Why NIKKE Players Felt Let Down by the Evangelion Crossover Event

Shift Up's Goddess of Victory: NIKKE collaboration with Neon Genesis Evangelion, released in August 2024, fell short of expectations. A recent interview with the game's producer sheds light on the reasons behind its underwhelming reception.

What Went Wrong?

The collaboration featured Rei, Asuka, Mari, and Misato in designs intended to remain faithful to their original appearances. However, this faithfulness proved problematic. Initial character designs created by Shift Up were deemed too suggestive by Evangelion's creators, leading to modifications. While the revised designs satisfied the licensors, they failed to resonate with the NIKKE player base. The toned-down aesthetics, intended to meet approval, ultimately lacked the appeal of the original concepts.

Player Feedback

The issue extended beyond the character designs. Players found little incentive to invest in the limited-time characters and costumes, particularly due to a lack of significant visual distinction. Asuka's gacha skin, the most expensive option, bore a striking resemblance to her base model, offering minimal appeal.

The NIKKE community values the game's unapologetically stylized anime characters and engaging narrative. Recent collaborations, however, have been perceived as diluting this core identity, leading to player dissatisfaction and a sense that the event wasn't worthwhile. While NIKKE possesses a strong foundation, the uninspired designs and drawn-out nature of the Evangelion event contributed to its negative reception. Shift Up acknowledges this feedback and aims to improve future collaborations.

You can find both Neon Genesis Evangelion and Goddess of Victory: NIKKE on the Google Play Store. Hopefully, Shift Up will leverage this feedback to deliver more compelling content in the future.

For more gaming news, check out our coverage of the Wuthering Waves Version 1.4 Update on Android.