End of December.

The weather had turned quite cold.

The golden autumn season for the gaming industry had already passed.

All things lay dormant, and most industries were the same.

After all, foreign companies were busy with Halloween and Christmas, while domestic manufacturers were preparing for the Spring Festival.

In previous years at this time, looking across the entire gaming circle, there were basically only two types of companies that were busiest—

One was gaming platforms like Yiyou.

They were busy compiling special offer lists submitted by various manufacturers, arranging weekly discounted game slots, and organizing Spring Festival promotion events.

The other was major online game developers.

Oh, and of course, more importantly, running Spring Festival lottery events.

Winter break meant both kids and adults were on vacation, and online game companies wouldn't rest until they'd squeezed some lucky money out of you.

Other than that!

The entire gaming industry had pretty much quieted down, with basically no earth-shattering announcements being made during this period.

This had been the pattern in previous years.

But this year!

The situation seemed different.

Because ever since Golden Wind announced they would bring "My World" to Cologne Gamescom at the end of February next year—

This gaming circle that should have been calm had suddenly become turbulent with raging waves!

Not only were undercurrents swirling, but on the surface, one astonishing piece of news after another—enough to change the global gaming landscape—was being announced!

For a time, rumors and reports flew everywhere!

Among these, the first undercurrent to erupt came one week after Golden Wind officially announced the "My World" project, spreading wildly throughout the gaming industry and sparking heated discussions—

【Uekoe Kagemasa retires, Golden Wind acquires substantial Komera equity, secures board seat!】

The heat generated by this news wasn't just explosive—it was nuclear!

That very day!

The "Chinese Game Developers Forum" crashed!

The entire forum, from top to bottom, was flooded with discussion threads about this matter!

'Holy shit! Major news! Apparently Little Huang acquired equity worth $2.5 billion from Uekoe Kagemasa for just one dollar!'

'Uekoe Kagemasa has disappeared! Damn... feels like there's some deep waters here...'

'I still can't connect 【Golden Wind】 and 【Komera】—haven't these two been fighting for more than a year?'

'Completely lost, look how terrible Night Owl Island's reputation and sales have become, Uekoe Kagemasa definitely couldn't take the pressure and fled'

'I can understand fleeing, but Golden Wind taking over... that's just too fucking surreal!'

'One dollar for $2.5 billion in equity? This fucking... this news is so fake it actually seems real! After all, it's hard to imagine someone making up such obvious bullshit!'

'True, the more absurd and surreal the news, the more it seems real...'

'But the question is... is Golden Wind really going to secure a Komera board seat? Will the two companies merge from now on?'

'No idea, we'll see, if they really merge it would be explosive...'

......

Correct!

Just as the anonymous industry peers discussed in the forum!

After brief negotiations over two rounds!

Moriya Tetsuya used just three simple questions to make Uekoe Kagemasa obediently hand over his Komera equity for one US dollar—

Do you think anyone besides us would dare buy your equity now?

Do you think if you give your equity to Ito instead of us, how would he deal with someone who's lost all value?

Right now, besides the Yamaguchi-gumi, who else can safely get you out of Neon under Director Ito's surveillance?

And! Just as Gu Sheng had said before!

The money Uekoe Kagemasa now had, even without selling his equity, was enough for him to live comfortably under a new identity and enjoy his retirement in Northern Europe.

He had no choice!

However!

There were aspects that many industry peers in the forum hadn't guessed correctly.

That was after Golden Wind acquired the equity from Uekoe Kagemasa, they didn't directly join Komera's board.

After all, after Ito watched Yamaguchi-gumi members brazenly take Uekoe Kagemasa away right under his nose, he immediately realized who had been secretly scheming to make his prey escape!

Furious, Ito immediately called Golden Wind

And opened with: "President Gu, aren't you afraid that someday... after swallowing such a large chunk of equity?"

But before he could finish!

Gu Sheng responded with just one calm sentence that slapped him across the face through the phone!

"The call is being recorded, Ito. Think before you speak."

One sentence!

Like a bucket of cold water poured over his head, instantly extinguishing Ito's rage!

Who was Gu Sheng?

President of Golden Wind, Honorary Vice Chairman of Binjiang Youth Entrepreneurs Association, Provincial Outstanding Young Entrepreneur Representative of the Year, emerging outstanding young national entrepreneur officially praised four times by Chinese authorities!

How dare you speak without restraint?

Wasn't the lesson from Koizumi almost causing a catastrophic disaster profound enough?

Making transoceanic threats against a Chinese youth entrepreneur representative?

If this escalated to the diplomatic level, not even the Neon government could protect you—not even heaven itself!

The Neon government might even sacrifice you to resolve the diplomatic incident!

The phone fell silent for a full half minute!

It wasn't that Ito didn't want to speak, nor was he carefully choosing his words.

He was struggling to swallow his anger and make sure he didn't choke to death.

He had to swallow his broken teeth!

Because Golden Wind was now the darling of China's "emerging industries," a major favorite!

Although in the Uekoe Kagemasa matter, Gu Sheng had indeed acted ruthlessly and shamelessly, the epitome of the fisherman profiting from the clams' quarrel, grabbing an enormous bargain!

But so what?

This is how we do things.

So!

Forced by circumstances!

Ito almost with blood and tears agreed to Gu Sheng's outrageous demand, paying $3 billion to buy back Uekoe Kagemasa's 7.85% equity from Gu Sheng, making himself Komera's largest shareholder and, together with two other shareholders, securing 2/3 of Komera's decision-making seats!

And within just half a week, suddenly announced—

【Former Komera President Uekoe Kagemasa resigns due to responsibility, new president will be former Nakamurai Studio Chief Director "Seiichi Nakamura"!】

And—

【Effective immediately, Komera will begin merger talks with Vivendi. Upon success, Komera will be renamed "Komera-Vivendi"】

Since this news was officially announced by Komera.

Once released, the entire gaming industry exploded!

Komera-Vivendi!

What did this mean?

This meant Komera would also become like "CloudPower-Vivendi"!

This further meant that from now on, the global gaming market landscape would be completely rewritten!

Vivendi would command the two strongest comprehensive gaming companies from both Eastern and Western hemispheres, beginning absolute domination over the global gaming market!

《Half the Kingdom! Vivendi initiates merger work, Komera to join Vivendi's ranks!》

《CloudPower on the left! Komera on the right! What changes will Vivendi—controlling half the world's gaming market—bring to the gaming circle?》

《One Superpower, Multiple Strong Powers structure established! After acquisition completion, Vivendi will become the undisputed hegemon of the global gaming market!》

《Progress or regression for the gaming industry? Multi-angle analysis of the deeper meaning behind Vivendi's merger!》

《Industry earthquake strikes! Where should Chinese manufacturers go under Vivendi's monopoly?》

......)

Industry earthquake!

Industry uproar!

And under this new world gaming industry structure, people weren't just amazed by Vivendi's sudden hegemonic arrival, but also turned their eyes toward the East!

In the East now, Komera—once hailed as rivaling CloudPower—had joined the same ranks as CloudPower.

This way!

To see who would dominate, we must look at Golden Wind—the company that had been shining brightly on the international stage in recent years, charging forward recklessly!

After all!

Today's Golden Wind wasn't just notable for having clashed with both Komera and CloudPower multiple times.

What was even more remarkable was!

Golden Wind was currently suffering from "engine blockade" initiated by Vivendi, supported by CloudPower and Komera, and implemented by Phantom Dream Group!

Yes!

Right after Vivendi's Komera merger talks began.

Like a massive machine suddenly starting up.

Phantom Dream Group followed closely, finally officially releasing the authorization price adjustment announcement for "Phantom Dream 5" and "Fantasy 3" engines.

Although the price adjustment situation had already spread throughout the gaming circle before this, even with detailed pricing information.

But!

When this announcement was officially released, confirmed!

Many game manufacturers still couldn't help but erupt in curses, with intense discussions raging everywhere!

And among the various manufacturers, the Chinese gaming enterprise group led by Golden Wind naturally attracted the most attention.

After all, according to Phantom Dream Group's statement—【Due to "exchange rates and relevant policy regulations," runtime fees for Chinese-registered manufacturers using "Phantom Dream 5" would be 7 yuan/instance (approx. $1), "Fantasy 3" development runtime fees would be 3.5 yuan/instance (approx. $0.5)】—this was clearly price discrimination against Chinese manufacturers!

In other words.

This was blatant technological blockade!

What would Chinese manufacturers say?

What would Chinese manufacturers do?

How would Chinese manufacturers respond?

Especially Golden Wind!

Now, the alliance between CloudPower and Komera was already settled!

Golden Wind, who had never gotten along with these two industry giants, was already in the spotlight.

Plus now with Phantom Dream's engine technology blockade.

Under multiple layers of difficulties, Golden Wind seemed trapped in an unprecedented quagmire, truly a case of adding frost to snow!

However!

While almost the entire global gaming industry was still secretly observing and discussing!

Just ten days after Golden Wind released the "My World" concept poster!

Another tweet released by Golden Wind ignited the fuse of this 【First World War of the Gaming Industry】—

【Golden Wind V: Effective immediately, Golden Wind will partner with @Yiyou Games @XunTeng Games @Nuyan Games @Zhenting Games @Meiying Technology @Qunfeng Games... totaling seventeen brother companies to jointly develop China's first commercial engine—"Golden Engine." The Chinese nation pursues peace and kindness, but against hegemonism, we have never compromised before, will not compromise now, and will never compromise in the future.】

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com