Twenty-Five Years of Yu-Gi-Oh: How Konami Prepared for Live Service Games

Since its inception as a serial anime inspired by Kazuki Takahashi's manga, Yu-Gi-Oh has evolved into a global phenomenon, encompassing an official card game and video game franchise. With each new iteration of the animated series, the card game has introduced novel cards, while the video games have continued to expand in their own right. Twenty-five years on, Konami's digital card game has become one of its most popular series. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, senior Konami developers behind the Yu-Gi-Oh games reflected on their commercial success over the years. During the early 2000s, when the anime was gaining popularity, Konami released over 20 Yu-Gi-Oh titles globally, including Yu-Gi-Oh! The Duelists of the Roses and Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel. According to Charles Murakami, senior producer at Konami Digital Entertainment US, the release schedule was driven by fan demand for the latest cards and the desire to provide an authentic card game experience. The advent of handheld devices enabled the simulation of the physical card game, while home console titles offered unique Yu-Gi-Oh games based on the anime's monsters, characters, and themes. New game releases allowed Konami to keep pace with the growing content from the TV program and print card game, catering to different fan sub-groups. Murakami noted that the media franchise's audience comprises various sub-groups, including fans of the anime, the card game, and the iconic monster cards. To service these different audiences, Konami developed a range of games, such as Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel, which was authentic to the card game, and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's: Wheelie Breakers, which mimicked the TV show. The Yu-Gi-Oh game brand established itself after the sales of the first Game Boy title, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, in 1998. Following the international success of the original Duel Monsters show, Konami released more titles globally, with the series selling particularly well on handheld game devices. In 2005, Konami launched Yu-Gi-Oh Online on PC, one of the company's early free-to-play titles, which helped pave the way for future live service games. Murakami explained that the success of live updating titles, such as Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Links, resulted from leveraging technology and operational knowledge from past Yu-Gi-Oh: Online titles and other Konami games. By 2010, games were still developed with show fans in mind, focusing on the latest animated series and characters. The official trading card game has a catalog of over 10,000 cards, with rules consistently updated to maintain balance. Konami would then pivot to live service games with the launch of Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Links in 2016, which proved commercially viable, earning $110 million in global player earnings in the first six months of 2021. However, the shift to free-to-play was not easy, according to Kenichi Kataoka, senior producer of Konami Digital Entertainment Japan, who noted that the operating costs would be considerable. Six years later, the most challenging part for the development team has been keeping players returning for more, with Kataoka explaining that it is necessary to analyze the situation, adjust, and implement measures that appeal to both new users and fans of Yu-Gi-Oh. To that point, Duel Links features content and cards spanning nearly the entire Yu-Gi-Oh franchise, with big content updates planned out more than a year in advance. Building on the success of Duel Links, Konami released the multiplatform free-to-play game Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel in January last year, which reached $130 million in revenue and 50 million downloads by November 2022. Yumi Hoashi, US senior vice president of Konami Digital Entertainment, noted that Master Duel appeals to a different demographic, providing a definitive digital experience of the card game. Kataoka explained that the simultaneous release of Master Duel was perhaps the most challenging part for the development team, requiring the game to be developed according to the rules of each platform. When asked what has kept Yu-Gi-Oh commercially viable as a video game for 25 years, Murakami summarized that the franchise's relatability stems from its engaging card game, recognizable characters, and compelling story, making it a fun and enduring title for fans worldwide.