The next day, after the hot pot meet~
Magic Mirror is on fire, no doubt about that.
Of course, It won't go to a phenomenal level like a 3A masterpiece. But with the current trend, it looks like Magic Mirror will impact this R18 category of games. Perhaps it will influence the rapid development of this particular genre of games in future.
In my previous life, after the launch of Magic Mirror, it led to the trend of gentleman games for some time. Many gentleman games adopted the dual mode of the match-three puzzle and Gal Game. Of course, the quality varied, with some games being excellent and others being simply rubbish trying to cash in on the trend.
Gentleman games, especially 18+ ones, have always carried the stigma of being low-quality in the eyes of players and the industry. Beyond these special elements, there was often nothing to boast about.
But Magic Mirror is different.
While the match-three puzzle mechanics aren't original to Magic Mirror, I designed a corresponding battle development system in the game. You fight, earn gold coins, buy skills, and acquire different items. The dubbing, vertical art, and thought-provoking philosophical plot go far beyond what you'd expect from a typical 18+ game.
The game's rating has consistently stayed around 9.0. Even as more people buy the game and the ratings fluctuate a little to no place, it has remained very stable, showing just how popular this game is.
Despite being a relatively small game with only a few characters, and even though players could take advantage of the refund window, hardly anyone asked for their money back. Of course, the fact that Magic Mirror costs less than a couple of breakfast buns is one of the reasons, the other being its value is probably more than 10 yuan in the mind of players.
In any case, Magic Mirror is undeniably a success and trendsetter. Even though mainstream media and channels are unlikely to continue their report on it due to its 18+ nature, within the gentleman's game community, Magic Mirror will continue to shine as the brightest star.
Many players even consider it an epoch-making game for the gentleman's genre. Compared to other cheaply made gentleman games. Magic Mirror is clearly a standout.
Within the industry, Magic Mirror has given many gentleman game designers a new direction and new life. It turns out that this kind of game can succeed, and that even gentleman games can achieve terrifying sales and ratings.
The arrival of Mirror is like a shining beacon in the dark, cloudy sea of the gentleman's game world. Directing many sinking ships toward a new end. Good quality is driving out the bad, and Magic Mirror is clearly the game printing money here.
The dedication of gentlemen gamers is evident from the rising sales of Magic Mirror. In the first week, it sold 50,230 copies, and in the second week, that number rose to 90,040. Two weeks after launch, third-party sales statistics reported that "Magic Mirror" had hit 140,300 sales.
This is incredible for a gentleman's game, and even for some indie games, these numbers are very impressive. Seeing such success has raised the eyebrows of many indie developers. After all, Magic Mirror is proof that this genre can produce extraordinary results, even though the sales curve is now naturally tapering off.
This follows the normal laws of the market. Magic Mirror is a niche game, after all, one that spreads mainly among a specific group of players.
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Compared to the industry surprise, I was also surprised by the performance of Magic Mirror.
I also started to analyse the reasons why Magic Mirror performed so well. As a game producer, I don't believe that games that were successful in the previous life will automatically be successful if recreated. So I started analysing it from every angle~ to see if I could decode something.
In fact, many games from the past had more limitations when it came to becoming popular. For example, if I were to recreate the Legend of Mir from the past, I believe there would only be one outcome: it would be dead on arrival. The art style would have no advantage, the gameplay would offer nothing new, and the world-building and story would be forgettable. It was a game shaped by the era it was created in, rather than its inherent quality.
In the case of Magic Mirror, I think the main reason for its success is differentiation.
As an 18R game, it combines a gal game with a match-3 experience. On their own, neither the match-3 mechanics nor the gal game elements would be enough to carry the game.
Second, it's the LSP (lewd, self-parody) aspects that capture players' attention. The blend of these elements created something new and appealing.
Third, It is a drought of good Gentlemen's games on the platform.
Fourth, I think The Gentleman's marketing has a big role in the follow-up of ratings and reviews.
Fifth, Its Story is well done, and
Sixth It's cheap.
Just like how players enjoy engaging in LPS content in regular games and building in LPS games, Magic Mirror managed to appeal to a niche.
When I looked at the sales statistics, I knew I had made the right choice. It wasn't just about fame or fortune, as this was an 18R game, after all. While it spread in the industry, most casual players probably didn't notice it—except for the LSP enthusiasts. At just 10 yuan, the game mainly attracted that specific audience.
While analysing and preparing my move to the new place and other work, another two weeks passed.
In the future, I don't plan to continue making this type of game. Magic Mirror was more of a stepping stone to gather initial capital. The main goal was to profit and get the startup fund, and the results exceeded my expectations. For 10 yuan, nearly 285,000 copies have been sold so far.
After taxes and platform commissions, the game generated almost 1.8 million yuan in revenue in the first month.
With these funds and the title of game designer, I received an official notice by the end of the first week after Magic Mirror launched. I went to the game department in the capital to register.
As for the emotional feedback from the system, I wasn't particularly satisfied. So far, I've accumulated 7 consecutive draws, which amounts to more than 700,000 points. But, after some thought, it makes sense. Players' peak emotional engagement probably lasts only a minute or two—maybe even just seconds. I estimate that the highest emotional engagement lasts no more than five minutes.
Given this, I can understand the result.
Looking at the game's store statistics, I leaned back on my sofa at home and began to think about my next steps. In my plan, the next goal is to create standalone games that drive sales. This would build a solid reputation and allow me to continue growing.
As for why I'm not choosing to make a pay-to-win game, the answer is simple. It's not because I'm worried about my reputation collapsing. In fact, many pay-to-win mobile games in my previous life managed to maintain a good reputation. But after careful consideration, I decided against it.
The main reason is that it doesn't fit the current landscape. The game environment in this parallel world is different from what it was in the past. In the previous life, mobile games were dominant, and the free-to-play model with in-app purchases was the norm. But in this world, buyout-based paid games hold a significant share of the market.
Moreover, pay-to-win mobile games come with their own set of limitations. For now, it's simply not the right direction for me.
Card games have experienced several distinct periods of development. First, games, like I Am MT, Big Head, and A Million King Arthur made card games famous, marking their rise in popularity. Then came the innovation of card games with Legend of Data, which introduced action cards, evolving the genre further.
Later, The King of Fighters 98 Ultimate Battle OL revitalized SNK, which was struggling at the time, resulting in a sixfold increase in its annual financial report. This also sparked a wave of IP-based card games.
(SNK full form Shin Nihon Kikaku a Japanese corp)
During this period, card games diversified. Games that followed a traditional numerical route, such as Shaosan, or IP-based titles like Onmyoji and FGO, became typical examples of the genre's success.
Currently, The Mobile card game market is at a crossroads between focusing on quality and leveraging IP. A stable industrial supply chain has formed around this genre.
For my own game development efforts, entering this field seems more promising than creating new games from scratch. Two major factors influence this: a lack of funds and distribution channels. Even if I can develop the game, without enough promotion funds, it may fail to gain any traction upon release, benefiting other game developers instead.
Card games are different from other types of games. Their gameplay and numerical stimulation mode are easy to replicate. If mobile games in this market are still in an immature stage, it could be very advantageous for me. However, there's still a lot of uncertainty to contend with.
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Here are some stats:
Combined first and second week sales: 141000
Third week: 77000
Fourth week: 64000
Total sales for months: 281000
Total revenue = 2810000 yuan
Platform cut = 840000 yuan
Income after tax = 1.8 million yuan
Some of them are made up, stats to make up for some logic.