MONSTER STRIKE is a mobile game where up to four friends can play together. Since its launch in 2013, it has been enabling users to have fun while communicating with friends and family.

When we started development of MONSTER STRIKE, smartphones were quickly becoming ubiquitous. We began to brainstorm new services that could incorporate smartphones with the communication expertise that we had cultivated from our social network mixi. One of those ideas was MONSTER STRIKE. The enduring ethos of the service is to provide anyone with a smartphone exciting opportunities for communication with friends and family—anytime, anywhere.
Official site (Japanese only): https://www.monster-strike.com/

MONSTER STRIKE and communication

MONSTER STRIKE celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023. For the past 10 years, we have focused on creating a game that people want to play with their friends and family, as well as making conversation starters to get people talking. In order to stimulate communication, we have many communication-focused initiatives both in-game, such as collaborations with popular IPs and new character announcements, as well as outside the game, such as events and a media mix approach.

Communication with users: MONSTER STRIKE Insiders

MONSTER STRIKE Insiders are people who communicate with users via social media, videos, and events and enjoy playing the game as much as the users do. Apart from just talking to users about MONSTER STRIKE, they actually play with them and demonstrate the fun communication opportunities that can arise through playing the game.

Our big annual event: DREAMDAZE

Since 2015, we have been organizing large-scale events for our users, with MONSTER STRIKE events as a prominent example. We strive to create events where users not only communicate with each other, but also with performers such as MONSTER STRIKE Insiders, creating a sense of unity among all in attendance.

The MONSTER STRIKE Caravan traveled to users throughout Japan

We commemorated the 10th anniversary of MONSTER STRIKE with the MONSTER STRIKE Caravan, which involved driving a MONSTER STRIKE-themed van through all 47 prefectures to meet users from all over Japan as a token of our gratitude for all the support we have received. This and other initiatives we planned ensured that users from all over Japan who could not attend the events held in population centers like Tokyo could still enjoy MONSTER STRIKE events.

Promoting intergenerational communication in families

MONSTER STRIKE also acts as a service which enriches communication among family members. As we cross the 10-year mark, the number of people who enjoy the game with their children has increased. With this in mind, we have various plans underway to stimulate communication between parents and children.

Family tickets for those with kids

We began offering family tickets for our DREAMDAZE event in 2022. Family tickets allow people to get tickets for themselves and their kids with a single purchase. Special benefits include entry via a dedicated lane as well as seating in special family seats.

Parent-child eSports tournaments

The Tokyo eSports Festa, which has been held annually since 2020, has adopted MONSTER STRIKE as one of its featured eSports titles every year. The MONSTER STRIKE parent-child division was established in 2022, creating opportunities for parents and children to enjoy eSports together. Participating families commented that practicing for the tournament allowed them to get to know each other better and communicate more, and was a valuable opportunity to share a common goal with their children.

We will keep producing MONSTER STRIKE initiatives, both inside and outside the game, which create opportunities for communication and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.