Game Development Giant - Chapter 835

c829 EA acquires Ximou

While players were discussing Shigeru Miyamoto’s sudden announcement to join the development team of “Super Balotelli Galaxy”, the first version of Jester’s “Monster Hunter”, which is the Western mythology version of “Monster Hunter”, has also been completed. Three days ago, more than 20 media were even invited to the headquarters of Mars Entertainment for the last external trial before release.

Although the media who came to participate in the trial have signed confidentiality agreements, they cannot reveal the content of the game before it is officially released.

However, it is still allowed to briefly talk about the impression of this game.

Basically, the evaluations of more than 20 media are the same – amazing game, very attractive, one that is difficult to put down the controller once you get started, but the game is still somewhat difficult, especially some challenges Target, for some people who are not ACT game masters, it may take several attempts to successfully challenge.

An editor of “GAME”, the official media of Mars Entertainment, told an interesting story when they were experiencing this game at the Mars Entertainment headquarters, that is, it is very difficult to hunt a monster, especially when trying to complete achievements. Challenge, the editor said that he failed this challenge more than 300 times before succeeding.

And his times are not the most among all those who have passed this challenge.

Basically, the people who went to the headquarters of Mars Entertainment for testing this time were all veterans of ACT games. Even they thought the game was very difficult, let alone ordinary players.

Therefore, after this news came out, many players complained on the forum. They hoped that the game would not be made too difficult, or that there would be difficulty adjustment options so that players with handicapped hands could also play the game, similar to Posted a lot of content. There are also many people who agree.

Of course, there are some who are cynical about this proposal.

Jester often appears on the forum at this time, and many players even say that Jester is stealing the job and job of your community manager.

To this question, Jester gave a very clear answer.

“There will be no difficulty option setting. Because this game has not been considered from the beginning of the design, and we believe that if a difficulty option is added, it will be meaningless for this game. Because at low difficulty, There’s no sense of accomplishment in your victory – and that’s exactly what this game is about, the thrill of the hunt.”

This answer will definitely make some players find it difficult to accept.

“But we really want to try this game, but we are afraid that we may not be able to master this game!” players complained.

Jester continued to explain: “One thing I must state is that you have heard feedback from many game media before, complaining about the difficulty, just because this is also part of the test, and we are also considering how to adjust the difficulty most appropriately. Although I have said before, ACT games are inherently unsocial games, because only a small number of players may be able to experience the fun of this type of game, but our goal is to let those who are willing to delve into this game People can clearly feel their own improvement. We cannot allow all players to play well as long as they are willing to play, but at least we must do it. We can allow the vast majority of people to play well as long as they are willing to play. It can be very fulfilling.”

“So, we will be very careful in setting the difficulty level. Therefore, this external invitation test is actually a difficulty test, and everyone who comes to participate this time is basically a high-level player of ACT games. Everyone who plays Itagaki Tomonobu’s “Shadow Blade” can at least pass the ultra-forbearance difficulty level. Of course, because they may have just played our game and are not very proficient in it, they did make a lot of operational mistakes at the beginning.”

“But at the end of the test, they were outstanding.”

However, Jester’s answer still did not directly answer the difficulty issue, so the players, in line with the idea of ​​​​breaking the casserole and asking the truth, asked Jester again: “You mean that when it is officially released, the difficulty of the game will be Is it different from this media test?”

“I can’t guarantee this. I can only say that our difficulty is set according to many situations. However, I think that the “Monster Liere” tested before was indeed a bit difficult.”

Jester made no guarantees.

In fact, this time even Jester himself believes that the sales volume of “Monster Hunter” will not be too high. The niche of the game type is a topic that cannot be avoided in any case. Although the name Jester is famous all over the world, In the eyes of game players, it is as dazzling as a golden signboard, but in the final analysis, games still rely on content to attract players.

Fame can attract some fans and die-hard fans, but these people can only account for a small part of the sales. The vast majority of sales rely on the content of the game to conquer other people to buy.

This is true for any successful game.

As long as it is a good game, its sales process must be like this. There is no difference between the niche and the public. If you don’t look at the numerical value, but only the curve, then the vast majority of good games are actually the same.

Three million to five million copies, this is the sales figure Jester has set for his game.

In other words, if each version of three versions can sell one million copies, it is considered an acceptable result. If each version can sell an average of 1.5 million to 2 million copies, then it is A very surprising number – as for higher sales, it’s not that it’s impossible, but it’s not very likely.

Because I like to play ACT, there are not many players who can play ACT.

Time passes very quickly.

After all, the European Mythology version of “Monster Hunter” was originally planned to be released in the spring. Although Mars Entertainment often delays the release due to various reasons, players originally thought that Mars Entertainment would definitely delay the release this time because Jester had previously been in the player community. It was said on the forum that the development team is now working overtime to conduct final debugging of the game’s difficulty system. This will be the last work before the game is officially released.

Players originally predicted that the difficulty of the game might be modified, so it is very likely to be postponed.

However, it is unclear whether the difficulty of the game has been changed or not, but Jester personally posted a blue post in the player community, indicating that “Monster Hunter” will be released on the original release date and will not be postponed.

This news also makes players very excited. After all, as a gamer, they can play Jester’s game on the scheduled day. There is nothing more exciting than this.

An editor from a game media once joked during an interview: “I participated in several invitation trials from Mars Entertainment. All I can say is that I really fell in love with this game. This game wants to bring everyone together.” It takes a lot of time to play through all the content, so if the day comes when “Monster Hunter” is officially released, I might quit my job for this game!”

Of course, this is just a joke. But no one can guarantee whether there are fans who will actually do this.

Because Jester’s game has such a great charm.

The release date is June, which is also the last month of Springfield in the United States. Maybe people in China have a hard time understanding why June is still Springfield.

Because the solar terms in the United States are different from those in China. In China, spring fields are counted after the beginning of spring, but in the United States, spring fields are counted after the vernal equinox. Therefore, the three months of April, May, and June are all considered spring fields.

After Jester came to the office today, he received a notice, which was an excerpt of some major events in the industry during this period sent by the administrative department. If you are interested in a certain item, tell the assistant, and the assistant will fetch the complete file based on the excerpted item for Jester to browse.

In this excerpt, which was done once a week as usual, Jester originally wanted to drink a cup of coffee first and then read it slowly, but he just glanced at it casually and saw a very surprising piece of information. Shocking news.

Ximou was acquired by EA.

Jester suddenly lost his composure when looking at this report. He suddenly seemed to think of Ximu in another time and space, although it was in this world. Ximou is no longer the first company in the world to make RTS games, but their image in RTS games is still very strong, it can even be said. Before the advent of “StarCraft”, their “Command and Conquer” series was an RTS game that could be compared with the “WAR” series.

EA is a company that basically eats people without spitting out their bones. Moreover, EA’s most common method is to use their own methods to destroy a studio with endless creativity, and then squeeze their brand value and turn them into An assembly line-like game factory. Produce work that has no spirituality.

Countless studios acquired by EA died this way.

The same goes for Ximou.

Jester remembers that in 2015, the original VGA Game Awards, which was renamed TGA, awarded one of the biggest awards at the party, the Industry Benchmark, to Ximu, who had already passed away to heaven, in recognition of their contribution to the entire electronic game. career, especially for his outstanding contributions to RTS games.

Jester was very excited when watching the awards show at that time, because he also grew up playing Westwood games, and he has a very good impression of these legendary studios that have been submerged in the long river of history.

The award recipient was Big Boss voice actor Keefe Sutherland, and the speech he gave before awarding the award was also very touching.

“Thank you. I am very honored to stand here and return to the game world. Here, there are dreamers and dreamers. People have broken through the way of storytelling and entertainment methods, and are deeply impressed by this game world. Now, let us Come witness two true icons and legends in gaming history, and let’s take a look at their stories,”

After Keefe Sutherland finished speaking, the legendary scene about the game studio in Westwood began to play on the screen. At that time, Jester felt as if he had been pulled into the vortex of time and space, as if he was again Going back to the scene when he first played “Command and Conquer” and “Red Alert” on the computer more than 20 years ago.

Nishiki’s contribution to the entire gaming industry is extremely outstanding. Their concept of Dune 2, or the RTS game type, has had a very, very large impact on future generations.

Without Dune 2, maybe Blizzard was just an ordinary game studio like those at that time if there were as many sands in the Ganges. In the end, it was lost to everyone. They would not make “WAR1” that pays tribute to Dune 2. Basically, WAR1 is Dune 2 replaced. A piece of skin.

Without Ximu to create the type of RTS, then of course there would be no subsequent WAR3 or StarCraft 2.

There would also be no DOTA games that became popular all over the world.

These things are actually the foundation laid by Xi Mu at the beginning… While thinking about these things, Jester drank the cold coffee in front of him in one gulp.

He regretted that he knew about this a little late. Because he was too busy before, he didn’t pay too much attention to the news. Now EA has acquired Ximou, and according to EA’s world is exactly the same as the previous world, Ximou The future fate seems to be foreseeable. It is impossible to save Ximu now. After all, in the hands of EA, it is impossible for EA to spit out what he has eaten.

However, according to EA’s leftists, it is inevitable that they will fall out with the original team of Westwood. At that time, I can absorb those talented developers from Westwood into my company.

While thinking about this, Jester called Pardo.

Now Pardo is working on the development of WAR3. Now his identity is not just the person in charge of the game, but the general person in charge of the entire RTS game development department.

“Rob, have you heard about the acquisition of Ximou by EA?” Jester asked directly as soon as the call was connected.

“What? Ximou was acquired by EA?”

Obviously, Pardo didn’t know about this yet, and his tone was full of surprise, because according to EA’s urine, it is very likely that Ximu, the only company in the RTS game development industry that can compete with Mars Entertainment The company will be in ruins. By that time, Pardo and his RTS game development department will really be left alone.

“Yes, I just saw it from the assistant’s briefing. I am asking the assistant to get me the official reporting documents.”

Facing Pardo’s question, Jester repeated it in an affirmative tone. (~^~)