Sorry, everyone, for not uploading these past few days. I have been busy with my job, so my attention is focused elsewhere.
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Face-to-face competition with others? It could be said that the opposing studio was directly under the shadow of giants. Fortunately, it remained an independent team beneath Moondustries' three major subsidiaries, and its lead developer was far from a newcomer. Even if their ideas were borrowed, most ordinary players wouldn't notice. With the foundation they had and the influence of Resident Evil behind them, John believed they were still capable of standing on their own. Otherwise, they would never have reached their current position. Their team's art direction and technical standards were already among the best in the country.
Backed by Moondustries' strength, funding was never their problem. The real reason they chose Resident Evil was to stir controversy, attract attention, and deliberately target the vast audience of casual players.
These players tend to try any popular title but refuse to pay upfront, firmly believing that games should be free. Yet, ironically, despite calling themselves non-spenders, the amount of money they eventually invest in certain free online games could easily purchase several full-priced AAA masterpieces.
Free-to-play games are often cleverly disguised traps. Moondustries and similar companies, along with other industry giants, operate precisely with this strategy. A free game first attracts players who "don't want to spend money." But as they invest more time and emotion, the silent cost of quitting begins to grow. Then come social features, leaderboards, and subtle pressures.
Next, a wave of in-app purchase systems appears. A new dungeon is released, difficulty spikes, and suddenly, ordinary players hit a wall. For just a small purchase, a convenient starter pack boosts their power, just enough to push them forward. That is how in-app purchase traps gradually tighten. Once someone starts spending, they often find themselves spending more.
This was also how Resident Evil Resistance operated, though John's design philosophy was more restrained than that of other studios, which directly tied spending to raw power, turning money into strength.
In Resident Evil Resistance, monetization leaned more toward charm and identity, stunning skins, stylish outfits, unique animations, iconic voice packs, dazzling effects, and everything that made players feel special.
Beyond that, PixelPioneers Studio's operations team followed the discount strategy John had devised earlier. Festivals such as Mid-Autumn, Dragon Boat Festival, National Day, as well as winter breaks, summer vacations, and New Year holidays, always bring massive sales events. Keys for supply crates and premium costumes could drop to shocking discounts, sometimes as low as 90% off.
However, crate keys were always limited. Each player could only purchase so many. As a result, large waves of players rushed to hoard keys, waiting patiently for the next exclusive crate release, hoping to obtain the exact item they desired.
"Take the stories of Chris, Wesker, Jill, and others. Integrate them into Resident Evil Resistance and release them as full narrative campaigns within a PVE chapter system," John told Armani.
His original plan was to publish those character arcs as DLC for Resident Evil 2 rather than turning them into multiple separate titles. But the sheer volume of story content was enormous. If compiled into DLC, it would essentially become a new game series in its own right.
After being 'provoked' by this new competitor, John's thinking shifted. Why limit himself to DLC at all?
A game developed by PixelPioneers Studio never achieved the global acclaim of Skyrim, yet it generated incredible revenue. Through overseas revenue sharing managed by UEGame, it brought in nearly $150 million monthly to PixelPioneers Studio's account. Many felt the studio had suffered losses due to overly generous discounts, especially during holiday events that doubled revenues.
Resident Evil Resistance was the cornerstone of PixelPioneers Studio's rise. There was no way John would let it stagnate. Today, Resident Evil Resistance has evolved into a thrilling multiplayer experience, with zombie modes, hide-and-seek, parkour challenges, and various unique gameplay styles.
Although a catastrophic PVE storyline existed, it still felt underdeveloped. Aside from skins and weapon cosmetics linked to Resident Evil, the game still lacked true narrative fusion.
"It's a solid strategy. But the quality must never suffer," Armani replied, nodding as realization dawned.
"Don't worry about quality. Even without Alien Crisis, I would never sacrifice craftsmanship for deadlines," John said with a smile.
Whether for PixelPioneers Studio's future or as a producer who respects games, he would never compromise on quality. Delays? If they meant delivering something better, then players deserved patience and a masterpiece worth waiting for.
"I'll handle it," Armani said firmly. Even if a solution wasn't guaranteed, he would try.
John nodded slightly. After Armani left, he browsed the flood of online criticism and saw his official page erupting again. He could only shake his head. He never intended to get dragged into so many issues, yet as PixelPioneers Studio grew, he had no choice but to shoulder more responsibilities, including managing the company itself. After all, hundreds of employees relied on him.
A while later, a deeper concern weighed on him. For Resident Evil Resistance… who would lead the development of the new Resident Evil story arc? He was already handling Metal Gear himself. Martel was busy developing Resident Evil 2. Neither could spare time, and the plan to counter Alien Crisis had to begin immediately.
The only fortunate aspect was that Resident Evil Resistance was already structurally complete. The main remaining tasks were art direction, narrative development, card systems, and balance tuning. John could oversee quality. But who would command the project? That was the question that truly troubled him.