Feasibility Analysis of uCool Adopting Benjamin Gifford's Evony × IPs' Collaboration Strategy

IP Collaboration Strategy in Evony: The King's Return

Lead-up Events

To build anticipation, Evony runs lead-up events like login gifts and Napoleon's Trial (answer questions to share diamonds). These events engage players and help them focus on upcoming collaborative activities.

Character Design

Evony introduced characters related to Napoleon, such as Napoleon Prime, André Masséna, and Suchet, and designed corresponding skins like Emperor - Napoleon Prime and Marshal of the Empire - Suchet. Additionally, the Evony team created Josephine's avatar as the Champion in the game, inspired by the Napoleon movie plot, adding depth to the core gameplay.

Visual Cooperation

From a visual perspective, the game launched a Bonaparte Castle skin, aligned with the collaboration theme. This skin has three forms: Palace, Royal City, and Imperial Capital. Players can unlock advanced buffs by upgrading the castle. For secondary gameplay, three land ornaments were designed: Notre-Dame de Paris, House of Invalids, and Napoleon Cannon. Notably, Notre-Dame de Paris is the only large Ideal Land Ornament in the game so far.

Storyline Linkage Activities

One of the most unique IP collaboration events in Evony was Napoleon's Journey Event. This event required players to work together to progress through the historical battles Napoleon experienced, bringing the past to life within the game's storyline.

Practical Events Combined with IP Background

Evony also designed events that integrated real-time combat gameplay. Players could participate in battles like the Expedition to Egypt, destroy the pyramids, defeat the Anti-French Coalitions, and fight for control of Historic City Paris.

Benjamin Gifford, Top Games Inc.'s VP, shared:
"Our IP collaborations, such as Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla, and Napoleon, are integral to our marketing strategy, boosting brand visibility and expanding our audience. These partnerships have been highly successful, and we continue to seek new collaborations with recognizable brands that can enhance our gaming experience and appeal to our broad player base. We are eager to explore opportunities that create win-win-win situations for players, our IP collaborators, and TGI."

Thoughts on the Feasibility of uCool's IP Collaboration

Benjamin Gifford mentioned that Top Games Inc.'s development strategy focuses on user-centered design and fostering a strong, engaged player base. Their commitment to the user experience has kept the game's popularity high.

Drawing from this experience, he noted that successful IP collaborations, like those in Evony, should also be designed with user experience in mind.

Analysis of uCool's Heroes Charge (HC)

Heroes Charge (HC) is an RPG with an entirely fictional universe, unlike Evony, which uses historical themes. Thus, uCool should not necessarily seek historical-themed IPs for collaboration. Instead, they might consider IPs that align with HC’s more whimsical and fantasy-driven aesthetic.

Recommendations for uCool's Strategy

• Choose IPs with a similar visual style: Given HC's playful, fairy-tale-inspired look, it might be best to select IPs that share this aesthetic, or possibly transform the characters into a "Q version" for a more adorable, cartoonish appeal. Negotiations may be needed for this.

• Incorporate gameplay-related cooperative events: HC's gameplay involves NPC camp battles and player-versus-player confrontations. Collaboration events should be integrated into these core mechanics to create deeper, more engaging interactions.

• Explore Online and Offline Strategies: Some companies blend online and offline methods in IP collaborations, a direction that uCool could consider.

Evony's Deep Integration Strategy

As cross-border brand collaborations continue to evolve, simply adding surface-level IP elements may no longer suffice to satisfy players. According to Benjamin Gifford, Evony’s experience emphasizes deeper integration between the collaboration brand and the game’s features. Even if the styles differ, uCool can adapt by reevaluating their partner selection process and ensuring long-term cooperation for more impactful collaborations.

In conclusion, successful IP collaboration strategies are about more than just thematic additions; they require a deeper integration of gameplay and brand. Evony's approach serves as a valuable example for uCool to adapt and refine their own collaboration strategy.