{"id":39754,"date":"2023-12-01T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-01T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.xtremeservers.com\/blog\/how-kartrider-drift-teamed-up-with-blackpink-for-the-ultimate-k-pop-crossover\/"},"modified":"2023-12-01T17:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-12-01T17:00:00","slug":"how-kartrider-drift-teamed-up-with-blackpink-for-the-ultimate-k-pop-crossover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.xtremeservers.com\/blog\/how-kartrider-drift-teamed-up-with-blackpink-for-the-ultimate-k-pop-crossover\/","title":{"rendered":"How Kartrider: Drift Teamed Up With Blackpink For The Ultimate K-Pop Crossover"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Summary<\/h3>\n
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  • Blackpink comes to KartRider: Drift <\/em>with specially designed characters, karts, and cosmetics<\/li>\n
  • Mainstream collaboration aims to catapult the KartRider <\/em>franchise to new players<\/li>\n
  • Interview with KartRider: Drift <\/em>director Jaewoo Seo to discuss the why, how, and what of the collaboration<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n

    The Kartrider franchise is almost 20 years old, and what better way to celebrate than with the biggest collaboration the series has ever seen, with Blackpink entering the fray in KartRider: Drift<\/em>?<\/p>\n

    That\u2019s right, K-pop sensations Blackpink are joining KartRider: Drift<\/em> for Season 5, hitting the tracks and burning rubber with a Blackpink collab exclusive supercar. From headlining Coachella music festival to hitting number 1 on the UK and US album charts, Jisoo, Jennie, Rose, and Lisa have done it all. And now, they\u2019re donning racing gear in KartRider: Drift<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    To mark the occasion, I spoke to the director of KartRider: Drift<\/em>, Jaewoo Seo, to get a bit of insight into the thinking behind the collaboration.<\/p>\n

    Behind the Scenes<\/h2>\n

    Getting one of the most popular K-pop groups in the world involved in your game is no easy task, so the success of the collaboration really shows just how far the franchise has come.<\/p>\n

    \u201cAs the original game was loved by players for a long time, we\u2019re always thinking about what collaborations would provide users with new kinds of enjoyment,\u201d Seo says. \u201cThe enormous popularity of the game \u00a0<\/em>in Korea, along with the global superstardom of Blackpink, offers the perfect opportunity to spread the KartRider: Drift <\/em>word around the world. The global audience really resonates with the phenomena of Blackpink. The fact that the game IP is loved by so many people in Korea was the foundation to making this collaboration happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The Design Process<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    From there, it\u2019s all about the teamwork between the partner and the KartRider: Drift <\/em>team. Seo says there\u2019s a lot that both teams have to get right, from the deal being signed right up to seeing Blackpink in-game.<\/p>\n

    \u201cOnce a collaboration partner is selected, we create in-game assets such as characters and karts through a collaborative process involving planning, art, business decisions, and marketing material to ensure that the assets are created in a way that utilizes the partner brand\u2019s image and strengths, and blends seamlessly with KartRider: Drift<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

    It isn\u2019t just about creating a couple of characters and karts, though. To bring Blackpink to life in KartRider: Drift<\/em>, the team had to dig deeper into the individual personalities of the band members. That\u2019s what drew fans to Blackpink, after all.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe didn\u2019t just create game characters similar to each Blackpink member,\u201d Seo explains. We worked hard to analyze their characteristics, habits, mannerisms, and tastes so that we can incorporate them into the game characters.\u201d<\/p>\n

    There also has to be constant contact with YG Entertainment, the IP holder, to ensure that KartRider: Drift<\/em> is creating the characters, karts, decals, emotes and other assets according to the original Blackpink vision, too. It takes a lot to represent pop stars properly, so with this particular collaboration, communication is key.<\/p>\n

    Blackpink in-Game<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    So, how does the biggest girl group in the world actually look in KartRider: Drift<\/em>? As mentioned, the team worked hard to get not only the style of Blackpink right, but the vibe<\/em>, too.<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s how it came out. Pretty good, right?<\/p>\n

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