BTS World

Last updated

BTS World
BTS WORLD LOGO.jpg
Developer(s) Takeone Company Corp
Publisher(s) Netmarble
Platform(s) iOS, Android
ReleaseJune 26, 2019
Genre(s) Visual novel
Chat fiction
Mode(s)single-player

BTS World (stylized in all caps) is a mobile video game developed by South Korean studio Takeone Company Corp and published by Netmarble. Players take the role of BTS' manager, going through various journeys with each of the seven members from 2012, before their debut, to 2019.

Contents

Release

The game was released to iOS and Android systems in over 175 countries on June 26, 2019. [1]

Gameplay

BTS World is a visual novel styled video game, where most of the story relies on clicking through interactions between the user and game characters. [2] The game is based on conversations and choices that impact the later chapters. The player can also style the characters and play a card game to achieve a specific score.

The game uses real photos and voice recordings of the BTS members. [3] Its official website has galleries of photos and videos of the members as the game characters.

Another mode, called "Another Story", has similar gameplay but different stories, as each focuses on the player and only one member of BTS as if they were not together back then.

Characters

Based on the descriptions on the game's official website, [4] there are seven different characters in "Another Story".

NameOccupation
Kim Namjoon (RM)Creative writing & literature student caught up in a real case
Kim Seokjin (Jin)Hotel intern who tries taking care of a special guest
Min Yoongi (Suga)Piano student working hard to win a competition
Jeong Hoseok (J-Hope)Veterinary medicine student who starts taking care of an animal sanctuary
Park Jimin (Jimin)High school student trying to take care of his grandmother's rice cake shop
Kim Taehyung (V)High school student trying out farming
Jeon Jeongguk (Jungkook)High school student trying to revive a Taekwondo club

Developer

It was reported that BTS World was developing for two years. [5] Netmarble claimed that the group's strong fanbase "leads to a good potential market for creating a brand-new game." [6] The game is based on the members' true personalities. [7]

Soundtrack

The game features original music from the group. An accompanying soundtrack album, BTS World: Original Soundtrack , was released worldwide on June 28, 2019. [8]

The soundtrack was supported by three collaboration singles: "Dream Glow" by Jin, Jimin, and Jungkook featuring British singer Charli XCX (June 7), [9] "A Brand New Day" by J-Hope and V featuring Swedish singer Zara Larsson (June 14), [9] and "All Night" by RM and Suga featuring American rapper Juice Wrld (June 21). [9] On June 26, the game's official theme song and the soundtrack's lead single, "Heartbeat", was revealed in-game after its release. [10]

Reception

Media coverage

Before being released, the game received significant media coverage. CNBC said the game "will offer opportunities for microtransactions." [8] MTV reports for people who are not familiar with the band, "the game could become a powerful learning tool for anyone just getting into their music." [11]

Awards and nominations

YearOrganizationAwardResultRef.
2019 Golden Joystick Awards Mobile Game of the YearWon [12]
Google Play Korea Users' Choice AwardsUsers' Choice GameNominated [13]
Korea Game Awards Good Game AwardWon [14]

Related Research Articles

Netmarble Corp. is a South Korean mobile game developer, which was founded in 2000 by Bang Jun-hyuk.

<i>Blade & Soul</i> 2016 video game

Blade & Soul is a Wuxia-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Korean NCSoft. Blade & Soul was released in Western territories on January 19, 2016. A Japanese animated television adaptation aired in 2014 from April 3 to June 26 on TBS and other stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jam City (company)</span> American video game developer

Jam City, Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher based in Culver City, California. The company was founded in 2010 by Chris DeWolfe, Colin Digiaro, Aber Whitcomb, and Josh Yguado. Jam City has nine studios located in the United States, Canada, South America, and Europe. As of 2021, it employs 825 people. Netmarble is the largest shareholder in Jam City. As of 2021, Jam City's games have 31 million monthly active users and 1.3 billion total downloads.

<i>Tower of God</i> South Korean webtoon

Tower of God is a South Korean manhwa released as a webtoon written and illustrated by S.I.U. It has been serialized in Naver Corporation's webtoon platform Naver Webtoon since June 2010, with the individual chapters collected and published by Young Com in 17 volumes as of October 2024. Tower of God received official English translations by Line Webtoon beginning in July 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BTS</span> South Korean boy band

BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook, who co-write or co-produce much of their material. Originally a hip hop group, they expanded their musical style to incorporate a wide range of genres, while their lyrics have focused on subjects including mental health, the troubles of school-age youth and coming of age, loss, the journey towards self-love, individualism, and the consequences of fame and recognition. Their discography and adjacent work has also referenced literature, philosophy and psychology, and includes an alternate universe storyline.

There are three mobile games in the Ni no Kuni series published by Level-5. The first two were developed by Level-5 in partnership with mobile distribution companies, and were released around the original games in the main series, Dominion of the Dark Djinn and Wrath of the White Witch. The first, Ni no Kuni: Hotroit Stories, is a role-playing game set before the events of the main entries. It follows the story of Oliver and his friend Mark, and their attempts to construct a car. The first chapter was released in December 2010 through Level-5's Roid service. The second game, Ni no Kuni: Daibouken Monsters, is a social card role-playing game in which players collect cards and use them in battles, and use the abilities of characters who have been trapped in the cards. It was released in a partnership with the GREE mobile service in May 2012. The third game, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds, is a role-playing game developed by Netmarble, following a beta tester in a fictional virtual reality game. It was released in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan in June 2021, and worldwide in May 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackpink</span> South Korean girl group

Blackpink is a South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment. The group is composed of four members: Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa. Regarded by various publications as the "biggest girl group in the world", they are recognized as a leading force in the Korean Wave and an ambassador of the "girl crush" concept in K-pop, which explores themes of self-confidence and female empowerment.

<i>Star Wars: Force Arena</i> 2017 video game

Star Wars: Force Arena is a discontinued 2017 Star Wars-themed player versus player real-time strategy mobile game from Netmarble and Lucasfilm Games, involving characters and military units that appeared in all major Star Wars film installments released before 2019. Players command various Star Wars military units in a card-powered multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA). It was released on January 12, 2017, for Android and iOS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mic Drop (song)</span> 2017 song by BTS

"Mic Drop" is a song recorded in two languages by South Korean boy band BTS. The Korean version was originally included as a B-side track on the band's fifth extended play, Love Yourself: Her (2017), and later remixed by American producer and DJ Steve Aoki. The remix was released as the second single from the EP on November 24, 2017, by Big Hit Entertainment and features a guest appearance by American rapper Desiigner. It was serviced to US contemporary hit radio on December 5, 2017, as a single in that country. The Japanese-language version of "Mic Drop" was released on December 6, 2017, by Def Jam Recordings and Virgin Music as a triple A-side single album that included "DNA" and a new, original song "Crystal Snow", both also in Japanese. Both the Korean and Japanese versions of the song were written by Supreme Boi, "Hitman" Bang, J-Hope, RM, and Pdogg, with the latter of the five solely handling production. The remix version was also written by the same songwriters, with additional songwriting by Aoki, Desiigner, Tayla Parx, Flowsik, and Shae Jacobs. It was produced by Aoki, with Pdogg providing additional production. A hip hop song, the lyrics celebrate BTS' numerous achievements.

<i>Lineage 2: Revolution</i> 2016 mobile MMORPG video game

Lineage 2: Revolution is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Netmarble for mobile platforms under license from NCSoft, taking place 100 years before the events of NCSoft's Lineage II: Goddess of Destruction storyline. It is part of the Lineage series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">V Live</span> South Korean live video streaming service

V Live, sometimes referred to as V App, was a South Korean live video streaming service that allowed celebrities based in the country to broadcast live videos such as live chat sessions with fans, performances, reality shows and award shows on the internet. The service was available for streaming via web browsers on Windows, macOS, and Linux, as well as apps on iOS and Android devices. The company was launched by Naver Corporation in late August 2015, and transferred to Weverse Company on March 2, 2022. It was shut down after merging with Weverse on December 31, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J-Hope</span> South Korean rapper (born 1994)

Jung Ho-seok, known professionally as J-Hope, is a South Korean rapper, singer-songwriter, dancer, and record producer. He made his debut as a member of South Korean boy band BTS in 2013, under Big Hit Entertainment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dream Glow</span> 2019 single by BTS and Charli XCX

"Dream Glow" is a song by Jin, Jimin and Jungkook of the South Korean boy band BTS and British singer Charli XCX, released as a single on June 7, 2019. It was produced by Stargate, and is the first song from the soundtrack of their BTS World game, released on June 26.

<i>BTS World: Original Soundtrack</i> 2019 mobile game soundtrack album by various artists

BTS World: Original Soundtrack is the soundtrack album for the Netmarble mobile game of the same name. Released on June 28, 2019, two days after the mobile game's release, the album features four singles by South Korean boy band BTS and instrumentals from the game. Its release was preceded by the singles "Dream Glow", "A Brand New Day" and "All Night". On June 26, the song "Heartbeat" was revealed in the game after its release. The album debuted atop the Gaon Album Chart and was their first #1 in Spain. Also, it became the first K-pop soundtrack to debut on the Billboard Top Soundtracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Brand New Day (BTS and Zara Larsson song)</span> 2019 single by BTS and Zara Larsson

"A Brand New Day" is a song by J-Hope and V of South Korean boy band BTS and Swedish singer Zara Larsson, released on June 14, 2019, as the second single from the BTS World: Original Soundtrack. It was produced by Mura Masa.

"Heartbeat" is a song by South Korean boy band BTS, released on June 28, 2019, as the fourth and main single from and in tandem with the album BTS World: Original Soundtrack. A music video was released alongside the song.

<i>The King of Fighters All Star</i> 2018 video game

The King of Fighters All Star (KOFAS) was a beat 'em up action role-playing game developed by Netmarble Neo and published by Netmarble. It was first released in Japan on July 26, 2018, for the iOS and Android. The game is a retelling of SNK's The King of Fighters games with the player being able to create their own team as they battle across multiple annual tournaments. It was released in English regions on October 22, 2019. A Microsoft Windows version is also available, starting from its beta version on February 10, 2022. The game ended service on October 30, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cultural impact of BTS</span>

South Korean boy band BTS was formed in 2010 and debuted in 2013. The septet has had a significant cultural impact both in Korea and internationally, and is considered one of the leading figures of the Hallyu wave in the 21st century. The commercial influence of BTS upon the Korean economy, along with their philanthropic and other commercial ventures, has received extensive attention in the press and in financial markets.

<i>Marvel Future Revolution</i> 2021 video game

Marvel Future Revolution was an action role-playing game developed by Netmarble Monster and published by Netmarble. It was released for Android and iOS on August 25, 2021. The game's storyline is based on the Secret Wars series and is set on the Primary Earth, a patchwork world of alternate Earths such as the ones ruled by Hydra Empire or settled by Asgardians. Because of the game's multiversal nature, many alternate versions of prominent Marvel characters also appear, often interacting with one another. On October 27, 2022, it was announced that they would be reducing the scale of service. On June 2, 2023, Netmarble announced that the game would shut down & that in-app purchases would be disabled. The game was shut down on August 25, 2023, exactly two years after its launch.

References

  1. Guy, Jack (June 25, 2019). "K-pop stars BTS launch mobile game 'BTS World'". CNN . Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  2. Haasch, Palmer (June 27, 2019). "BTS World is straight up self-insert fanfiction". Polygon . Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  3. Tassi, Paul. "'BTS World' Is Live On iPhone And Android, Lets You Manage And Befriend The Band". Forbes. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  4. "BTS World - Netmarble". Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  5. "Expected hit games, BTS World lift Netmarble shares". www.theinvestor.co.kr. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  6. "The Fate of BTS is in ARMY's Hands in 'BTS World' Mobile Game: Watch the Trailer". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  7. Aubrey, Elizabeth (June 24, 2019). "BTS' new mobile game, 'BTS World' will be released this week". NME. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  8. 1 2 Whitten, Sarah (June 6, 2019). "Fans can manage K-pop's hottest boy band in the mobile game 'BTS World' due out on June 26". CNBC. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 "BTS WORLD - Netmarble". btsw.netmarble.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  10. Tinubu, Aramide (June 27, 2019). "There's 1 Quintessential Meaning At The Core Of BTS' 'Heartbeat'". StyleCaster . Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  11. Vincent, Brittany. "Everything You Need To Know About BTS World Before It Takes Over Your Life". MTV News. Archived from the original on June 8, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  12. Senior, Tom (November 15, 2019). "See the Golden Joystick Awards 2019 winners". PC Gamer. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  13. "구글플레이 '2019 올해를 빛낸 인기 앱·게임·영화·도서'에 직접 투표하세요!". Google 한국 블로그 (in Korean). Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  14. "로스트아크, 2019년 대한민국 게임대상 대상의 영예.. "6관왕 달성"". www.donga.com (in Korean). November 13, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2019.