Merge Mansion
| Merge Mansion | |
|---|---|
| File:MergeMansion promo.jpg | |
| Developer(s) | Metacore |
| Publisher(s) | Metacore |
| Platform(s) | Mobile Game |
| Genre(s) | Puzzle |
Merge Mansion is a mobile game for Android and iOS released in 2020. It is the first game by Metacore.[1] The company is based in Finland, as stated on Merge Mansion's YouTube channel about page.[2] As of August 16, 2021 it has been downloaded over 10 million times. In less than a year it generated $38.6 million.[3] However, the advertisements by Metacore in promotion for the game are what pushed Merge Mansion onto the map. The game was promoted with ads described as "weird",[4] "dramatic", "plot-driven", "interesting", and created for "virality".[5] The official gameplay soundtrack, titled "Merge Mansion (Official Gameplay Soundtrack)", was released on the April 16, 2022.[6][7] It featured 12 tracks.
Gameplay
Merge Mansion is a puzzle game where the player completes tasks as the character Maddie whose grandmother owns the mansion. At first, these are themed around home-improvement, housekeeping, and taking care of Maddie's grandmother.
Advertisements
Merge Mansion's advertising campaigns have received notable attention on the internet from famous YouTube content creators, such as Danny Gonzalez[8] and MatPat.[9] A series of live-action advertisements were created, hiring Kathy Bates as the actor of Grandma Ursula[10] and Grace Rex as the granddaughter Maddie.[11][12] Bates described the filming experience as "so much fun".[11] The advertisements were created in collaboration with W+K[13] and were directed by Jim Jenkins.[11] All advertising campaigns created have been posted to their YouTube channel, garnering more than 20 million views and 33,000 subscribers in total as of December 11, 2022.[2] It is unknown where the ads were filmed, but the mobile game advertisements were set in Montgomery County in Maryland, USA.[14]
The campaigns have not gone without criticism, however. Many have noted the similarities between the mobile game Lily's Garden's ads and Merge Mansion's. On top of this, it has been criticized that the gameplay is not true to the ads, having a gameplay comparable to Candy Crush. Even so, the game has been commended for having a similar storyline to the ads rather than no connection whatsoever (such as with Homescapes or Gardenscapes).[5] Despite all the criticism, Merge Mansion's campaign online is still going strong,[15] especially on social media site Instagram.[16]
References
- ^ "Metacore secures $179.9M in credit from Supercell for casual games". VentureBeat. 2021-05-05. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
- ^ a b "Merge Mansion - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
- ^ Forde, Matthew; Editor, Deputy. "Internet-obsessed Merge Mansion closes in on $40 million revenue". pocketgamer.biz. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
{{cite web}}:|last2=has generic name (help) - ^ "What Is Even Happening In These Video Game Ads, Help". Kotaku. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
- ^ a b "Why The Hell Are Mobile Game Ads So Damn Chaotic These Days?". Junkee. 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
- ^ music.amazon.com https://music.amazon.com/albums/B09X6TLTJ5. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Merge Mansion (Original Game Soundtrack), 2022-04-16, retrieved 2022-05-09
- ^ Merge Mansion Ads Are Movies Now, retrieved 2022-04-01
- ^ Game Theory: The Disturbing Lore of Merge Mansion, retrieved 2022-04-01
- ^ "Merge Mansion - Live Action - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
- ^ a b c "Director Jim Jenkins, W+K Visit Kathy Bates At Merge Mansion". SHOOTonline. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
- ^ "Those Wild "Merge Mansion" Ads Have Gotten the Live-Action Treatment With Kathy Bates". The Mary Sue. 2022-01-04. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
- ^ "Kathy Bates Is a Grandma With a Mysterious Past in W+K's Merge Mansion Campaign". Muse by Clio. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
- ^ Game Theory: The Disturbing Lore of Merge Mansion, retrieved 2022-04-10
- ^ Wedding Day - Merge Mansion, retrieved 2022-04-01
- ^ "Login • Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2022-04-01.
{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)