The Charticle

Walk the LINE: How Disney Tsum Tsum found success in Thailand and Hong Kong

But sunk in the US

Walk the LINE: How Disney Tsum Tsum found success in Thailand and Hong Kong

Disney Tsum Tsum, a puzzle game published by Disney on social messaging service LINE, caught our attention a few months ago when it climbed the revenue rankings on both iOS and Google play following its global release.

Originally, the game was only available in Japan, where it stormed the charts, becoming the #1 game in terms of combined App Store and Google Play downloads, and the #3 game in terms of revenue.

Through the use of in app promotions, the game also brought about the sale of 1.6 million Tsum Tsum plashes in Japan.

Since then LINE and Disney have taken the game global, with the mobile social network announcing 30 million downloads. 

So let's find out where those downloads have been happening and whether the game has been top grossing.

Can't beat Kakao

Korea is one of the big three APAC mobile game markets - the others being Japan and China - but Disney Tsum Tsum's performance in the country has not been good, most likely because LINE has weaker penetration in Korea. 

Clearly, local mobile social network Kakao rules in its domestic market. 

Disney Tsum Tsum couldn't even break into the top 250 on the Google Play top grossing chart, while on the top grossing chart for iPhone, it's only broken into the top 100 three times since its September release.

A peak position of #86 suggest Disney Tsum Tsum has potential, though the puzzler's inability to maintain a place anywhere near the top suggests we need to look elsewhere for its success. 

Disney Tsum Tsum's performance in South Korea - we're looking at the top 250 top grossing chart here - is best described as weak

The rise of the rest

While the game's efforts in South Korea will be a definite cause for concern, it's not all doom and gloom in the east.

In other regions, such as Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, Disney Tsum Tsum has received a very warm welcome.

In Taiwan and Thailand, for example, the game has spent a lot of time in the top 100, particularly in Thailand, where it's a solid member of the iPhone top 50 top grossing chart.

Even though its performance in Taiwan has been a little more unpredictable, a peak position of #14 - combined with a peak of #6 in Thailand - is a good result.

Performances in Thailand and Taiwan are encouraging

In Hong Kong and Indonesia, it's a similar story. The puzzler climbed into the top 50 in both countries with relative ease, peaking at #7 in Hong Kong and #11 in Indonesia.

Again, the game has been more consistent in Hong Kong (basically a smaller, more lucrative per head version of China), where it's a productive member of the top 50.

In Indonesia, however, Disney Tsum Tsum's performance has become increasingly inconsistent. The game now appears to be in a state of flux, dropping out of the top 250 one week before climbing into the top 20 during the next.

The top grossing charts for Indonesia and Hong Kong are also full of promise

Stillborn in the USA

As for the key western market - the US - despite LINE's 25 million users in the country, the game hasn't found a stable audience.

Looking at the top 250 top grossing chart for iPhone, the game has peaked at #94, but more generally has been outside the top 200.

Disney Tsum Tsum's US iPhone performance has been erratic

It's a similar story for Disney Tsum Tsum on the US top grossing chart for Google Play.

The game's performance on Android devices has been more consistent than on iOS, though that consistency has come at a price, with the game failing to break into the top 100, peaking at #143.

Disney Tsum Tsum traded in top 100 peak positions for consistency on Google Play

What do you call someone who has an unhealthy obsession with video games and Sean Bean? That'd be a 'Chris Kerr'. Chris is one of those deluded souls who actually believes that one day Sean Bean will survive a movie. Poor guy.