Sanqi's New Game Breaks into Top 15 on Best-Seller Chart: Can Male-Oriented Power Fantasy Replicate the Myth of Female Protagonists?

Summary

After successfully launching "I Am the Boss" (叫我大掌柜) in 2021, Xiamen Yanqu and Sanqi Interactive Entertainment have reunited. Data shows that "The Heir" (赘婿), a male-oriented counterattack simulation management game developed by Xiamen Yanqu and published by Sanqi, entered the top 15 of WeChat mini-game best-seller chart shortly after its full launch on August 12, demonstrating strong revenue-generating ability. Beyond mini-games, the native app also performed well. According to Qimai data, "The Heir" topped the iOS download chart after its public launch and climbed to 83rd on the iOS best-seller chart, which is acceptable considering that the app is not its main battlefield. This raises the question: can male-oriented power fantasy become another potential hit sub-genre following the success of female-protagonist games? To answer this, we need to examine what "The Heir" has achieved. Visually, the game continues the Chinese-style art style of "I Am the Boss" while adding hand-drawn comics to blend the lively street scenes of Song Dynasty Jiangning with the humorous tone of the original web novel. Players play as a modern business genius who travels back to the Northern Song Dynasty, starting as a despised son-in-law and rising to become the richest man through managing shops, recruiting retainers, and engaging in business wars. This counterattack narrative aligns perfectly…