- Tencent anticipates competition from MiHoYo’s Zenless Zone Zero
Having secured the top spot as the highest-grossing iOS game in China for four consecutive weeks, Tencent’s DnF: Origin has now generated over $500 million in revenue in its first month.
New data from Nexon and Sensor Tower suggest that including estimates from third-party Android stores, the game’s first-month revenue surpasses $500 million.
The success of DnF: Origin was evident when it brought in $233.5 million in revenue from the App Store alone in June, thanks to Tencent’s aggressive and innovative promotion strategies which ensured the game’s financial triumph.
Competition on the horizon
Chinese actor Dilraba Dilmurat serves as the brand ambassador for DnF: Origin, featuring in advertisements across various platforms. Players can also earn cash rewards by inviting their WeChat contacts to join the game. Tencent even paid for animated ads to be inserted into WeChat conversations that mentioned the game or used related terms such as “warrior.”
While DnF: Origin is projected to exceed $2 billion in revenue by 2024, Tencent is bracing for competition from upcoming titles like MiHoYo’s Zenless Zone Zero. To sustain player interest and prevent the usual decline in engagement after the initial months, Tencent will need to provide consistent high-quality content updates akin to their competitors.
Built on the foundation of Nexon’s Dungeon & Fighter PC game, DnF: Origin was launched by Tencent in China in May and has quickly become one of the most successful mobile game debuts, outperforming even Honor of Kings in revenue.
