The girl group NewJeans has been known to enjoy it, and since late last year, the augmented reality game 'Pikmin Bloom,' which was gaining popularity among the MZ generation domestically, seems to be deflating after just a month.
According to mobile statistics analysis platform Mobile Index, the monthly active users (MAU) of Pikmin Bloom peaked at about 1.44 million in November last year but decreased by 18% to about 1.18 million in December.
The daily active users (DAU) are also sharply declining. The DAU, which was about 600,000 in early December last year, dropped to 460,000 by the end of the year and further decreased to about 420,000 as of the 11th, a reduction of about 30% in just over a month. Notably, the rate of decline among iPhone users reached 34%, showing a remarkable downward trend.
Pikmin Bloom is a game released in 2021 through a collaboration between Niantic and Nintendo, which sparked a worldwide AR game craze with 'Pokémon Go.' When users walk or move in real life, plant seedlings appear in the game, and by planting them in pots and accumulating walking distance, adorable Pikmin characters are created. It features a connection between real-world walking and gameplay, allowing players to enjoy healing elements at their own pace without competition.
Although it did not generate an initial response upon release in Korea, it successfully made a comeback last year when news emerged that members of NewJeans enjoyed the game. In particular, the healing elements of achievement through walking and collecting cute characters resonated with young women aged 10 to 20, gaining popularity. This is analyzed as a result of a lifestyle change among the MZ generation, who seek ordinary happiness in their everyday lives, coinciding with the so-called 'Abohah' (an exceptionally ordinary day) trend.
However, there are recent criticisms that the structural limitations of the game have become apparent. It is analyzed that repetitive content, slow update speeds, and monotonous gameplay have caused fatigue among users, contributing to their departure. In particular, the exodus of female users in their teens, who were key players in the game, has been prominent.
The DAU of teenage females, which stood at about 16,000 in early October last year, exceeded 320,000 by the end of October due to the viral effect of NewJeans, but then showed a steady decline. By the end of December last year, it had dropped to about 140,000, and as of the 11th, it had decreased to about 110,000, reflecting a reduction of about 65% compared to the peak.
An industry insider stated, 'Pikmin Bloom attracted attention with a strong viral effect like NewJeans, but it is questionable whether it can provide content that maintains user engagement in the long run,' adding, 'For AR-based games to continue their success, regular updates and in-depth user experience design are essential.'