【NetEase Gossip】Funding Controversy in Onmyoji Card Game: Artist's 'Passion Project' Claims Contradicted by Official Statement

Recently, the NetEase card game 'Onmyoji: The Card Game' sparked controversy over its character rework event. Players noticed that while characters like Qingfangzhu and Panguan simply reused existing skin assets for their reworks, Ibaraki Doji was given a brand new 'young' design. This discrepancy led to accusations of laziness and developer favoritism.

In response, the character artist revealed that the project team was struggling with a tight budget, leading the artist to design Ibaraki’s new look as a 'passion project' (working for free). This disclosure caused a stir. Shortly after, the official team issued a statement claiming the decision was 'not directly due to funding issues'—a phrasing that many players found suspicious.

The artist later took to Weibo to express gratitude for the opportunity, but accidentally fueled more talk by continuing to hint at the game's financial struggles in the comments—prompting fans to jokingly tell the artist to 'keep quiet to save the team some face.' In the NGA community, players expressed mixed feelings about the game, which is known for its excellent art but low market revenue. Many expressed hope that this 'little broken game' would survive, with some former players still cheering it on from the sidelines.