Konami Cites China As Major Competitor In Mobile Market

In an interview with Famitsu, Konami Managing Executive Officer Koji Kobayashi talked about their plans for the future as well as their plans for their storied IPs such as Silent Hill, Yu-Gi Oh, and certain others. Kobayashi-san’s stance on breaking into the mobile market and the hurdles associated with that were particularly noteworthy in the interview.

During the interview, Koji Kobayashi called the mobile market a “red ocean,” saying that it’s “extremely difficult” to make new hit titles. 

Even if you look at the sales ranking, the title is fixed. In such a situation, even if you make a good game, it is difficult to spread it, and you need to be prepared to release a new game.” 

Following this, Kobayashi-san cited China as a major competitor in the mobile market, he referred to the breakthrough of Chinese companies as “conspicuous.”

The breakthrough of Chinese companies is also conspicuous. I think the production method is probably different from Japan, such as putting in a large amount of goods, and I think it is safe to say that we have established a method of generating sales with Japan. I think the competition in the mobile market is fierce, including that.”

When asked if he was worried about the trends of Chinese manufacturers, Kobayashi-san expressed that he was worried about not just foreign companies, but other companies as well. Even so, he stressed that Konami will continue to remain stalwart on what they do best, saying that they had no plans to change their goals. 

Konami’s push toward the mobile market has been foreign to no one. The company has released many of its signature IPs on Mobile such as Contra and Castlevania. The latest game in the Castlevania series, Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls, was also an Android and iOS-exclusive title. On top of this, one of the most beloved entries in the Castlevania series, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night got a re-release on Android and iOS devices. 

Meanwhile, China’s foothold over the mobile gaming market has been miraculous, to say the least. Hoyoverse’s Genshin Impact has consistently been at the top of the charts since its initial launch. Even their newest title, Honkai Star Rail, reached a milestone of 20 million downloads on the very day of its release.