NetEase Games and Survios have formed a joint venture, NetVios, with their first product, ‘RAW DATA Arcade Edition,’ set to launch on Dream Technology. This marks its upcoming release in 5,000 VR experience centers across China.
‘Raw Data’ is a multiplayer cooperative action shooter developed by the globally renowned VR studio Survios. Designed to meet AAA console game standards, it offers a comprehensive and immersive gameplay experience. Players can perform actions like dodging, seeking cover, and shooting enemies within a 15-foot space, while wielding a variety of weapons from shotguns to bows. The game also allows players to team up with friends to fend off enemies. Notably, ‘Raw Data’ was the first consumer VR game to generate $1 million in revenue within a month. However, it remains unavailable to Chinese players on Steam. Survios addressed this in a media interview, stating, ‘China has the largest player community. Survios wants ‘Raw Data’ to be a high-quality product when released there, so we’re taking extra time to refine it before launching for Chinese players.’ At NetEase Games’ 2018 annual conference, the company announced a strategic partnership with Survios to introduce four VR games, including ‘Raw Data.’ On August 10, 2018, NetEase Games revealed the establishment of the joint venture NetVios during its strategic conference. The imported content announced at the 2018 conference included ‘Raw Data’ for competitive players and three other VR games targeting casual users. According to NetVios, ‘Raw Data’ will have separate online and offline versions in China. Given the limited number of individual users, the game will debut in the offline market first. ‘We’ve differentiated the online and offline versions, with the focus on the offline experience. The core of the offline version is PVP, though PVE is also available. We believe offline gaming is a shared social experience, and most players will want to play with friends. This is our goal, so we’ve prioritized optimizing this aspect,’ NetVios stated.NetVios has made significant efforts in localizing VR games for the Chinese market. Firstly, they have introduced a Chinese version to make the content more accessible to local users. Secondly, they have simplified the tutorials. “Raw Data is a relatively complex game with a steep learning curve. We streamlined the tutorials to make it easier for first-time users,” they explained. Thirdly, they optimized the multiplayer mode. “Since Raw Data features multiplayer battles, we ensured stable online connectivity and better matchmaking for players to compete with friends.”
Fourthly, NetVios plans to roll out premium content tailored for Chinese users. The offline version currently offers 10 levels, each with 4 difficulty settings, providing 15-20 minutes of gameplay per session. Players can choose from characters like the Gunner, Archer, Swordsman, and Shotgunner. NetVios has also conducted in-depth research and selection for domestic offline channels. Currently, over 5,000 VR arcades in China use DreamTech’s offline gaming platform, accounting for nearly 70% of the market share. DreamTech has collaborated with numerous game companies to create a series of popular domestic VR games. Therefore, NetVios has chosen to launch Raw Data Arcade Edition on DreamTech’s platform, distributing the game to 5,000 arcades across China. DreamTech will soon partner with VR arcades nationwide to participate in the first-ever Raw Data Arcade Edition tournament initiated by NetVios. DreamTech emphasized the importance of this collaboration, stating it will help high-quality overseas VR games enter the Chinese market and benefit local arcades by boosting revenue through the introduction of popular international titles. Additionally, DreamTech highlighted the necessity of formal copyright licensing for overseas games entering China. The company is committed to promoting standardized VR game copyright practices in China, safeguarding the legitimate interests of VR game developers and arcades, and advancing the use of licensed games in VR arcades.
