise level offering. Interested in learning more?

2020 Year In Review: 10 Mobile Milestones published first on https://spyadvice.tumblr.com/