Chapter 76: Two New Games
Alex smiled at the bewildered staff and offered no explanation. Naturally, he had a reason for this request: it was related to one of the two games he planned to produce.
After confirming some basic details with the staff, Alex prepared to go to the exhibition cafeteria to grab a quick bite and then drive back to the office.
Just then, a familiar voice sounded from behind him: "Alex, you, Nebula Games, are also participating in this Gameplay Expo!"
Alex turned to look at Mark Stone, whom he had met last year at the Science Fiction Expedition. It was Nebula Games that contacted Alex when NetDragon was looking to acquire him.
"Yes, I've been invited," Alex nodded with a smile.
"Overcooked is performing exceptionally, especially the Creative Workshop in the new version; it's brilliant!" Mark Stone, with a smile on his face, launched into a shower of commercial praise.
Alex paused, momentarily confused by Mark's enthusiasm. Instinctively, he wanted to return the compliment. After all, when someone praises you, you have to return the favor, right?
But just as Alex thought this, he realized something a little awkward: he hadn't paid attention to any game the other party had developed since the Sci-Fi Tour.
"Hmm... Mark, same here! The third chapter of Galaxy Heroes is exceptional!" Alex paused for two or three seconds and then boasted with a smile.
The words sounded familiar, as if he had heard them before. Mark was stunned for a moment before he realized.
'Wait a minute! Wasn't that the same boast the other party had told him during last year's Sci-Fi Tour? Half a year has passed and you still remember me the same way!'
'You know? In recent months, he had lost to To the Moon in the Sci-Fi Tour, and he kept thinking about getting revenge.'
He even felt a pang of pain when NetDragon's investment department contacted him, hoping to be able to contact Nebula Games to discuss an acquisition. After all, he had already successfully participated in and led a major project for NetDragon, based on his previous second place in the Sci-Fi Tour.
But what if Nebula Games was acquired? Would they all become colleagues? And, more crucially, if Nebula Games became a subsidiary of NetDragon, the latter would have greater freedom in terms of status and resources than he did.
Luckily, the acquisition failed, as both parties did not reach an agreement. He had imagined countless meetings. He had imagined how to talk, how to start a conversation, and what tone to use.
But the most frustrating thing was when he saw someone as his arch-enemy, while the other person simply ignored him.
"Today you are indifferent to me, tomorrow I will surprise you!"
With a silent pep talk, Mark looked towards the exhibition area.
"This is your company's booth, Alex. Good! It's the largest in the indie games section, right?" Mark said with a surprised expression.
"Good," Alex replied with a polite smile.
"By the way, Alex, will you be bringing any new projects to the fair this time?" Mark asked.
"Based on the progress, we'll have two games available for testing during the fair." They weren't secrets; the fair was only two months away and everything would be ready, so Alex simply mentioned them.
"Really? Then I'll definitely be there to try your new games, Alex." Mark smiled brightly, with obvious anticipation.
"You're welcome. Mark, will you be bringing any new projects this time?" Alex asked.
Mark looked carefree, smiling. "Yes, lately I've been working on a major NetDragon project, and this fair is mainly focused on that."
They chatted for about ten minutes before parting ways.
Upon leaving the venue, Alex turned to look at Mark, who was still smiling and waving, with a hint of curiosity in his heart.
'This guy was being too enthusiastic. Would he really be a die-hard fan?'
Inside the exhibition hall, Mark was also filled with emotion.
"Oh, even though I really want to fight you, Alex, this is a completely unfair competition. The main attraction of this exhibition will be us, NetDragon."
"Two new games? Their launch might be complicated." Mark sighed.
How many times in the past few months had he imagined meeting Alex and how he would overcome the regret of losing first prize in the travel contest?
But now, in fact, he felt some compassion for Alex. It was his first time attending such a large exhibition, and he had put a lot of effort into preparing two new games, hoping to make a splash.
But bad luck had struck. NetDragon, which had its sights set on this year's exhibition, and Aether Games were also planning a major event. The war between these two industry giants had already affected Alex.
'It was fate!'
He had no idea what was going through someone's mind. After leaving the exhibition hall, Alex had lunch.
That afternoon, Alex returned to Nebula Games and began working on the conceptual designs for his next two games.
The next two games Alex was planning were: a strategy card game set in the Three Kingdoms era and a variety show-style platformer: Three Kingdoms Kill and Fall Guys.
Three Kingdoms Kill was possibly the simplest from a development perspective. Its core was gameplay and numerical values. Alex didn't even need [Memory Capsules] to know all the statistics.
As for Fall Guys, many players in his previous life had called it a battle royale. In fact, beyond the fact that there can only be one winner, this game has nothing to do with battle royale elements. And if a game with a single winner is considered a battle royale, too many aspects would be covered.
Strictly speaking, it's a game for all ages, a variety show-style challenge. And in this parallel universe, many satellite TV channels offer similar challenge shows. This, naturally, gives Fall Guys some advantages.
Alex thought carefully before choosing these two games. After all, after Overcooked, the most direct and effective way to stabilize the Nebula gaming platform's user base is to continue releasing related multiplayer games. Three Kingdoms Kill and Fall Guys perfectly fit these characteristics.
Three Kingdoms Kill, with 13 years of history since its creation as an online battle royale, has maintained a significant market share thanks to the impressive operations of a major card game publisher, occasionally reaching the top 10 in App Store revenue, demonstrating its resilience.
Fall Guys, like Overcooked, faces challenges in maintaining a set of new versions. It's a fast-food hit game. However, this term is not derogatory. It must be known that not all games can become a fast-food hit. At the same time, it can be said that this game is very suitable for the current Nebula gaming platform.
In terms of commercial performance, it's that kind of game. Previously, sales on Steam alone exceeded $2 million in the first month. Although it is said that times make heroes. The variety show itself has some outdoor characteristics, and the global epidemic at the time had some impact. But the fundamental reason is that the game has unique characteristics and there are no similar competitors in the market. It can be said to be unique.
Additionally, there's another more important reason for choosing this game. That is, Alex felt he needed to improve his image in players' minds. An Outlast and an Overcooked, although very popular, their reputation has been a little damaged! You can't harvest players' resentment with just resentment. You can't pull up the leek by the roots. So now is the time to offer a truly cheerful game.
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