Due to a surge in demand from mobile game enthusiasts, one of Japan’s major publishing houses has been forced to quickly reissue an ancient literary work first published in 1321.
Similar to visual novels and anime, Fate/Grand Order presents fictional portrayals of historical and legendary characters that can be summoned by players for battle assistance. This popular mobile gacha game is consistently among the top three earning apps in Japan, having generated an astounding seven billion dollars in August 2023.
In an interesting turn of events, the appeal of Fate/Grand Order has gone beyond its status as a mobile game, significantly influencing the sales of The Divine Comedy, a renowned narrative poem penned by the esteemed Italian poet Dante Alighieri.
Gacha game increases sales of 14th-century book
Through a tweet posted via Twitter and translated by Automaton, the Japanese publisher, Kawade Shobo Shinsha, shared their immediate need for reprinting the timeless book due to popular demand.
Because of the high demand, our Japanese publisher has announced an immediate reprint of the complete edition of Dante’s ‘Divine Comedy’. Sales have skyrocketed by 130% compared to last year, which is probably attributed to the influence of Fate/Grand Order.
Though the book is priced at approximately $40 (5,900 yen), I get why individuals might prefer the comprehensive version. This is because it includes artwork akin to that found in the game.
【Breaking News】 It seems almost certain that the Fate/Grand Order effect album, Dante’s “Divine Comedy Complete Version,” has been suddenly decided for a remastered version.
Unexpectedly, it’s in a drought and when I calculated, it turned out to be an increase of 130% compared to the previous one. Even though the book is good, I ended up choosing the full-illustrated edition at 5,900 yen because Dro’s illustrations are also used in Fate/Grand Order.
I appreciate it. The release is expected around mid-June 🙏
— 河出書房新社 (@Kawade_shobo) June 5, 2025
Because Dante Alighieri can be summoned as a character in Fate/Grand Order, avid gamers have taken an interest in the original story, which is Dante’s Divine Comedy. This renowned work of literature is particularly noted for its vivid depictions of the afterlife, where it follows Dante’s journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven.
Ever since it was published in 1321, this timeless book has sparked creativity across various fields, including game developers, artists, musicians, and writers. For instance, Dante’s Inferno, a 2010 action-adventure game, demonstrates one such adaptation, making Fate/Grand Order not the inaugural video game to pay tribute to this classic literary work.
Man, I never thought a 14th-century book would see such a surge in popularity, but here we are! The fact that Fate/Grand Order has created such demand for its reprint speaks volumes about its enduring appeal.
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2025-06-11 14:48