The derived multiplayer online game "Resident Evil Resistance," along with its officially licensed fan comics and novels, brought a massive influx of players to Resident Evil 2 across the nation.
Unsurprisingly, the hottest topic in the gaming world recently was none other than Resident Evil 2. With the DLC storyline for THE BOSS temporarily put on hold, leaving only routine balancing adjustments and bug fixes, John found himself with rare breathing room. Instead of diving straight into development, he began reflecting on both his personal life and the upcoming award season.
Not long after the launch of Resident Evil 2, John received official confirmation regarding the schedule for the annual game developer awards. Unlike traditional game awards, this event focused entirely on recognizing individual game developers rather than specific titles. Most nominees were leading figures whose work had defined the year. Although the award carried significant prestige within the industry, it remained relatively obscure among general players. There would be no live broadcast or promotional videos, only the final results published quietly on the official website.
Two days before the ceremony, John traveled to the location with Martel and a small group. The venue was set at an exhibition hall, a place typically reserved for major film and television award ceremonies.
Despite being labeled an "award event," it spanned three full days and included numerous activities such as industry lectures and knowledge-sharing sessions. After all, nearly every attendee was a prominent figure in the field. More than just a ceremony, this was a high-level gathering for exchanging ideas, covering everything from game design philosophy to market trends and future directions.
"This year's top title is practically yours already, President John," Martel said with a grin as they registered at the entrance.
Hearing this, John simply smiled, neither confirming nor denying it. In a situation like this, modesty would only come off as insincere. After all, looking at the year's releases, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim alone was enough to secure him the title, let alone the recent success of Metal Gear: Original Burst Point. Even though the official results hadn't been announced, almost everyone present already knew who the winner would be.
"Resident Evil 2 turned out great," John remarked as they walked. "It toned down the horror elements a bit, but the gameplay is far more refined than the original Resident Evil."
As for the daytime sessions, neither John nor Martel had much interest in attending. At their level, such events often became little more than staged admiration, one person speaking while others eagerly agreed. It lacked any real substance. After all, in this industry, success is often equated with being "right." The evening lectures, however, were worth attending. In fact, both John and Martel had been invited as guest speakers.
"Martel, President John…" Just as the two continued their conversation, someone called out from behind. They paused and turned.
"Byrum," Martel greeted warmly, a smile spreading across his face while John nodded in acknowledgment as well.
The man approaching them was Byrum from Gemtechs.
"I've played Resident Evil 2; it's excellent," Byrum said with a friendly smile. "Compared to your earlier series, the improvement is obvious."
He then turned to John. "And President John, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim is practically a textbook example for the industry. That long single-shot sequence in Metal Gear: Original Burst Point was astonishing. The fusion of cinematic storytelling and gameplay—honestly, I can't wait to experience Metal Gear Solid: Phantom Pain."
As one of the top producers in the industry, Byrum's success wasn't just built on technical skill; his interpersonal finesse was just as refined. Whether or not his praise was entirely genuine, his words were delivered with such polish that they naturally left a strong impression. After all, no one disliked hearing compliments.
Still, John remained grounded. He returned the smile, offering a few polite remarks before subtly shifting the tone.
The two exchanged a few more courteous remarks. When Byrum openly admitted he had borrowed ideas in his own work, John's impression of him improved further.
"It's only natural to learn from successful mechanics," John replied.
"True." Byrum nodded. "Although it feels like just a passing trend for now, this gameplay model definitely has deeper potential, much like the Gwent-style card systems in The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. It could even work well on current VR platforms."
He paused briefly before continuing, "Of course, VR still has its limitations. While hardware has become more affordable, performance has also been scaled back. Running large-scale AAA productions on current VR devices is still quite challenging."
"Lightweight, casual experiences are more suitable for today's VR," John agreed. "High-performance devices are too expensive, while affordable ones lack the power to handle complex games. It's an awkward middle ground."
"But that's the issue," Byrum added with a sigh. "Games like card or board-based titles are easy to develop for mobile platforms. On VR, their uniqueness isn't as strong."
He continued, a hint of regret in his tone. "I originally planned to integrate VR with AR, using specialized equipment to create a truly immersive experience. Imagine playing a strategy board game, but the battlefield appears directly in the real-world environment around you… like right here in this exhibition hall."
In the end, however, that feature had been cut. The concept was promising, but the cost was too high, and the reliance on specialized hardware made it impractical. VR combined with AR… projecting gameplay into reality?
As he listened, John fell into deep thought. Fragments of ideas began to surface in his mind, concepts inspired by memories of games and animations from another world. He recalled discussing VR experience halls with Armani before. Could those ideas be brought to life here? Perhaps these concepts didn't even need to rely solely on VR. They could be developed simultaneously across PC and mobile platforms, creating a shared ecosystem.
With thoughts colliding and evolving, countless possibilities unfolded in John's mind in an instant.