UlasanAnime.com – A recent surge in the popularity of The Idolm@ster (iM@S) franchise has led to a strategic shift in its merchandise releases, particularly concerning its music CDs. This change is being met with enthusiasm by long-time fans who have previously navigated a complex and often costly system to acquire their favorite tracks.
This summer, a significant gathering of young men and women attended the 8th-anniversary live tour of a prominent music group. What might not be widely known is that this group comprises voice actresses from the video game “The Idolm@ster” (iM@S). In this game, players take on the role of managing a team of aspiring pop idols on their journey to stardom.
The marketing for iM@S employs a traditional multimedia approach, encompassing goods, video games, CDs, DVDs, and live performances. However, its true innovation lies in its remarkable success in packaging fictional characters as credible idols, drawing parallels to famous acts like AKB48. Originating as an arcade game in 2005 and later released on the relatively obscure Xbox console, iM@S initially cultivated a dedicated, albeit niche, fanbase due to Microsoft’s limited console distribution in Japan.
Jon Tyler, a devoted iM@S fan who, like many others, refers to himself as a “producer” mirroring the player’s role in the game, expressed his satisfaction with Columbia Japan’s current approach to iM@S music CD releases. “I’m glad we can get the same songs on one single album that used to be across four or five different albums,” he stated. “It’s really a change of the times. The series got really popular right around the time I became a producer. At first, it was very hard to buy all the popular songs, since the average iM@S album, not counting mini-albums and singles, was about half vocal tracks and half either instrumentals or voice tracks like skits. Columbia knows that’s what people are after and accordingly spread out the top hits to get more sales.”
He further elaborated on the difficulties fans faced. “It was difficult to get more than four or five of your favorites on one CD, for a lot of reasons. Another problem was that many of the album releases were based on characters or different parts of the video game releases. I think Scamco wants you to just buy the Blu-rays, or collect all the albums.” These candid remarks highlight not only the financial burden of being a fan but also the logistical complexities that fans had to manage over time, given that iM@S-related CDs were released almost monthly.
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While for some, mastering the intricate release patterns and financing their collections became a badge of honor, for others, the challenge of identifying and purchasing their favorite songs presented a significant barrier to entry. This might explain why Columbia Japan is now releasing these more straightforward compilation albums. For some, this move also signals future developments.
Oscar Kha, a market analyst, shed light on the overarching strategy behind the iM@S releases, viewing them as part of a broader cross-marketing effort involving Columbia Japan and other publishers and studios. “The so-called ‘Second Vision’ series of games and merchandises are coming to an end. I think this is why they are now releasing new SKU with good value,” Kha explained. “During this campaign, the goal was to transform a relatively straight-forward video game IP into a sprawling franchise where monetization strategy is no longer limited to the typical console or arcade use cases, or the usual licensing and merchandising opportunities. The campaign begin to add some of the newer strategies such as mobile gaming and through live events. The timing is right to take the franchise to the next level, along with various market signals such as the next generation home consoles.”
Commenting on the future, Kha suggested what might be the most compelling reason for these new, affordably priced releases. “Lowering the barrier of entry at this juncture is strategic as well, as it prevents too much attrition from the newer customers who became attached to the IP in the past couple years, and keep everyone engaged as the next campaign starts.”
THE IDOLM@STER
765PRO ALLSTARS+
GRE@TEST BEST!
-THE IDOLM@STER HISTORY-
COCX-38070 2500 yen (w/ tax) (Blu-spec CD2)
2013.09.18 on sale
PS. This is fabricated, yeah?
