K-Pop Meets Gaming: Discover ‘SMiniz’ – The New Mobile Puzzle Game Launching in 2024

Kakao Games is accelerating its efforts to boost brand recognition for its upcoming title “SMiniz” by expanding local user engagement through offline events, the company announced on February 10.

“SMiniz” is a mobile casual game featuring miniature characters (Miniz) resembling SM Entertainment artists. Players solve match-3 puzzles alongside their favorite characters. The game is slated for official release in the first quarter of this year, with Kakao Games handling global publishing and service, Meta Bora developing the game, and SM Entertainment providing intellectual property from their affiliated groups.

In the lead-up to the launch, Kakao Games orchestrated a digital fan engagement event prior to the SMTOWN concert in Fukuoka. The company offered concert tickets through a lottery to users who followed the official “SMiniz” social media accounts.

From January 31 to February 1, Kakao Games set up an interactive “SMiniz” booth outside the SMTOWN concert venue in Fukuoka. The booth featured a dedicated play area where concertgoers could test out the game on provided devices.

The company also launched a pre-registration event on Google Play and the App Store, rewarding participants with exclusive Miniz character stickers and photo cards.

The two-day event saw impressive engagement, with 1,220 people trying out “SMiniz” and 1,030 signing up for pre-registration.

A Kakao Games spokesperson highlighted Japan’s robust market for K-pop fandom and casual gaming. “We’re planning to extend the in-game experience to offline spaces and host events where fans can directly engage with ‘SMiniz,’ aiming to increase its visibility in the market,” the representative stated.

Reported by Sam Seo (seosk@dailygame.co.kr)