Sword Art Online: Unleash Blading

VS

The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War

Sword Art Online: Unleash Blading is a mobile RPG by Bandai Namco released in late 2019. While it leveraged the popular SAO anime IP and initially saw strong downloads, it is now over 4 years old—a lifespan where mobile anime RPGs typically experience significant playerbase decline unless they remain breakout hits. Bandai Namco's ongoing support keeps a modest, mostly niche community engaged, but overall activity is much lower than at launch.

The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War is a licensed mobile RTS/strategy game by NetEase, released in late 2021. While initial launch interest was strong thanks to the IP and solid marketing, typical player retention for mobile strategy games stabilizes at a lower active base over time. NetEase titles perform well in Asian and international markets but generally see gradual decline after 2-3 years. As a mobile-focused, session-based game (not a full persistent MMO), it likely maintains around 70,000 daily active players globally by mid-2024.