Mobile game publisher, Spellgun, has launched Clash of Gods, a fantasy role-playing game where huge armies can take part in massive 3D battles.
The free-to-play title is a big endeavour to refashion a popular game made in China to make a big hit in the West. That’s a hard task, but it’s a huge opportunity as companies attempt to become world players in the $30 billion mobile game market. China has had immense success with monetization and access to capital; however, Western gamers have high expectations, and it is very difficult for companies from outside the region to be successful in the West.
Clash of Gods is obviously a Western title in its feel and look, which factions such as Greeks, Egyptians and the Norse. The game sets large armies commanded by gods against one another. Battle results are determined by who has the best strategy, the better army, and the more powerful gods.
The original game appeared very different. The top-earning Chinese game was called Papa San Guo, and it was created by Huorang Game – a Shanghai developer – which was acquired for roughly $160 million in 2014 by Talkweb.
Spellgun redesigned the game from top to bottom, refreshing the story, art, music and other aspects. You can take part in a collectible battle card game and fight huge army battles as well. The title is doing well in Canada, Norway and Finland. It launched more recently in the US market, with marketing promotions yet to come.
Clash of Gods is available on iOS and Google Play. Chief executive of Spellgun, James Zhang, stated that no part of the game feels like it came from China. He added that early numbers are showing excellent results, both in revenues and downloads in the free-to-play title. There are more Chinese games to go to the West and Zhang stated that Spellgun will, ideally, publish about two games per quarter.
Rivals for taking games to the West from the East include, R2Games, Kabam and Firefly games.