‘Onmyoji’ Interview: NetEase Discuss the Continued Success of Its Japanese-Inspired RPG

Released in 2018, Onmyoji’s unique blend of Japanese-inspired mythology, gorgeous visual design, and gripping battle animations have helped establish it as one of the most successful RPGs ever to be released for mobile, with over 200 million downloads worldwide.

Four years on since its release, Onmyoji continues to captivate its fans with regular updates that bring new Shikigami and new dramatic twists to the game’s evolving storyline. Its 4th year anniversary most recently included the touching story of its latest Shikigami, the goddess Suzuhikohime.

We discussed the latest update, fan-success, and on-going developments in a recent interview with Onmyoji’s creator, NetEase Interactive Entertainment. Here’s what they had to say:

First off, congratulations on Onmyoji’s 4th anniversary. It’s amazing that four years on the game is still enjoying such an immense level of popularity.

Thank you. I think the biggest reason for that is the unique Onmyoji Universe. By constructing the IP ecosystem with a combination of PGC and UGC, we, the Onmyoji team, together with players have developed a broad and fascinating world of Heian-kyo.

How much of a role has fan-support played in its success?

Feedback from players is very valuable to us, since we’re mostly reviewing the game from a developer’s perspective, and a lot of details actually can only be provided by players who have gotten a better sense after having personally experienced it. Their feedback is valuable for us in the sense that we can continuously update and optimize the game for the long haul.
Again, thank you for your understanding and patience all this time. In the new year, we’re looking forward to hearing your feedback in the community, and we’ll do our best to offer you a better game experience.

So what do you think Onmyoji offers that you can’t get from other mobile RPGs?

An absolutely authentic sense of immersion. You can find in many places the efforts we made in creating an enticing and cohesive story of Heian-Kyo. Every character has its own background stories rather than being simply defined. This is what we have been hoping for all along.

Which aspects of Onmyoji are you most proud of?

I’m very proud of the storyline, the characterization, the graphics, the music, and things like these. After all, players often said that we should make a movie or something. Well, we hope all players will support us if we do make a movie.

Can you explain a bit about Suzuhikohime’s backstory and what makes her such a fascinating character?

Suzuhikohime was born in the snow while having a character that is as passionate as fire, and the contrast is truly fascinating. She was originally one of the gods in Takamagahara, but in order to save people, she insisted on leaving and disobeying the High Priest. All in all, this is a touching story of a goddess who sacrificed herself to save humanity. More awaits you to explore!

Lastly, besides the way it looks, Onmyoji also has a spectacular soundtrack. Can you tell us a bit about it?

We have a dedicated professional music team and are very attentive in music composition, and the graphics have always been remarkable and very stable, so the artistic aesthetic of Onmyoji has been recognized by many players! Art and music are our biggest selling points. At the same time, the very luxurious voice actors should not be underestimated.