Wuthering Waves CBT Revenue Doubted — 'Closed Test With Barely Any Invitees Claiming 9-Figure Income? Are Kuro's Players All ATMs?'

A leaked claim about Wuthering Waves' (nicknamed 'Ming Chao' 明朝 by netizens — a pun mocking the game as just a 'fleeting ripple') closed beta revenue has sent NGA into full meltdown mode. The original poster alleges the internal test raked in nine-figure (hundreds of millions) RMB revenue, but the comment section erupted in near-universal disbelief. Accusations that a half-baked product was rushed to market for a quick cash grab only added fuel to the fire. The OP even admitted they don't really care about Wuthering Waves — they're just here to watch the drama unfold around game director Yu Zhong (翀子), dragging Girls' Frontline 2 into the mess along the way.

The core controversy lies in the blatantly contradictory sourcing. One top-voted reply cut straight through the noise: 'You can tell this is BS — Ming Chao's invite-only test supposedly earned 19 million RMB? Zero credibility.' Another commenter dug deeper: 'Two sources claim nine figures, one says eight figures... just grab popcorn and watch. But the gross profit from launch and Lunar New Year was only 20 million — they'll be tightening belts for the rest of the year. Company's about to go full cost-cutting mode again.' The implication is clear: Wuthering Waves' profit margins are razor-thin at best.

A memorable metaphor took root in the thread — 'Ferrari downgraded to Jeep Wrangler' (法拉利变牧马人) — used to illustrate the alleged sixfold revenue deflation. Someone did the math: 'A Ferrari costs 3 million+, a Wrangler costs 500K+. That's roughly a 6x shrink.' The analogy became the skeptics' most potent rhetorical weapon, perfectly capturing the gap between hype and reality.

Not everyone was doubting, though. One user pushed back with a personal anecdote: 'I believe the Wuthering Waves numbers — because I actually got my bonus.' This was widely interpreted as a Kuro Games (KL) employee speaking up, though no proof was offered. Rather than settling the debate, it only intensified the skepticism.

The debate over Wuthering Waves' ability to retain players was equally fierce. One commenter posed a pointed question: 'How is Wuthering Waves keeping players hooked? Through the meme-worthy Yinlin character with zero story content? Or that prison-like gear grind? At least from a hype perspective, the high retention and high spending numbers feel counterintuitive. Guessing test stats is pointless — just wait for launch. Winners pop champagne; losers take the L.' Another added: 'Reviews say the combat is decent, but farming artifact-equivalent gear in a gacha-style system just for that combat feel? Hard pass.'

The invite-only nature of the beta became the skeptics' strongest argument. A reply with heavy engagement read: 'Wuthering Waves' paid test was strictly invite-limited, and the pool was genuinely tiny. My Punishing: Gray Raven (战双) Discord with hundreds of members had fewer than 10 people get access — and we're supposed to believe the test generated massive revenue? Are Kuro's existing players all walking ATMs?' A follow-up comment went even harder: 'You think Kuro can take off with a 200-million-RMB marketing budget? Please. Yu Zhong spent 170 million fighting his own players, and look how that turned out' — drawing a parallel between Wuthering Waves and the Girls' Frontline 2 debacle.

The discussion even spilled over into speculation about the unreleased Girls' Frontline 2: Exilium (追放). One user vented: 'I don't care about Ming Chao. I just want to see the GFL2 show. When's the next chapter dropping? Is the story going to be watered down again? Did they even add new 4-star characters? Why keep recycling old faces — give us new ones so you can at least sell ship-bait openly.' On the rivalry between the two studios, one commenter noted: 'Some people just can't stand to see Kuro win. Can't help but laugh. But ask me if I play their games? Absolutely not.' Another quipped: 'Since Ming Chao is gunning head-to-head against Genshin, I bet miHoYo can't stand to see Kuro succeed either.' At the end of the day, most agreed: all will be revealed when Wuthering Waves officially launches in May.

As for the nine-figure claims, the comment section's consensus can be summed up in one line: 'Open with a mouth, revenue all made up' — a classic NGA quip meaning anyone can throw out numbers without proof. Both believers and doubters lack hard data. Some argue the 'rushed to market for a quick cash grab' narrative makes financial sense — pushing a half-finished product out before year-end 'feels like a desperate play to pad the annual report and reassure investors.' Others say speculating about beta stats is pointless: 'Just wait for launch. Winners pop champagne; losers take the L.'