Why NIKKE Players Felt Let Down by the Evangelion Crossover Event

Shift Up's Goddess of Victory: NIKKE Evangelion crossover fell short of expectations, according to a recent interview with the game's producer. The August 2024 collaboration, featuring Rei, Asuka, Mari, and Misato, failed to resonate with players despite attempts to remain faithful to the original character designs.

Where Did It Go Wrong?

The collaboration's shortcomings stemmed from several factors. Initial designs, created collaboratively by Shift Up and the Nikke team, were deemed too suggestive by Evangelion's creators, necessitating revisions. While the toned-down versions satisfied the licensors, they lacked the appeal needed to excite the player base. The revised aesthetics simply didn't capture the audience's imagination.

Player Feedback:

The underwhelming costumes weren't the only issue. Players found little incentive to invest in limited-time characters or skins, especially given the lack of significant visual differences. Asuka's gacha skin, the most expensive option, bore a striking resemblance to her default model, a major turn-off for many.

Goddess of Victory: NIKKE's strength lies in its bold anime aesthetic and engaging narrative. However, recent collaborations, including the Evangelion event, have diluted this identity, leading players to perceive them as lacking substance. The collaboration felt drawn-out and lacked inspired designs.

Shift Up acknowledges the criticism and plans to incorporate player feedback into future collaborations. Hopefully, this translates into more compelling content in the coming months. Both Neon Genesis Evangelion and Goddess of Victory: NIKKE are available on the Google Play Store. Instead of underwhelming crossovers, let's hope for a return to form with exciting new updates.

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