How Reverb Helped Wuthering Waves Build Launch Momentum, Earn Awards Recognition, and Expand to PS5

Intro

When Kuro Games prepared to launch Wuthering Waves in May 2024, the goal was ambitious: establish the game as a serious competitor in the gacha market and build the kind of visibility needed to compete for major industry recognition.

Reverb was engaged to help drive that launch through strategic PR, press relationships, awards campaigning, and later, the PS5 launch alongside the Version 2.0 update. The campaign helped Wuthering Waves generate sustained media visibility, secure major awards recognition, and introduce the game to a broader console audience.

The Challenge

Wuthering Waves entered a highly competitive market with clear leaders like Genshin Impact already established in the gacha space. To break through, the campaign needed to do more than announce a new title. It needed to position the game as a major genre competitor, earn meaningful media attention, and build credibility with players, press, and awards bodies.

Kuro Games also had a stretch goal: secure a nomination at The Game Awards. Spoiler Alert: we achieved that goal with a nod for Best Mobile Game. 

After launch, the campaign expanded with the PS5 release in early 2025, which arrived alongside Version 2.0, the game’s biggest content update to date. That created a second major opportunity to reach a new audience of console players through preview and review coverage.

Reverb’s Approach

Reverb built the campaign around three connected priorities: launch visibility, press credibility, and awards recognition.

For the initial launch, Reverb leveraged its experience in the games market and established press relationships to help position Wuthering Waves as a major new entry in the gacha genre. The team focused on driving awareness through earned media, maintaining momentum beyond launch, and supporting the game’s awards campaign.

For the PS5 release and Version 2.0 update, Reverb helped Kuro Games reintroduce Wuthering Waves to a new audience. The team secured preview and review opportunities tied to the console launch, helping extend the campaign beyond the original mobile and PC audience.

The Results

The campaign helped Wuthering Waves earn major industry recognition, including a nomination for Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards and finalist placement in Players’ Voice.

The game also received recognition across several additional awards programs, including:

• Winner, Mobile Game of the Year — Gaming On Phone
• Winner, Best Audio/Visual Accomplishment — Mobile Game Awards
• Nominee, Game of the Year — Pocket Gamer
• Winner, Best PC Game — Google Play Japan
• Nominee, Mobile Game of the Year — D.I.C.E. Awards
• Nominee, A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game — New York Game Awards

As of March 10, 2025, Muck Rack verified outlet metrics from the campaign included:

• 9,997 total articles
• 34,293 total engagement
• 58 journalist shares

Coverage and visibility included outlets such as IGN, PocketGamer.com, Sportskeeda,, MSN, and PocketGamer.biz, with coverage spanning reviews, awards recognition, trailers, and major game milestones.

Key Highlights

The campaign contributed to meaningful visibility across launch, awards, and platform expansion moments.

Wuthering Waves secured a Best Mobile Game nomination at The Game Awards, meeting Kuro Games’ stretch goal for major awards recognition. The game also earned a Players’ Voice finalist placement, helping reinforce player interest and market relevance.

Reverb’s work also helped support the PS5 launch and Version 2.0 update with preview and review coverage, giving the campaign a second major beat and helping introduce the game to console players.

Why It Worked

The campaign worked because it was built around sustained credibility rather than one-time awareness.

Reverb’s strategy connected launch PR, awards positioning, and platform-expansion coverage into a longer campaign arc. That approach helped Wuthering Waves remain visible beyond its initial launch window and created additional opportunities for press and awards recognition.

The campaign also focused on audiences most likely to cover or play the game: games press, mobile gaming audiences, gacha players, and later, console players evaluating the PS5 release.

By combining category knowledge, press relationships, and awards campaign execution, Reverb helped Kuro Games build momentum around a new IP in a competitive market.

Planning a launch, major update, platform release, or awards campaign? 

Reverb helps studios and publishers build the right strategy, reach the right audiences, and turn campaign momentum into measurable visibility. Contact Reverb to discuss your next launch campaign.