Japanese gacha game causes 700-year-old book to skyrocket in sales

One of Japan’s largest book publishers has had to “urgently” reprint a classic piece of literature published in 1321 after mobile game fans flocked to purchase it. 

Much like the visual novel and anime, Fate/Grand Order features fictitious depictions of historical and mythical characters who can be summoned to aid players in combat. The mobile gacha game currently ranks within the top three grossing apps in Japan, and famously made seven billion dollars in August 2023. 

However, Fate/Grand Order’s popularity has transcended the mobile game and impacted the sales of The Divine Comedy, a classic narrative poem written by the famous Italian poet Dante Alighieri. 

Gacha game increases sales of 14th-century book

Posting via Twitter and translated by Automaton, the Japanese publisher, Kawade Shobo Shinsha, explained why they “urgently” needed to reprint the classic book.

“Due to shortages, we have decided to urgently reprint Dante’s “Divine Comedy: The Complete Edition. Sales are up 130% compared to last year, likely due to the Fate/Grand Order effect.” Wrote the Japanese publisher.

“Even though the book costs 5,900 yen ($40), I can understand why people would choose the complete edition, as it features illustrations similar to those used in the game.”

With Dante Alighieri being a summonable unit in Fate/Grand Order, many hardcore players have become interested in the classic narrative poem. As for the book, Dante’s Divine Comedy is known for its imaginative descriptions of the afterlife, depicting Dante’s travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. 

Since its release in 1321, the classic book has inspired game developers, artists, musicians, and authors. The 2010 action-adventure game Dante’s Inferno is one such example, so Fate/Grand Order isn’t the first video game to show this classic piece of literature some love. 

Either way, it’s not every day that a 14th-century book needs to be “urgently” reprinted due to demand, which proves just how popular Fate/Grand Order truly is.