NIKKE x Evangelion Crossover: Player Disappointment

Shift Up's Goddess of Victory: NIKKE crossover 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 this disappointment.

What Went Wrong?

The collaboration, featuring Rei, Asuka, Mari, and Misato in designs faithful to their original appearances, failed to resonate with players. Initially, Shift Up's designs for the Evangelion characters were considered too suggestive by the Evangelion creators, leading to modifications. While the revised designs satisfied the licensors, they lacked the appeal of the original concepts, ultimately disappointing the player base.

Player Feedback

The issue wasn't solely the altered character designs. Players found little incentive to spend on limited-time characters or costumes, particularly given the lack of significant visual differences. Asuka's premium gacha skin, for example, bore a striking resemblance to her standard model, offering minimal appeal.

The NIKKE community values the game's distinctive style of over-the-top anime characters and compelling narrative. Recent collaborations, however, have been perceived as diluting this identity, diminishing player engagement. While NIKKE possesses a strong foundation, the uninspired Evangelion event, coupled with its drawn-out nature, contributed to the 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 engaging content in the future.

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