NewCube Games announced on April 30 that its new mobile game "Pet Pet Go!" has captured industry attention by successfully climbing back up the rankings after its release.
Launched on April 21, "Pet Pet Go!" has continued its momentum, re-entering the Apple App Store's free game rankings at No. 2 as of the end of this month.
What stands out is that the game achieved this ranking solely through organic user-driven growth, without large-scale marketing. In the domestic market, it is rare for a game to rapidly rise in the rankings based purely on word-of-mouth and the strength of its content, without TV advertising or influencer partnerships.
"Pet Pet Go!" is a strategy game that combines the "Merge," "Roguelike," and "PVP" genres, which have recently gained attention in the global gaming market. The game features a short and intuitive play structure infused with strategic elements of placement and combination, earning praise from users for its light yet deep gameplay.
The funky character design, an attractive business model structure utilizing ad rewards, and a design that allows non-paying users to enjoy the game without burden have all contributed to the positive response. Within just two weeks of launch, the number of new account registrations surpassed 230,000, and the game quickly climbed the rankings on both Google Play and the App Store.
There is also analysis suggesting that this success is not only due to the game's quality, but also to NewCube Games' publishing strategy. With key personnel from NHN and Kakao China, NewCube Games, led by CEO Kim Pyung (former Vice President of Kakao China), is credited with executing a meticulous pre-launch strategy, including market targeting analysis, localization, operational strategy, event planning, and advertising efficiency testing.
A company representative stated, "'Pet Pet Go!' was developed in collaboration with a NetEase-affiliated studio, aiming for simultaneous launches in Japan and Korea, and customized to match the content consumption habits and payment tendencies of each market. The game is said to offer a light entry barrier for Korean users, while providing strategic depth for Japanese users."
Meanwhile, NewCube Games plans to further strengthen its global publishing capabilities, starting with "Pet Pet Go!"
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