Rising of the Shield Hero Rerise, based on the anime series, will be shut down on July 31, 2023 it has been announced.
The game, released only in Japan, is based on an anime series that has been streaming in the West via Crunchyroll, who also reported on the launch and closure of the title. It follows a raft of other titles in a variety of markets being shuttered, many from the same genre of anime adaptations, as well as high-profile titles like Apex Legends Mobile which was shuttered alongside its developer, Industrial Toys.
What’s the problem with anime titles?
Anime and manga are probably one of Japan’s most popular cultural exports and have spread across the globe, inspiring spin-off movies and books. They also provided the inspiration for some of the country’s most popular mobile games, adapted from these series. Titles such as Uma Musume Pretty Derby and Fate: Grand Order either were already series or adapted into animated format after the success of their original title.
However, it seems that Rising of the Shield Hero has fallen foul of a wave of shutdowns. Part of the reason for this can be attributed to why the series received a game in the first place, which is the often fickle nature of the anime fans that consume these titles. As new seasonal series are released, new titles too are brought to the mobile market, and as series wane in popularity their games rarely bring in enough numbers to keep them active.
It can be seen in the most recent Data.ai charts which noted that recently released mobile title Blue Lock Project: World Champion rose meteorically hundreds of spots in the mobile game charts. Perhaps attributable to the series’ recent popularity. Regardless, it seems that when one title falls another takes its place, but whether the disposable nature of these titles helps or hurts the mobile game market in Japan will be one aspect to watch.
