Effects of Character-Visual Changes on Revenue Ranking and Fan Creations in the Mobile Gacha RPG Wuthering Waves: A Case Study

Abstract

In gacha games, character appearance is considered an important factor influencing sales. This study examined whether body shape, degree of skin exposure, and specific areas of exposure of 16 limited-edition female characters from the mobile RPG Wuthering Waves contribute to iOS sales rankings and the volume of derivative fan content. The results showed no significant effect from overall visual appearance. However, an hourglass body shape was found to be associated with both metrics. This suggests that distinctive body proportions, rather than overall design, may more effectively stimulate short-term sales and creative fan activity.