Video Game Designer

Since the last time I met Charles, Chuhe was surprised that not only Charles, but also Yves from Ubisoft were also there.

Well, it’s actually not that surprising. Although we haven’t met each other for about three months, we have often discussed and discussed the future development trend of the game industry on the phone and in video chats.

In the past, it was basically Chuhe and Charles who interacted with each other, but after Tianhe Network acquired part of Ubisoft's shares, they would occasionally bring Ubisoft's current CEO Yves with them when chatting, and everyone chatted together.

After all, today's EA and Ubisoft also have a considerable strategic partnership, such as the sharing of third-party digital games on the platform.

Especially Ubisoft, the relationship between EA and Tianhe Network is too delicate.

Ubisoft, who used to worry about being controlled by Vivendi all the time, actually never knew how happy and happy EA, their old friend and rival, was after hooking up with Tianhe Network.

But after Tianhe Network acquired their Ubisoft shares, and the two parties reached a strategic cooperation and IP cooperation, Ubisoft knew how happy EA was the first to eat crabs.

As early as when Ubisoft was fighting against Vivendi, in fact, although their game sales were considerable, they did not make money. On the one hand, they wanted to throw money into the ocean of capital to fight against Vivendi. On the other hand, they were tired of dealing with Vivendi This makes the quality of their games a bit less flavorful as well.

Even last year, they lost 49 million US dollars, but with the acquisition of 5% of their Ubisoft shares by Tianhe Network, and reached a strategic cooperation.

Last month, the first IP profit share from Tianhe Network has already arrived in the account. Ubisoft originally emptied its pockets because of the acquisition of Vivendi, but now it has become bulging again.

At the same time, because of the cooperation between Ubisoft and Tianhe Network, the market value has also risen sharply, and shareholders have expressed their laughter, even though they may not be able to get much dividends this year.

But it doesn't matter at all, the rising market value has proved everything.

"Long time no see, Chu!" Seeing Chuhe, Charles and Eve, who were talking next to each other, smiled at the same time, and the very enthusiastic one came forward and gave Chuhe a hug.

There are no people in the exhibition area today, and there is a sightseeing car for internal use. The three of them sat on the car and browsed each other's exhibition area and press conference hall.

After the visit, at noon, the three of them were in the private room of the hotel, enjoying lunch and chatting.

"Yves, it looks like you guys are going to have a big fight this time." Charles said to Ives with a smile.

The new work of Assassin's Creed brings the story to Paris in 1789, the period when the people at the bottom were miserable due to the Great Depression, the nobles at the top were still enjoying themselves, and finally the French Revolution was born.

Secondly, the familiar Tom Clancy's Sons of Rainbow Six, as an important but not so important IP in the Tom Clancy's Sons series, this time as Ubisoft wants to revitalize this somewhat declining series. road pioneer.

Finally, it is a brand-new work that has benefited from the last IP Far Cry, an open-world action game about hackers in a modern city.

"Of course, but if these three series fail, then we can only rely on the old IP to make money from mobile games. I hope we won't get to that point." Ive joked half-truthfully Said.

But this is also the norm in the game circle. Is it really so easy for the big players?

Are big factories really not short of money?

Take a look at today's SE, it has basically become a major mobile game manufacturer, FF, DQ, KH, GO, the four major series are referred to as the four kings of SE.

They are the IP series extended by Final Fantasy, the IP series extended by Dragon Quest, the IP series extended by Kingdom Hearts, and the GO series of Hitman GO, Deus Ex GO, Laura GO, etc.

If it is said that SE once created countless brilliance, it is really difficult for SE today to reproduce the glory of yesterday. The game manufacturer SE that mentioned Neon before, Nintendo and Sony are absolutely three mountains that cannot be crossed.

But now Nintendo may still be that Nintendo, and Sony may still be that Sony, but SE is definitely not that SE anymore.

"To be honest, why haven't I seen the sequels of your games? You know, I've been expecting you to do Left 4 Dead 2, Red Dead Redemption 2, and The Last of Us 2." Ive said regretfully. Said towards Chuhe.

Charles next to him also looked at Chuhe curiously, which in his opinion was too wasteful.

Create a classic IP, but there is no sequel. This is simply a golden mountain without digging.

As for the classics that surpass the previous ones, well, this is really too difficult, but to create some new content on this basis, even if the soup is not changed, the popularity of these IPs of Tianhe Network is definitely at the level of tens of millions sales.

Hearing Charles and Eve's words, Chuhe gave them a strange look: "Tianhe Network is not short of money, why do you want to make a sequel?"

Charles, Yves: ...

This is so reasonable, I feel that there is no way to refute it!

Why do game makers launch sequels?

Tell untold stories? Go beyond yourself? Feelings about continuing life?

Well, this may be a little bit related, but the real core is to minimize the risk, after all, the previous game has already proved itself in the capital market.

It is not easy to lose money, but you can make money!

But as a company that is not short of money, doesn't have to think of ways to pay back the money, and doesn't have such big ambitions, it seems that there is no reason to develop a sequel at all?

Even now on the petition forum, even the famine that made Tianhe Network famous, more than 400,000 players have already voted for a sequel.

What makes a good sequel?

From Chuhe's point of view, it's a continuation of the previous story, and it goes on slowly to improve the whole world view, even if the protagonist has changed in the middle.

Instead of telling completely irrelevant stories in the context of the same worldview.

For example, EA's own Mass Effect trilogy, Chuhe has always believed that this is a very perfect series inheritance, as for Andromeda.

Chuhe can only say that it is simply a game with Mass Effect IP, or that game cannot be called Mass Effect at all.

Just like Neil made by Platinum Studio, even if it is his own game, he is the beneficiary, but Chuhe doesn't think it is a perfect sequel.

It's just an independent game based on this worldview. If you have to say it, it can only be said to be a new series of Nier's world, not a sequel to Nier.

Even in today's game market, there is no distinction between these.