It is fitting that the latest video game to bear the One Piece licence is to be released in two instalments. Whilst largely known as a popular anime TV series, the franchise was originally a serialised manga that debuted in Japanese in 1997.
Twelve years on and Atari’s One Piece Unlimited Cruise pays homage to its source material’s origins with an adventure that is so epic, it is spread across no less than two separate releases. Starting this month with
the first episode, The Treasure Beneath The Waves, this One Piece storyline will finish
in October with Awakening Of A Hero. For those not in the know, One Piece is a Japanese cartoon that follows the adventures of Monkey D Luffy, a boy with supernatural powers and aspirations of piracy. He captains the good ship Thousand Sunny as leader of the lovable Straw Hat Pirates, who sails the seas in search of the ultimate treasure, the One Piece.
“With over 140 million copies sold worldwide, One Piece is the third highest-selling manga in the history of the legendary anime magazine Weekly Sh nen Jump,” says Atari’s UK product manager Lauren Bradley.
“It is considered their most acclaimed and all-time third best-selling title in Japan. The IP has built up a cult following in the UK and judging by the reaction we’re receiving online and at the MCM expo, the fans are incredibly excited about this release.”
PIECE OF THEIR MIND
The game follows Luffy and his crew as they discover a mysterious creature called Gabri who leads them to a set of islands where a legendary treasure has reportedly been hidden.
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Combat makes use of the Wii’s motion controls and recreates some of the special attacks that will be familiar to regular One Piece viewers. The control set-up has been designed to be as intuitive as possible, ensuring that gamers of any age will be able to hold their own, whether battling against rival pirate hordes or the colossal bosses.
“Although there is an incredibly dedicated following within the niche anime fan community, the game’s story is set apart from the anime so it has the potential for a much wider appeal. The graphics and fun Wii gameplay will appeal to all kinds of gamers,” adds Bradley.
As a result, Atari will be promoting this title aggressively, with a comprehensive campaign designed to raise awareness among the franchise’s fans and followers of this cult genre. To this end, the publisher has garnered plenty of press coverage, such as features and competitions, in specialist gaming, anime and children’s publications.
There will also be full-page ads with a focus on specialist anime titles such as Neo. Online marketing will be heavily targeted at fans, with the publisher making full use of social media and community management support. Trailers and art will also appear on key anime fan sites, and an email was sent round to the entire Manga UK database announcing the game’s release.
The title also boasted a heavyweight presence at the recent MCM Expo in May, where the public was able to play it for themselves, whilst picking up free posters and goodies.
