The huge success of games like Angry Birds and Candy Crash Saga keep mobile game development a thriving business. But what exactly made these games such a success does makes game developers wonder.
Recently mobile game “Happy Tree Friends Deadeye Derby”, developed by San Francisco-based Ender’s Fund, gained some mysterious success in Mexico. It ranked the most downloaded free mobile game in Mexico by the fifth day after its release on January 16, according to appannie.com.
And Ender’s Fund doesn’t even know what spurred all the downloads.
At the time this report was written, the game ranked the 4th-most downloaded iOS App in Mexico, followed by WhatsApp Messenger and Facebook Messenger. Candy Crush Saga was ranked 21, and Angry Birds Go! ranked 31.
Ender’s Fund CEO Jinsoo Park said they had never even promoted the game in Mexico, nor did he know anybody there. “There is no explanation for this,” he said.
This happened only in Mexico, not in any other place in the world, so developers are curious about what is so special about the Mexican market.
The company said they spent no money marketing the game. And interestingly enough, it is only in English with no Spanish.
The game is based upon an American adult comedy animation, “Happy Tree Friends.” The cartoon was developed by Rhode Montijo, and debuted in 2001. Cutie forest animals would die in various bloody ways in every episode.
“Happy Tree Friends Deadeye Derby” is suited for two players and whoever shoots off the opponent’s eye wins. Sounds like a bloody game, but Jinsoo Park said that “the game is less gory than the cartoon.”
