Editing Rhythm game (section)

=== Virtual idol rhythm games (2008–present) ===
Virtual idol rhythm games grew in popularity in Japan out of two different media segments. One was ''[[The Idolmaster]]'' series of games developed by [[Bandai Namco Entertainment]] first released as an arcade game in 2005. Initial games had players taking the role of a manager of rising stars (idols) managing their schedules through [[mini-game]]s, which include performing in auditions similar to a rhythm game approach. The other direction came from the introduction of the virtual idol of [[Hatsune Miku]] by [[Crypton Future Media]] for its line of [[Vocaloid]] sound synthesis software in 2007. Using Vocaloid, software users could have Miku mimic singing and dancing to the music created in Vocaloid, and many of these videos became popular on the Japanese media sharing site [[Niconico]]. The popularity of the Miku's videos led to other similar videos based on other popular characters including those out of the ''Idolmaster'' series.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-JRTB-18194 | title = Virtual Idol Makes American TV Debut on Letterman Show | first=  John | last=  D'Amico | date = October 10, 2014 | access-date = October 10, 2020 | agency = [[Associated Press]] | newspaper= [[The Wall Street Journal]] }}</ref>

The next ''Idolmaster'' game, ''[[The Idolmaster Live For You!]]'' in 2008, focused more on the performance mini-games, which led for most remaining games of the series to be virtual idol rhythm games. Similarly, as Crypton continue to expand on Miku and other virtual idols for Vocaloid, they expanded to licensing those idols for video games, collaborating with [[Sega]] to create the ''[[Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA]]'' debuting in 2009.

These games were initially mostly for consoles, but [[mobile game]] versions of these series appeared in 2012 (''[[Miku Flick]]'' for the Miku series) and 2013 (''[[The Idolmaster Shiny Festa]]''), and numerous mobile-based virtual idol rhythm games followed, such as ''[[Love Live!]]'', ''[[BanG Dream!]]'', ''[[Uta no Prince-sama]]'' and ''[[Ensemble Stars!]]''.<ref>[http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Multiformat/Miku+Flick/news.asp?c=39779 Sega releases Miku Flick rhythm game outside of Japan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817015511/http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Multiformat/Miku+Flick/news.asp?c=39779 |date=2017-08-17 }}, Pocket Gamer, April 11, 2012</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20170730001345/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-04-22/the-idolm%40ster-shiny-festa-games/anime-debut-in-english-on-ios The Idolm@ster Shiny Festa Games/Anime Debut in English on iOS], [[Anime News Network]], April 22, 2013</ref> Many of these games were freemium games based on existing anime or manga properties, and typically included [[Gacha game|gacha]]-type mechanisms to be profitable.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.engadget.com/2018-07-13-rhythm-games-in-japan-cygames-dena.html | title = Japan's rhythm game infatuation: Empty wallets, full hearts | first = Iori | last = Kusano | date = July 13, 2018 | access-date = October 10, 2020 | work = [[Engadget]] | archive-date = November 8, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201108092304/https://www.engadget.com/2018-07-13-rhythm-games-in-japan-cygames-dena.html | url-status = live }}</ref>