PopCap Launches Pirate-Themed Bejeweled Legend, But Only in Japan

Game developer PopCap is following up on its phenomenally popular Bejeweled game – which has more than 500 million downloads worldwide thus far – with a sparkly, new Japan-only version called Bejeweled Legend. Released today for iOS and Android, it’s tied to the GREE (TYO:3632) social gaming platform and brings a pirate theme to the popular puzzle game.

We already know that Japan’s social/mobile gaming platforms are monetizing masters, so it should be no surprise that this new Bejeweled Legend is free and features a whole host of in-app purchase options. True, this isn’t the kind of card battle game that’s proving so profitable amongst Japan’s casual gamers right now, but expect some strategic jewel purchasing – from flame gems to hypercubes – to bring in a lot of loot for both PopCap and GREE.

To go along with the pirate theme, the game has has some sea-faring adventures and seven mythic creatures of the deep serving as end-of-episode bosses. It also promises all-new characters, music, and effects. This is the first time that PopCap has self-published a game in Japan, so the U.S. studio is clearly making an effort.

Inevitably, there’ll be some disappointment amongst global fans of the game that this is currently limited to Japan, both at the geotarded download and mandatory GREE login stages. But it’s very likely that Bejeweled Legend will eventually take to the high seas and become available internationally.

Just last month, PopCap made the same kind of maneuver to work with China’s Tencent to launch a special version of everyone’s favourite brain-munching monster game, which got the name Plants vs Zombies Great Wall Edition.

So, if you use the Japanese app stores and have a GREE login, grab Bejeweled Legend right now on Google Play, or it’ll soon appear on the iTunes store.