Last week we reported that the number of startups based in the Chinese capital, Beijing, was dropping, and resolved to find web companies based outside of the usual startup hubs. Here’s another [1]: an app development studio that has so far churned out 25 iPhone apps, including one hit game in the form of Empire Glory (pictured right).
Set in the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history – as so many games are – Empire Glory is a complex strategy game with a good amount of citadel building thrown in. The ancient buildings have lots of nice details despite their tiny size on the screen.
The makers, LekuSoft are based in usually-chilly Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, in northeastern China. Jerry Lou is in charge of LekuSoft’s gradual foreign expansion, which so far is represented by just Empire Glory. But more are on the way:
The team has developed several upcoming iOS games, to be called “Crazy Texas,” “Glory Basketball,” and “Magic Stone” – due [to launch] in September.
LekuSoft staffers now total 50 individuals, Jerry says, with a focus on a mix of fun, random apps and a growing catalog of games. The apps – like Divining From the Book of Changes – tend to be paid, while a freemium approach is being taken for the games, with a bunch of in-app purchases available in Empire Glory so as to buy “gold” for your nation-building program. It seems a smart approach, as Chinese gamers are not too fond of buying apps, but are fairly likely to cough up some cash for in-app items.
For its games, the company has a storefront and community at 51leku.com.
Check out the international version of the free Empire Glory game on the iTunes App Store.
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Also see our story about the developers, aBit Games. ↩
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