On December 7th, the two-day DNFU2025 Carnival came to an end on the west coast of Shanghai. The warm winter sunshine ignited the enthusiasm of the warriors, and the crowd surged on site. Over the past two days, tens of thousands of people have participated, creating a lively atmosphere.
This annual event with the theme of “DNFU” not only restores the classic scenes of the Arad continent, but also immerses players into an imaginative cross dimensional parallel universe through online and offline linkage. The concept of DNFU (Dungeon&Fighter Universe) made its debut, marking the comprehensive evolution of DNFIP from a single game to a diverse universe – it is both a “portal” connecting virtual and reality, and an open world co created by players.
01 Realistic Reproduction of the West Coast: A Dreamy Journey Through Aladdin
Entering the carnival scene, players are instantly transported to another world. The ‘Sky City’ towers into the clouds, with a long queue at Kelly’s weapons store, and every corner of the West Coast Main Street faithfully reproduces the scenes from the game. The almost 1:1 realistic replica allows players to no longer be bystanders, but rather brave warriors who “soul pierced” Arad.
What’s even more surprising is that this event is not just about restoring the scenery, but also a deeply interactive immersive space – here, more than 30 real NPCs replicate the game’s classic images. Players can not only take simple photos to check in, but also have conversations with NPCs to take on exclusive tasks, as if they have truly stepped into the touchable and interactive continent of Arad.
Help me deliver a message to Daphne, “said the real NPC playing Roger to the player. After taking over the task, the player walks through the bustling crowd and follows the memory of the Arad NPC to find the target NPC to deliver the message. In front of the blind box booth of the earthen jar, winning the victory of the earthen jar doll is no less exciting than clearing the opening team in the game.
What’s more, the ‘West Coast Beauty Ceiling’ Lolian has left warriors racking their brains! As the self proclaimed most beautiful woman on the West Coast, waiting for the warriors to touch her heart with the most unique praise, for a moment, the air on the West Coast was filled with various words of praise.
In addition to fun interactions with NPCs, there are also various challenges hidden throughout the block: Kelly’s special training that requires precise techniques, immersive tasks such as allowing players to choose lineups and collect Direg’s phantom fragments, making every corner of the block full of exploration fun. Everyone naturally continued the task, shuttling and communicating in the scene, completely immersed in this cross dimensional adventure. Long queues form at every task point, and the foot traffic continues to soar.
Through live action performances and RPG gameplay, those pixel characters from memory have become tangible entities, and Shanghai West Bank has been designed as a “real Arad world” where one can walk and participate firsthand. It is not difficult to see that when DNF is upgraded to DNFU, the focus of offline experience has shifted from showcasing technology to conveying IP culture.
02 Four Games on the Same Stage: Expanding from Gameplay to IP Upgrade
After completing the block task, of course, there is no shortage of “entering the map” practice. The trial area is well-organized this time. The PC game, mobile game, single player masterpiece “Dungeon&Fighter: Kazan” and a new fighting game “Four Games on the Same Stage” present different aspects of the world of Arad.
The most eye-catching is undoubtedly DNF’s first 3D single player action RPG, Dungeon&Fighter: Kazan, which not only expands the IP gameplay, but also supplements DNF’s worldview. Players will visit the Perus Empire from a 3D perspective and personally control the “Ghost Swordsman Ancestor” Kazan to embark on a path of revenge, experiencing the colder and deeper side of the Arad world in the game.
The three rendering and two comic style art of its UE4 engine, coupled with the smooth and satisfying hand feel of boxing to flesh, not only expands the narrative dimension of the DNF universe, but also confirms the infinite potential of IP in gameplay and worldview. It demonstrates that the DNF universe is becoming increasingly rich, revealing the depth of IP that can be mined. From simple gameplay to complex worldview construction, DNF is completing the upgrade from gaming to the universe.
03 West Coast Market: Bringing ‘Hutton Mar Stall’ to Reality
I’m tired of “brushing pictures”, and when I go out, I’m greeted by the bustling West Coast market. The official has contracted an entire street to create a secondary innovation exhibition stage for players, providing not only high-quality booth construction but also comprehensive supporting services, setting a record for the largest scale in history.
More than 30 players have transformed into West Coast vendors, selling their own designed fan props and merchandise. From exquisite figurines and paintings to creative props, all embody players’ love for DNF, with alternating performances by COS groups and underground city bands, presenting a more diverse and vibrant player cultural experience.
From a secondary artist to a master craftsman, from COSER to a game host, every circle can find a sense of belonging here. Everyone loves to sit around and chat, exchange experiences, and the market is filled with the unique “fireworks atmosphere” of DNF players, just like the comfortable time of walking back to the city after brushing the abyss and chatting with close friends side by side. The booming market transactions on site have also driven the income growth of surrounding catering, transportation and other related businesses, forming a virtuous consumption cycle.
And all of these cannot be separated from DNF’s deep understanding of player culture, as well as its emphasis and respect for the player ecology of various circles, making the marketplace not only a display space for secondary innovation, but also a small world where warriors gather with love.
04 Snowman Market: A Diverse Window for Cross border Co creation
If the “West Coast Market” is an “internal team building” for players, then the “Snowman Market” is a “diverse window” for DNFU to expand into the real world. This place gathers diverse participants such as universities, well-known brands, and public welfare organizations. The large number of tourists not only brings considerable exposure and sales conversion to the cooperative brand, but also effectively drives the surrounding commercial ecology.
In the university exhibition area, the “Miracle Fitting Mirror” of Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology uses AR technology to instantly transform players into game characters. The “Miracle Sewing Machine” on the side collaborates with public welfare organizations to transform and regenerate idle clothes by incorporating DNF elements, achieving a combination of fashion and public welfare.
The cross-border linkage of DNF is not only at the physical level, but also extends to the field of social responsibility. The “Warrior Love Art Exhibition” showcases paintings of rural children and calls on players to participate in public welfare education. Many players stop here and quietly appreciate these sincere works. This sense of responsibility rooted in public welfare injects a humanistic warmth beyond the game itself into this IP.
DNF uses the “Snowman Market” to prove that DNFU is no longer limited to the product category, but has become a content platform that connects diverse cultures and takes on social responsibility.
05 Exclusive Memory: A Night Belonging to Every ‘U’
As night falls, the carnival lights up emotions with an immersive theater performance: stage plays recreate the growth trajectory of the first generation characters, and singers such as Nan Zhan Bei Zhan, A Si, Zhang Zihao, and Asia’s extraordinary talents use music to connect the adventure stories of players one by one.
In the end, Chen Xiaochun performed the classic song “Exclusive Memory” on stage, and the two-day carnival reached its climax in the chorus of the whole audience. Countless late night photo shoots and team building scenes have condensed into exclusive memories at this moment. As NPC Celia said, “No matter how the version is iterated, the exclusive memories belonging to DNF players will always be fresh. ”
The DNFU unfolding before us will be a more anticipated ‘new version’.
06 Conclusion
From realistic restoration to cross-border linkage, from hardcore content to public welfare practice, DNFU2025 Carnival is not only a tribute to classics, but also a bold exploration of the future of IP. As interpreted by the DNFU concept, “U” is both the universe and “YOU”, serving as a link between all players and creators.
This event not only generated a huge crowd on site, but also significantly boosted consumption in the surrounding commercial district, achieving both cultural and economic benefits. When the figures of countless warriors illuminate the night sky of the West Coast, this grand ceremony has already surpassed the scope of gaming and become an IP carnival for all warriors. In the future, as long as players’ passion remains, the DNF universe will continue to grow and write a new chapter of adventure for everyone.
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