One Punch Man World, the title co-developed by newly formed Crunchyroll Games and veteran anime-IP developer Perfect World has now been released into open beta on Android, iOS and PC.
Launching today in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Latin America and the Nordic regions, the title, based on the anime series of the same name, is a major step into cross-platform gaming for Crunchyroll Games. The company is a subdivision of Crunchyroll, arguably the largest anime streaming service in the West and a platform which brought many globally popular series such as Attack on Titan and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure to the world beyond Japan.
It’s no surprise then that One Punch Man World, based on a breakout series that originated as an amateur webcomic and became a global hit, is such a major release. The game boasts features such as cross-progression and full 3D graphics optimised for multiple platforms, and has been heavily promoted including with a massive installation at the Gamescom 2023 expo in Cologne, Germany.
One big punch
Aside from the IP involved, and Crunchyroll’s obvious existing connection to the world of anime and the monetisation of these franchises, the most intriguing aspect of One Punch Man World is a heavy focus on crossplay.
General manager of games at Crunchyroll, Terry Li, confirmed as much when he spoke in our Mobile Mavens about the importance of crossplay. “Right now, and moving forward, great cross platform experiences are essential for the video game industry. Players appreciate options, especially when it comes to where they get to play. Titles that deliver on that cross-platform promise are likely to have a lively, wide-spread player base, which makes stepping into a game more exciting,” he said.
Li added, “One of the challenges related to the cross-platform model is meeting market expectations and delivering on that feature at launch. It’s also not enough to just be cross platform, maintaining player progression is vital. When Crunchyroll Games brought The Eminence in Shadow: Master of Garden to PC and delivered on cross-play and progression, we saw a considerable number of players making use of the feature and playing across platforms.”
