In the era of PCs, we were accustomed to having QQ running on our computers, with the cute electronic pet 'Little Penguin' from QQ Pets sitting on our desktops. We'd feed it food and drinks when we had the time, occasionally watching it act cute and adorable on the desktop. However, with the advent of the 'everyone has a smartphone' era, QQ Pets officially exited the stage of history.

When the medium becomes outdated, the gap in people's hearts that represents emotional connections still needs to be filled. As a result, the concept of electronic pets has made a comeback time and time again. In China, Kingsoft created the antivirus software 'Dubajie,' which eats files on the desktop and uses hardcore locking threats to convince the owner to go to bed early. Abroad, as we reported earlier, 'SUSH,' with its cute sushi-themed character, captivated users in the United States and Brazil, urging the developers to quickly release limited edition sets.

The Adorable 'Du Ba Ji'

Recently, the author has observed another virtual social product, 'Livly Island,' which focuses on pet raising, quietly gaining ground in the Greater China market, particularly in Taiwan. As of the date of this article, 'Livly Island' ranks among the top 4 in social networking sales and top 13 in the overall app rankings in Taiwan.

After being online for 3 years, 'Livly Island' has managed to transcend oceans and bring the joy of raising virtual pets to users in the Greater China region. Breaking free from the metaverse, virtual social interaction still holds its unique value.

Part 1: Pet Raising + Dressing Up + Social Interaction: 'Livly Island' Enters the Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan Market

When discussing 'Livly Island,' it's essential to begin with several prominent labels associated with it. Behind the scenes is the Japanese company Cocone, which has been cultivating the field of virtual social interaction for many years. Starting with the virtual dress-up social game 'Pokekoro,' which captured 23 million users, Cocone found a suitable track for itself. Over the years, it has expanded and launched social products with attributes related to Avatars, NFTs, and Web3.

Cocone's Series of Virtual Social Products

Among them, 'Livly Island,' launched in 2021, falls under the Avatar category. Mentioning this term, in the context of the past two years when the concept of the 'metaverse' was all the rage, we often see the involvement of Avatar elements.

What sets Cocone apart from other virtual social products is that they have created a unique classification for their Avatar products, which they've named 'CCP.' The three letters stand for Character, Coordinate, and Play, representing the three key elements in their Avatar product creation. In the world of 'Livly Island,' you can see that Cocone has also continued with the CCP framework.

Livly Island Promo Video

In the starting island of Livly Island, players control their Hom (virtual avatars) as researchers who have come here to take care of the magical creatures on this island.

Feeding + DooDoo Production. Image Source: Youtube@QooGame

Centered around electronic pets, 'Livly Island' has built a comprehensive ecosystem on the island. Its gameplay can be simplified into three categories: 1. Pet Raising: Players capture insects on the island to feed their pets, and different insects will change the pet's color. Moreover, on this magical island where alchemy thrives, pets produce sparkling gems, which are the 'virtual currency,' after eating.

2. Personal & Home Decor: Using gems, users can purchase feed or 'black market items,' while premium currency is used to buy decorative items for personal customization and island decoration. This includes buying daily items from the store and acquiring limited outfits through 'gacha' in themed events. Gacha is a gameplay mechanic that Japanese players are very familiar with and have a high acceptance of. This setup is also quite similar to what we previously reported on in the Japanese virtual social platform, Pigg Party.

Summer Festival Limited Outfit Gacha Collection. Image Source: X@Livly Island

Once players develop a sense of ownership over their islands, spending money on outfits becomes a natural choice, which is the primary source of income for 'Livly Island.' Extensive data shows that 'Livly Island' had accumulated dual-end revenue of $2.26 million in July, with the main income coming from Japan and the Greater China region, particularly Taiwan.

Google Play Revenue Trend Changes. Image Source: Extensive Data

3. Social Interaction: In addition to playing on their own islands, 'Livly Island' allows players to add friends, visit each other, and explore their friends' islands.

To activate users' social needs, the game itself has set some ice-breaking details, such as friends being able to water each other's plants, pick fruits, and exchange items. There's also a chance to obtain insects for pet raising when visiting friends' homes. By incorporating various features beneficial to gameplay, 'Livly Island' enhances the possibility of players getting to know each other and interacting.

Part 2:Online Pet Raising: Discovering Social Happiness for Women?

Regarding 'Livly Island,' there is another noteworthy statistic. According to media-revealed data, over 80% of the players in 'Livly Island' are female players. Women who gradually lost interest in social dating apps may prefer social interactions with dressing up and pet-raising gameplay.

Furthermore, the resurgence of virtual pet gameplay is worth the attention of the global market. Electronic pet socialization can be considered a form of virtual social interaction, where the communication partners are animated pets hopping around on the screen. Whether it's avatars of humans or non-autonomous electronic pets, both can provide users with the emotional support and companionship they desire.

With the rise of the 'pet economy,' businesses centered around 'pets' have become increasingly popular. Today's young people, at a young age, prioritize having pets like cats and dogs over having children. Data from Future Market Insight shows that the pet market is expected to reach $18 billion by 2023, with an estimated compound annual growth rate of 8% for pet sales. Behind the pet purchases, there is also a pet brand market worth billions.

Among these consumers, young people are the 'key players' when it comes to buying pets and pet products. According to statistics from the American Pet Products Association, millennials make up nearly 1/3 of the current pet owner population, and Generation Z represents 16%. From pet food and toys to pet beds and clothing, pet brands are gaining popularity among a younger audience.

The age distribution of pet owners in the United States. Source: Forbes.

In addition to cross-border e-commerce, social products centered around pets are also worth our attention. For example, a UK company has launched a dating app for 'pet parents' to find walking companions for their pets, and this app could potentially lead to romantic relationships. Interest-based communities focused on pets discuss daily pet care and share experiences regularly.

Speaking of virtual pets, this once-popular classic gameplay in China is making a comeback, and from a global app market perspective, virtual pet applications have also become a trend in recent years.

In 2022, I observed a mobile pet app called 'SUSH' created by two young entrepreneurs in the United States. With its limited-edition outfits and gameplay focused on 'building friendships' and 'raising pets online,' this small company of less than 20 people successfully rose to prominence. It became a top 50 player in the United States and Brazil markets. In emerging and popular markets, the lightweight gameplay of virtual pets caters to the needs of players in both markets.

Here is the image of "SUSH":

What's even more surprising is the enduring affection of electronic pet app users. Take 'SUSH' as an example; two years after its launch, this petite app, barely exceeding 100MB, continues to maintain a commendable level of monthly activity. According to extensive data, as of July, it boasts over 1.1 million Monthly Active Users (MAU), clearly demonstrating its impressive user engagement.

If walking the dog means going outside, and having a cat involves cleaning the litter box, then perhaps it's time to adopt a mobile pet that's always by your side. Gazing at that tiny, exclusively yours companion on your desktop, it seems that the sudden waves of loneliness have found solace within the confines of that small screen.

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