Publisher TOHO Games released the free-to-play mobile title Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin – Hinuka Journey on February 5 in Japan. Although mobile gacha games are often criticized for their intrusive advertising, this spin-off is garnering attention among Japanese players for its unique approach, as it only shows ads related to the game’s themes such as real-world agriculture and food dishes.
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin – Hinuka Journey is a mobile RPG based on the 2020 rice-farming simulation game Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin, developed by Edelweiss. Like many free-to-play titles, Hinuka Journey lets players earn “Yakumo Shards,” the game’s premium currency, by watching short video ads. Players can receive 10 Yakumo Shards up to three times a day, for a total of 30 shards.
However, rather than showing unrelated games or generic services, which is common for most other mobile game ads, the ads in Sakuna were narrowed down to align with the game’s core themes, such as agriculture and Japanese cuisine. So far, we’ve seen commercials for the Japanese rice wholesaler Yamato Rice’s packaged “Soft Brown Rice,” the miso manufacturer Nakamo’s miso sauce “Tsukete Miso Kakete Miso” (literally means Dip in Miso, Pour on Miso) and an advertisement for the game’s original soundtrack. Some players also reported seeing commercials for agricultural TV programs.
In a statement regarding their advertising strategy on the game’s official website, the developers noted: “We place advertisements that respect the game’s worldview and user experience.” The developers are also currently looking for new partners to advertise within the game.
The world of Sakuna has always been closely linked with real-world agriculture and rice farming. For example, Hinuka Journey features real-life rice varieties such as Koshihikari and Hitomebore, and lucky winners of the game’s pre-registration campaign could receive high-end rice cookers and actual rice produced by Yamagata’s Japan Agricultural Cooperative as prizes. Sakuna’s TV anime adaptation has also previously collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).
Searching through X using the hashtag ＃サクナヒヌカ (SakunaHinuka), it seems many users have been favorably receiving these ads, pointing out the “mouthwatering food porn” you don’t usually get in a regular gacha game.
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin – Hinuka Journey is available for free on iOS / Android, in Japan only. A Steam port of the game is currently in development.
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