How Tilting Point and AN Games are taking on the 4X strategy space with Avatar: Realms Collide

• The studio has been given the freedom to introduce original storylines expanding the Avatar universe, as well as bring back original voice actors.
• Approximately 25% of Avatar: Realms Collide’s revenue comes from its direct-to-consumer web shop.
• The 4X strategy title has reached more than 3.6 million installs to date.

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Last year, publisher Tilting Point and developer AN Games launched Avatar: Realms Collide, licensing the popular Avatar Legends franchise as a launchpad to enter the highly competitive 4X strategy space.

The IP includes shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. As well as TV, the franchise stretches across film, books and games, too.

Just over a year after the release of Realms Collide, we caught up with project director Junhyoung Lee to discuss how the studio approaches live ops for the title and what it’s like working on such a big licence, through which they’ve been given the freedom to tell new stories and bring back the original voice actors.

PocketGamer.biz: How has Avatar: Realms Collide’s first year been and has it met expectations?

Junhyoung Lee: It’s been an incredibly rewarding year, being able to get the game into the hands of Avatar fans and experiencing their passion firsthand.

Over our first year of live service, we’ve learned a tremendous amount from how players engage with the game, what they love, what they want and how they play and have worked hard to deliver an experience that reflects that.

We’re deeply grateful to the community for their patience, feedback and continued support as we’ve grown together.

What is it like working with a licence and what opportunities and challenges does working on an IP like Avatar bring?

Meeting the diverse expectations of our fans has been a core challenge, particularly in translating the spirit of the IP into a 4X gameplay format while preserving its authenticity.

We’ve continuously worked to deliver a high-quality experience across a wide range of mobile devices and network conditions, with ongoing efforts in optimisation and performance improvements.

We’ve also invested heavily in reimagining the dynamic, visually striking bending action, adapting it to feel true to the source material from the show while working within the constraints of mobile and the 4X perspective.

How challenging is launching a new game in the current mobile market and how have you approached marketing the game? The 4X strategy space in particular is fiercely competitive.

The 4X strategy space is highly competitive, dominated by long-standing titles with deeply entrenched and loyal player bases, making it a difficult market for new entrants to break into. However, through this incredible Avatar IP, which is beloved by millions of fans across the world, we have been able to find our place within the 4X genre. 

Through strong social execution and targeted UA rooted in the characters and tone fans love, we’ve successfully reached Avatar audiences, further amplified by partnerships with original voice actors and close collaboration with Nickelodeon and Avatar Studios, to engage fans where they already are.

Because we’re reaching Avatar fans who may be new to 4X gameplay, the team has prioritised authenticity across every element, from characters and environments to dialogue and themes, while introducing original storylines that expand the universe.

At the same time, we’ve worked to make the gameplay approachable without sacrificing depth, resulting in a true 4X experience that appeals both to franchise fans and to strategy players discovering the IP for the first time.

How has the game evolved since launch?

Since launch, we’ve continuously evolved the game by bringing iconic elements and events from the Avatar universe into live in-game experiences, while steadily expanding our progression systems.

We’ve introduced a wide roster of characters from Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, along with their companions, and strengthened the core 4X experience through deeper, alliance-driven gameplay.

A key addition has been MGM (Murong’s Grand-Melee), our cross-server alliance war feature, which enables alliances to compete at scale and showcase their strength in high-stakes battles.

How big is the team currently handling live ops on Avatar: Realms Collide and how does this compare to the game’s pre-release development phase? 

The Avatar: Realms Collide live service team at AN consists of approximately 60 members, with no significant changes in team size before or after launch, enabling a stable and consistent live service operation. 

What are the biggest challenges Avatar: Realms Collide has faced since launch? And what are your biggest learnings to date from development and live operations?

Given the nature of live online games, our biggest challenge has been maintaining service stability and ongoing optimisation while simultaneously delivering a steady cadence of new content.

At the same time, we’ve worked to continuously evolve the experience to meet the expectations of Avatar fans while keeping pace with evolving trends.

What is your approach to in-game events and updates? I.e. How often are you running small and big events, releasing content updates, etc, and how is your team set up for this?

We structure our in-game events around a bi-monthly cadence for seasonal content, complemented by quarterly releases that introduce new features and expand existing systems.

Each initiative is supported by dedicated internal task forces that drive focused development and ensure consistent delivery.

Are there any KPIs such as downloads, revenue DAU, retention etc. that you’re willing to share?

While we don’t share specific KPIs, we’ve seen strong and steady growth across key metrics since launch, particularly in player engagement and retention.

We’re especially encouraged by the depth of player investment in both the game and its systems, as well as the continued expansion of our audience.

To date, the game has reached over 3.6 million installs, reflecting strong interest from both Avatar fans and strategy players alike.

How significant is the revenue you generate from web stores? How important is this for Avatar and what’s your strategy for this?

Our web shop has become an increasingly important part of our monetisation strategy and a growing revenue channel over the course of our first year in live operations.

As more players have discovered the web shop and grown comfortable making purchases outside the game, it now accounts for approximately 25% of monthly revenue.

What are your future plans for Avatar: Realms Collide?

In year two, we will evolve to become even more accessible, immersive and true to the Avatar universe. Our focus is on expanding reach through more casual-friendly systems, deepening player connection through authentic IP expression and driving long-term engagement through events, features and retention design.

A major highlight of what’s ahead is our upcoming Server vs. Server (SVS) mode, a large-scale, cyclical competitive feature where servers clash in an all-out, two-week battle every eight weeks to determine the strongest.

Players will leave their home servers to compete on a dedicated battlefield, fighting together for shared rewards, prestige and server-wide glory.

Beyond SVS, we’re introducing a range of new content and systems, including a defense mode, expanded seasonal events, new companions and equipment, as well as deeper progression through city expansion, research systems and new benders. 

We’re excited to continue building fresh, engaging experiences for Avatar fans around the world and we’re just getting started.