So you actually knew how to lose money all along!

After hearing Gu Sheng's words, Shen Miaomiao felt like strangling him to death!

She sat frozen on the couch like a fairy hit by Sun Wukong's immobilizing spell, completely stiffened!

This was too outrageous.

Really too outrageous.

Especially after Gu Sheng explained each of these heaven-defying abysmal pitfalls to her one by one.

Shen Miaomiao was going even more insane!

Because!

According to Gu Sheng's explanation, once such a terrifying, heaven-defying game was released, no amount of overwhelming marketing or media buyouts could save it.

Shen Miaomiao felt like her entire worldview had been refreshed.

She used to really dislike doing marketing campaigns, and even now, she still believed that no matter how terrible a game was,

As long as you were willing to spend big on marketing, as long as you were willing to do profit-driven promotion, it would eventually succeed, or at the very least, break even.

Until the emergence of Apex Prime!

Through Gu Sheng's description and prospect analysis, Shen Miaomiao learned for the first time that there actually existed ultimate shit projects in this world that even massive marketing campaigns couldn't salvage!

This was what a truly terrible game looked like.

This was the ultimate terrible game that would lose however much you invested, capable of making her recoup all her losses in one go!

But now!

This game had fallen into CloudPower's hands instead of being developed by themselves!!!

"I..."

Shen Miaomiao suddenly felt blood and energy churning in her chest.

This feeling of wanting to vomit blood seemed like it hadn't appeared for a very long time.

For a good long while, until her face turned somewhat pale!

She slowly stood up, as if her soul had been sucked out, and floated toward the door,

"Huh?"

Gu Sheng was startled:

"Where are you going?"

"To buy medicine..."

Shen Miaomiao's voice sounded weak, as if she was on the verge of death:

"I'm going to buy some... motherwort granules..."

"Ah—"

Gu Sheng also stood up, frowning slightly with concern:

"Has it started hurting again recently? That shouldn't be, hasn't this condition not appeared for a long time?"

This point, Old Gu was actually right about, and Shen Miaomiao deeply agreed herself.

It seemed like ever since she started living with Old Gu, this problem hadn't occurred again.

Being in a happy mood was one aspect, but also every time that time of the month came, Old Gu would keep a close watch on her. Not being allowed to eat raw or cold food or touch cold water was one thing, but even running around barefoot on the floor would earn her a scolding from Old Gu's black face.

But this time.

Shen Miaomiao felt like no matter what she said, she couldn't escape it.

My money ah......

.....

Isn't it just rolling in now!

In the blink of an eye!

March arrived!

Konik sat in his spacious and bright luxurious office, looking at the screen filled with one praise and marketing piece after another for Apex Prime, unable to contain his joy!

Excellent.

Ever since Apex Prime announced its release date one step ahead, the entire gaming community had been stirred up.

You should know, typically, the concentrated game release period for game developers is between July and October, which is the second half of the year.

And now, just at the beginning of the year in March, is actually the off-season for game releases, when major developers are focused on research and development, so the game market isn't very active normally.

However!

Golden Wind's Overwatch had ignited a flame in this beginning-of-year off-season.

And after CloudPower released Apex Prime, this 'big excitement' in the gaming community intensified even further!

At that time, as soon as Apex Prime's promotional poster was released, it immediately drew a wave of furious curses from Golden Wind's players!

Without a doubt, such blatant plagiarism could be easily recognized by anyone with either functioning eyes or a working brain.

But!

An awkward problem emerged.

Since Apex Prime was going to be released earlier than Overwatch.

Therefore, CloudPower made a decisive move right then and there, playing the villain who files the first complaint, turning the tables and falsely accusing Golden Wind of allegedly plagiarizing their "project proposal prepared as early as the year before last," claiming an investigation was currently underway.

As soon as this news was released, it immediately made public opinion swing uncertainly.

And Golden Wind's side made no statements or refutations regarding this matter.

The Four Golden Scoundrels unanimously expressed: Please begin your performance, if you don't go crazy, how can you perish.

This only further fueled CloudPower's arrogance!

Wave after wave of marketing funds were frantically poured out, silencing media outlets, buying shills for cheers.

For a time, the voice of "CloudPower's self-developed multiplayer competitive game Apex Prime is about to be released, highly anticipated by all" grew increasingly louder.

《Apex Prime Coming Soon! SLGamers and Other Gaming Media Give Very Promising Reviews!》

《Famous American Pioneer Feminist Representative Elena Expresses Great Anticipation for "Apex Prime"!》

《"Apex Prime" Sparks heated discussion in LGBT Community Forums!》

《Famous American Rapper Luke, Who Came Out Publicly the Year Before Last, Shares "Apex Prime" Poster, Expressing Anticipation!》

.....)

The addition of various magical communities instantly made Apex Prime's topic heat break through circles!

No wonder Konik sat in his office, laughing heartily, with golden light shooting from his eyes!

Breaking through circles!

You should know, breaking through circles for a game is actually very difficult!

It's not even an exaggeration to say that games capable of achieving such circle-breaking levels like Apex Prime are extremely rare among global gaming works!

Perhaps, in recent years, the only game that could compare to Apex Prime in terms of heat was Golden Wind's Plants vs. Zombies.

Thinking of this, Konik couldn't help but feel excited!

You should know!

At that time, Plants vs. Zombies created the mythical achievement of selling over seven million copies globally in a single week!

And now, although their Apex Prime wasn't released on both mobile and PC platforms, and its launch price was much higher than PVZ's, so its final sales results definitely couldn't reach PVZ's insane levels,

But, judging by this level of heat, it was bound to become this year's opening masterpiece, a phenomenal hit!

However!

The only thing that made him feel uncomfortable right now was the silence from SNG Forum's chief game review editor-in-chief, Simon.

As the world's largest comprehensive gaming forum, SNG held a very high status in the industry, and editor-in-chief Simon's game reviews were renowned for their authority.

During the "stress test" conducted at the beginning of the month, CloudPower had actually invited some media departments and representatives from magical communities to come trial play.

Of course, they definitely spent no small amount of money.

As of now, Apex Prime's marketing and profit-driven promotion costs had already reached 2.5 times the game's development cost.

In other words, this game, which cost 188 million dollars and was frantically rushed to production in just one month, now had a total investment reaching a terrifying 660 million dollars!

But unfortunately!

SNG editor-in-chief Simon, who was invited as a closed beta guest, didn't accept a single cent of their 'thank you fees' like other representatives after the test. Instead, he completely disappeared, refusing to mention anything related to Apex Prime, and unlike some other media representatives, he didn't give Apex Prime any 'very much worth anticipating' type of evaluations.

After all, competition...

"This game is simply fucking terrible! It's just fucking terrible plus rotten! Terrible beyond measure, terrible to the point of being outrageous!"

"If our group didn't have Vivendi's shares, I should fucking report CloudPower for false advertising! This will be the biggest marketing scam in gaming history!"

"Go back and tell them! The only reason I'm not fucking writing any negative evaluations right now is because I'm forced to by pressure and have no choice!"

"Remaining silent before the game's release is already the fucking limit of what I can do!"

"Wanting me to give this game a 'worth anticipating' evaluation? I can't do it!"

"Because I fucking can't give fucking praise to a fucking piece of dog shit!"

"Get out!"

!!!

That night, in a two-story detached villa in San Jose, San Francisco, western United States.

After receiving the eighth urging communication call from his assistant, Simon finally exploded, saying "fucking" eight times in a row, instantly sending angry telegrams!

Without a doubt!

Financially powerful CloudPower-Vivendi had bribed almost all players who participated in the closed beta, making them go against their conscience to say 'worth anticipating' evaluations.

Now, Apex Prime's heat had reached unprecedented levels, with discussions at an all-time high.

Golden Wind's Overwatch, which had been marketed in creative ways during the challenge competition, seemed to have been forgotten by people, with only some players still persistently waiting and holding on.

And speaking of this, another point that made Simon angry—even feeling disgust arose along with it—

Pre-sales.

From March 1st to now, March 14th.

According to the pre-sales good news report happily released by CloudPower, in these two weeks, Apex Prime had already sold nearly 3 million copies globally!

At 75 dollars per copy of Apex Prime, in these past two weeks of pre-sales, Apex Prime had already brought CloudPower 2.25 billion dollars in revenue!

In Simon's view, this was simply blatant fraud!

Under the incitement of various media outlets, so-called veteran players, and representatives from magical camps, this unprecedented massive scam had global players spun around in circles!

Everyone thought Apex Prime would bring a completely new multiplayer online battle revolution to the gaming community, even crediting the exquisite CG of Overwatch to Apex Prime!

But in reality!

The quality of this game couldn't even be described as too awful to look at!

The bizarrely shaped heroes made to cater to so-called special groups, the stereotypical and rigid battle formations, the completely unoriginal battle royale design almost identical to APEX's, and that awkward second-generation FPS setting...

What's even more absurd is, under this high price of 75 dollars per copy, they actually implemented a vampire-like lottery microtransaction system, claiming it was to provide players with a better gaming experience!

With a game like this, how dare they come before me asking for a 'very much worth anticipating' evaluation?!

Ridiculous!

Instead of wasting time begging me for closed beta evaluations, you should hurry up and think about what emergency PR strategies to use when this piece of 75-dollar dog shit reaches players' hands and faces their explosive word-of-mouth backlash!

After all, in less than twelve hours, your piece of game will—

......

"It's online!!!"

Clap clap clap—

8 PM Zhongjing time.

Gu Sheng arranged peanuts, melon seeds, and snacks on the side table, then took a can of cola from the refrigerator.

Then he picked up the brown sugar water that had cooled to warm temperature and brought it to Little Nezha together.

Then he plopped down into the sofa, popped open the cola with a snap, took a satisfying gulp, and looked with great interest at the projection screen.

Shen Miaomiao's expression: =_=

If she remembered correctly, in all this time they'd been living together, this was the first time Old Gu had actively pulled her to watch a game livestream together.

And it wasn't even their own game.

But CloudPower's Apex Prime.

So mean.

There's indeed a saying in the criminal investigation industry that holds true—

The more perverted habitual criminal suspects, the more they like returning to the crime scene after committing the crime.

That was Old Gu's psychology right now.

Just look at his highly interested appearance and expectant expression, and you could tell how psychologically perverted this person was.

And there were three more such perverts in Golden Wind.

I must have committed some great sin in my past life to encounter these four honorable obstacles in this lifetime.

Shen Miaomiao took a sip of brown sugar water, sighed helplessly, then also turned her gaze to the large screen.

She actually had some hope too.

She hoped CloudPower could pick and choose within Old Gu's proposal filled with pitfalls, avoiding some of them.

Not saying you had to dodge all of them and actually replicate a copy of Overwatch,

But at the very least, you shouldn't step on every single pitfall, right?

This was like doing math problems—although the hope of getting everything right was slim, avoiding all correct answers didn't seem easy either.

I hope you can perform well...

Shen Miaomiao prayed in her heart:

At least act like humans.

Thinking of this.

She heard the streamer's voice come from the livestream chat:

"Good evening, it's XTT here, starting the stream, starting the stream. Today we're playing a new game, Apex Prime,"

"It's said the early closed beta received rave reviews, though it's a bit expensive at 75 dollars, but since Overwatch isn't out yet, we'll treat it as a substitute for now,"

"Let's get started! Let's get started!"

As he spoke.

XTT, known as the FPS prodigy, sat in the motion-sensing pod and started the game.

And on the chat barrage, various opinions about this game came flooding in—

Isn't this a copycat game?

‘Didn't they say Overwatch copied Apex?’

‘Do people actually believe that? Do you think Little Yellow would need to copy others?‘

‘True’

With this game full of correctness and reskin flavor, I don't believe Old Thief could bring himself to copy it

But it's said the overseas reputation is quite good

It's all fucking evaluations from magical communities, you expect Walmart plastic bags to play games??

'True, this game feels weird. Really rarely see player evaluations, except for great mages and overseas media voices'

'Most importantly, SNG, the most authoritative overseas, participated in the closed beta but has remained silent'

‘I have a feeling this pre-order is an ultimate huge trap’

'I find it hard to judge pre-orders okay, even Sekiro, such an awesome game, didn't dare do pre-orders, this game....'

‘My rating is—play Apex Prime, become a low-energy child’

‘Hahahahaha’

‘It's starting! It's starting!‘

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com