Goddess of Victory: NIKKE, developed by Shift Up and published by Level Infinite, has climbed back to No. 1 by revenue on Korea's App Store following a summer update that launched July 2. The game had cooled off after peaking with its 3.5-year anniversary update in May — this time, a season-length content drop alone was enough to push it back to the top within two months. The same update also landed NIKKE at No. 2 on the Japanese and Taiwanese App Store charts, a rare three-market showing.
What's in the Update
The summer content is branded "WAVE TO YOU" after its new story event. It bundles two limited SSR units, three new costumes, and a dedicated animation into a single drop.
| Component | Details | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Cinderella: Crystal Wave | Burst-DPS SSR, glass-slipper attacks + AoE burst | July 2–23 |
| Marciana: Marine Study | SSR that scales up as fewer enemies remain | July 9–30 |
| Three new costumes | Little Mermaid – Shell Princess and two others | Event duration |
| Story event | WAVE TO YOU (fully voiced) | Starts July 2 |
New Units — Cinderella and Marciana
Cinderella: Crystal Wave attacks with glass-slipper strikes and buffs her own attack power via burst skill to hit multiple enemies at once — a straightforward damage-focused SSR. Marciana: Marine Study takes the opposite design approach, growing stronger as the number of remaining enemies drops, making her a closer for cleanup phases. The two units' pull windows overlap by roughly a week, effectively forcing players to split their gacha currency between them.
Story and Animation — A-1 Pictures Involvement
The new story, "WAVE TO YOU," follows Marciana's group on a graduation trip and Cinderella's group searching for Hansel and Gretel, who cross paths by chance in a special sea zone after being pulled off course by a whirlpool. Embedded inside it is a special animation titled "OLD TALES," produced by Japanese studio A-1 Pictures — a full-animation cutscene, the kind of production value that subculture-game audiences track closely.
Why the Chart Comeback Happened
NIKKE hit its May revenue peak on the back of its 3.5-year anniversary update, then cooled during the content gap that followed. This summer drop used the standard live-service playbook — two swimsuit-themed units released in close succession to sustain spending — and it worked, translating directly into a chart rebound. The fact that a game past its third service year retook the top spot without a major anniversary event is drawing attention within the industry.
Community and Industry Reaction
Domestic gaming communities have praised the new costumes' production quality and the animation work, while also raising the usual criticism of the two units' gacha rates. Within the industry, NIKKE's ability to hold a stable revenue position amid intense subculture-genre competition is being cited as evidence of Shift Up's IP management strength.
GamePeak Summary
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Update name | WAVE TO YOU (summer season) |
| Start date | July 2, 2026 |
| Result | No. 1 on Korea App Store, No. 2 in Japan and Taiwan |
| Key content | 2 new SSR units, 3 costumes, A-1 Pictures animation |
Whether NIKKE holds its chart position through the rest of July will be the real test of how well this summer season is landing with players.