Doro went to visit the Statue of Liberty as part of a marketing campaign for NIKKE’s latest update. But why? And who exactly is Doro?
Only in NYC would a giant inflatable anime blob from a Korean mobile game float down the Hudson River. Meet Doro, the unexpected mascot taking over the city as part of NIKKE’s latest update marketing campaign.
But who or what is Doro, and why is she on the Hudson River?
It all ties into the game's latest update Boom! The Ghost! which dropped on July 17. NIKKE's South Korean developers Shift Up - who are also behind the smash hit Stellar Blade - are keen to drive interest around this year's summer update, and North America is a major region for the game's popularity.
Doro is a beloved fan-made creation which the developers have tapped into. It is of course, not the first inflatable game character. Back in 2022, Chinese developer MiHoYo did a similar activation using a 6-meter inflatable of their character Paimon on the River Thames in London. However, Doro is not only larger in scale but also let's be honest, more fun.
Doro's tour of the Hudson River is part of the DoroFamily's Summer Tour which runs from July 18 to July 19. A similar "HELLO, AMAZING, DORO TOUR" will take place in Osaka, Japan, from July 19 to July 20.
Event Schedule: DoroFamily's Summer Tour Hudson River
The Giant inflatable Doro will be travelling up the Hudson River on Friday July 18 and 19. Developer Shift Up shared the exact schedule for her trip on social media if you wanted to catch a glimpse of the inflatable Doro mascot.
Friday, July 18th
Time | Location |
|---|---|
| 2:00 PM | Barge Sets Sail from Staten Island |
| 2:45 PM | Statue of Liberty |
| 4:00 PM | Hudson Yards |
| 5:00 PM | The Battery |
| 6:00 PM | Brooklyn Bridge |
| 7:00 PM | Statue of Liberty |
| 8:00 PM | Barge Returns to Staten Island |
Saturday, July 19th
Time | Location |
|---|---|
| 9:00 AM | Barge Sets Sail from Staten Island |
| 10:00 AM | Brooklyn Bridge |
| 11:00 AM | Statue of Liberty |
| 12:00 PM | Brooklyn Bridge |
| 2:00 PM | Barge Returns to Staten Island |
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How to participate in Doro campaign to win prizes
Fans who share photos or videos on social media of the giant inflatable Doro mascot using the hashtag #NIKKEDoro can qualify themselves for a chance to win limited edition merchandise.
The limited edition merchandise includes Acrylic Standees for the swimwear outfits of Dorothy, Elegg, Sakura, Helm and Anis.
Limited Edition DoroFamily's Summer Tour merch:
- Acrylic Standees
- Doro Sticker Pack
- Doro Ice Cube Tray
Who or what is Doro in Goddess of Victory: NIKKE?
Doro - aka ‘Dororong’ or ‘Doro-chan’ - started as a fan meme blending the head of Dorothy, a psychotic NIKKE character, with an innocent, blob-like chibi body. The quirky combo caught on fast, turning Doro into the game’s unofficial mascot.
Doro has since become an unofficial mascot of Goddess of Victory: NIKKE, with South Korean developers Shift Up embracing her. Doro made it into the recent Stellar Blade x NIKKE collab, and featured in official marketing campaigns as inflatable Doro-shaped balloons. Plus pre-orders are now available for a Doro Series Blind Box, $15 each.
Doro is also an upcoming highly customizable action figure in Japan, after hobby goods giant AmiAmi collaborated with Snail Shell. The poses all drawn from popular Doro memes online.
It's hard not to love Doro, and it's proof of the power of a developer being in-tune and in touch with their own community.
