NetEase conducted a ceremony in Hengdian World Studios that looks like a typical launching event for a live-action TV show, but the starts are all cardboard characters from their new idol-themed dating simulator game Dream Chaser: the Showbiz.
TV shows in China have a long tradition to have some interesting launching rituals to wish for success, and the game’s open ceremony followed suit to an uncanny degree, by having a roasted pig head as a sacrifice, a Fengshui master to decide the event’s date and time, and traditional lion dance show.
During the ceremony, there is also a part where “reporters” can have an interview with the in-game characters, by pointing the microphone to the cardboard figures.
Fans seem to be enjoying the marketing stunt so far, but for this game to have the success NetEase has hoped for in this saturated market segment, it takes more work than a pig head sacrifice.