The Missed Opportunity – Operation Apocalypse: A title that cancelled its own appointment

Operation Apocalypse was one of the highly anticipated titles that we were supposed to play this 2025, but it ended up slipping from our hands following its shutdown last year. Yes, that chapter is over, but even though we global players couldn’t get a hand on it, I want to share why Operation Apocalypse is a huge missed opportunity not just for the developers, but also for the gaming space.

The failure to reach the global audience

In a scenario where online multiplayer shooters are increasing in a huge number, few titles managed to capture the attention of fans quite like NetEase’s Operation Apocalypse before release. Announced with much hype as a successor to the ill-fated Hyper Front from NetEase Games that shut down in 2023, I wouldn’t be wrong to say this was supposed to be the best 5v5 sci-fi shooter on mobile.

Operation Apocalypse had all the hallmarks of a potential hit. The game embraced a unique Chinese culture-inspired theme, featuring diverse hero roles, tactical team gameplay, and competitive modes. Now positioned as a head-to-head competitor to Valorant Mobile, however, the resemblance to Valorant was enough for Hyper Front to bring legal issues onto its back, but Operation Apocalypse seemed to follow a more deliberate course. 

Since it was coming from the same makers as Hyper Front, one would think they would have learned from their mistakes and would capitalize on the audience and expand it. The pre-registration numbers in China hinted at strong initial interest, and even globally, there was hype.

However, in a turn of events that echoed its predecessor’s unfortunate demise, Operation Apocalypse shut down on December 12, 2024, without even reaching an audience other than China. This, for me, was the first missed opportunity, and actually, the biggest mistake of everything that unfolded.

What could have been done better

I can’t help but feel that NetEase Games could have taken a more global-first approach. While focusing on the Chinese market made sense initially, since the makers themselves are from there, delaying or neglecting a global launch has been a misstep in many cases if you ask me. A wider testing phase could have brought a larger player base, and our feedback intake would have been very helpful.

Another area where the game faltered was in its distinctiveness. Yes, I did mention why Hyper Front was shut down, but here me out, again. While inspired by Chinese culture, Operation Apocalypse still drew inevitable comparisons to Valorant. This was because the core of the game was the same, the 5v5 shooter. Something apart from the theme could have been done.

Additionally, communication with players might have played a role in saving this game. As a local company, failure to know the changes Frequent updates about development, pre-planned roadmaps, and a marketing strategy in the global space can often bridge the gap between a game’s potential and its actual performance. I felt they didn’t even bother to launch this worldwide given the lack of social media interaction.

A disappointing end to an untapped vision

It’s disappointing to see a game with so much potential fade away before even stepping onto the global stage. I could be wrong, but it feels like a combination of strategic missteps, market pressures, and unmet expectations doomed Operation Apocalypse to an end.

The decision to shut down Operation Apocalypse may have made sense from a business perspective, but it also represented a missed opportunity to grow the brand and connect with a wider audience. Or maybe it was an outcome of a dispute between NetEase Games and Riot Games for a potential IP infringement, which has a very low chance.

In the end, we are left with an empty spot where Operation Apocalypse could have stood, a title that promised much and got our hopes up but ultimately failed to realize its full potential. Let’s hope that future NetEase Games’ projects learn from this and bring their vision to fruit in a way that satisfies both the developers and the mobile gaming community.

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