Evangelion x NIKKE Crossover: Fan Disappointment Sparks

Shift Up's Goddess of Victory: NIKKE collaboration with Neon Genesis Evangelion fell short of expectations, according to a recent interview with the game's producer. The August 2024 event, featuring Rei, Asuka, Mari, and Misato, suffered from several key issues.

Design Compromises: Initial character designs, created collaboratively by Shift Up and the NIKKE team, were deemed too suggestive by Evangelion's creators. Subsequent modifications, while satisfying the licensors, failed to resonate with players. The resulting designs, while faithful to the originals, lacked the appeal necessary to excite the fanbase.

Lack of Incentive: The limited-time characters and costumes offered little incentive for players to spend. Asuka's gacha skin, the most expensive option, bore too close a resemblance to her standard model, deterring potential purchases.

Diluted Identity: Players expressed concern that recent collaborations, including the Evangelion event, diluted the game's core identity—its distinctive style of anime characters and compelling narrative. The event itself felt drawn-out and lacked inspiration.

Looking Ahead: Shift Up acknowledged player feedback and expressed a commitment to improving future collaborations. The hope is that subsequent events will deliver more engaging and exciting content.

Both Neon Genesis Evangelion and Goddess of Victory: NIKKE are available on the Google Play Store. It remains to be seen if Shift Up can successfully course-correct and deliver the high-quality content players expect in the coming months. For more gaming news, check out our coverage of Wuthering Waves' Version 1.4 update on Android.