What makes a good PUBG Mobile brand collaboration?
Brendan Sinclair
Managing Editor
Wednesday 18th May 2022
While the battle royale genre is based around a Highlander-esque "There can be only one" concept, the genre has evolved to play quite well with others, producing a handful of high-profile hits marked by frequent brand collaborations.
PUBG Mobile is one such example. In the little over four years since it launched, PUBG Mobile has featured collaborations with films, TV series, musicians, automotive brands, sports teams, other video games, soft drinks, and Baby Shark. Twice.
Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz recently, Tencent Games head of PUBG Mobile publishing Vincent Wang says the process behind these collaborations has shifted considerably.
"When launching PUBG Mobile just over four years ago we almost always opened the conversation with brands for potential collaboration," Wang says. "However, now I'd say it's about 50-50 between us pitching brands versus receiving requests."
"A good collaboration is one that's designed with both fans of the existing games as well as fans of the new IP in mind"
It helps that the company is building relationships with the brand owners, many of whom hold a variety of different properties that could be used as future crossovers. Of course, each campaign also has to make sense on its own.
"A good collaboration is one that's designed with both fans of the existing games as well as fans of the new IP in mind," Wang says. "Through the design, construction and delivery process you have to strike the right balance, staying within what existing players like while also respecting the IP that you are taking inspiration from."
That often -- but not always -- involves adding new gameplay elements.
"It's really great to introduce new lore, but
Read more on gamesindustry.biz
