Chapter 41: The Final Decision
As time passed, To the Moon's sales gradually increased. Meanwhile, many national media outlets closely following the event published articles.
"Unforgettable Love, To the Moon: A Game That Will Make You Cry!"
"Game Analysis: A Game That Moves You!"
"Can To the Moon Truly Be Considered a Sci-Fi Game, a Favorite to Win the Tournament?"
"A Game That Made Countless Strong Men Cry."
One week after the tournament began, it became clear which games would and would not compete for awards. Some games simply served as showcases, generating little buzz. However, by then, the games vying for awards were generally well-known to many players, including game designers in the industry.
The top prize contenders were To the Moon and Galaxy Heroes, a game from NetDragon's Firebird Studio. In the player selection category, To the Moon significantly outperformed Firebird Studio's Galaxy Heroes. However, it wasn't simply a player review; the official game department's evaluation was also crucial. While To the Moon had some advantages, it wasn't a landslide victory. So, they still had to wait to see how the official ratings would turn out.
Players had been endlessly discussing these two games online.
"The ultimate winner is undoubtedly To the Moon. I admit that To the Moon has a good story, but it doesn't even have gameplay, so how can it be considered a sci-fi game?"
"The top brass's vote says that To the Moon truly deserves the award!"
"Come on, what do you mean by gameplay? Can you translate it for me? Isn't the story a type of gameplay? Isn't the music a type of gameplay? Does fighting monsters and solving puzzles count as gameplay?"
"That's right. If To the Moon isn't considered a sci-fi game, then a lot of other games don't count. So let the game department eliminate them all."
"I'm not listening to you, idiot. Anyway, I'm voting for To the Moon."
"Haha, victory belongs to To the Moon!"
"That's right, To the Moon will take the final victory!"
"Hmm, what Galaxy Heroes? Look at that designer's name, 'Mark Stone.' Isn't that just a dream? Wanting the first prize? You'll probably only get it in your dreams!"
"Damn it, brother, your analysis is incredibly complicated!"
"So you're convinced that To the Moon and Galaxy Heroes have a clear winner? Are you belittling my Great Demon's Black Beast?"
"Hehe, although To the Moon and Galaxy Heroes currently have many more player votes than any other game, I have a feeling that Widowmaker Studios' 'Asha' will prevail."
"To the two above, it's not night yet. Please stop daydreaming and leave smoothly, okay?"
"+1, to the two above, leave smoothly!"
Each player had their favorites, and no definitive conclusion had been reached yet. Naturally, this was a fight for an advantage within the core communities. But, basically, everyone had their own opinions.
Compared to the various online discussions and heated debates, Alex was much more indifferent at the moment.
At Nebula Games' office.
Alex sat inside and made a call to inform the other party of the interview results. Candidates for art and music had already been found. As for numerical level design, he had interviewed several people, but none satisfied Alex.
"Alex, why aren't you anxious at all?" Lisa, standing beside him, watched Alex finish his call, get up from his chair, and walk around the office.
"Yes, it seems they'll announce the winners today, right?" Jane was also somewhat excited at that moment.
This was the third game she had participated in developing. As for the video game industry, she was no longer as clueless as she once was. As for becoming a book queen and then a cartoonist, she had forgotten all about it. Partly, it was because she felt the joy of video games. Partly, it was because Nebula Games was doing so well, so why would she keep thinking about comics?
"Even if I'm anxious, it's useless! The final result is not something I can control." After hearing what Lisa and Jane said, Alex was speechless.
Of course, he hoped to win the award, but the key was that it wasn't something he could decide, right?
"By the way, let's launch the mobile version of Undertale after the winners are announced today," Alex thought. "Based on the current trend, we're practically guaranteed to be in the top two. Whether we win the grand prize or not, there will undoubtedly be a lot of buzz. We can take advantage of it."
During To the Moon's participation in the competition, Nebula Games focused on two main areas of work. One was the mobile adaptation of Undertale, which was no big deal; it had already been completed some time ago. It was simply delayed until now to take advantage of the hype.
The other area was the formation of the Nebula Games team. In addition to the R&D team, Alex was also expanding. Other departments in the company were also expanding: Operations, Finance, Human Resources; the stage was practically set. And then there was the platform development team.
Although Nebula Games, in the eyes of most players, and even the video game industry, was still considered a small studio, from Mirror to Undertale and To the Moon, it hadn't produced major blockbusters, mainly small-scale indie games.
But for Alex, his ambitions didn't stop there. Undoubtedly, Nebula Games will expand into even broader areas in the future. The establishment of its own platform is the beginning of consolidating its foundations. As for whether it will attract the industry's attention, frankly, Nebula Games is a clear signal at this moment.
Even if To the Moon wins first place in this event, at most it will create buzz in the indie game community and consolidate its position in the broader gaming community. As for arousing the vigilance or even hostility of large video game companies, that's simply an exaggeration.
Furthermore, self-managed platforms are quite common. After all, establishing a platform isn't simply about building a distribution network. You also need the support of others and a solid fanbase. Second and third-tier companies, as well as many indie game developers and companies, especially those with established franchises and a strong fanbase, operate their own platforms.
After all, launching on a third-party platform requires paying someone else. On a self-managed platform, players buy on their own platform, and after taxes, the profits are pure gain.
Meanwhile, amidst a heated online discussion among players, the official game department's announcement sealed the deal.
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