Pei Qian even wanted to move all his excess funds from other places to stock up the OTTO cell phone.
He had, however, resisted the temptation. He knew very well that such an action had its risk, and it was a huge risk.
It would be like ROF Computer-Installation previously. If it suddenly became popular, the stocks would be all bought, and all money would be lost.
It was the same now. Pei Qian would have been hoarding them for nothing if these cell phones were sold for some inexplicable reason.
Therefore, he intended to wait and see. He wanted to ensure that the cell phones were absolutely safe before he continued stocking.
The first thing Pei Qian did when he returned to his residence was to open Gou Yan to check the box office of Flying Star Journey.
In first place, “Flying Star Journey” had 16.493 million yuan box office as of noon. In second place was “The Chaser” with a box office of 3.217 million yuan as of noon.
Tomorrow is Beautiful was in third place with a box office of 2.874 million yuan as of noon.
Three question marks floated above Pei Qian’s head as his heart turned cold.
This situation did not seem right!
The box office of ‘Flying Star Journey’ should have been able to reach about 32 million yuan today, which would have been much higher
than yesterday. However, it still met the box office expectations of Gou Yan or actually missed slightly.
In other words, this film would only have a box officer of about 300 million yuan in China.
Gou Yan proved very strongly to Pei Qian that its estimates were very correct. However, it was now Pei Qian’s turn to wonder.
Such a big production with such little popularity? If this box office performance was true, then the film would be making a huge loss. The global box office would make a loss of four to five billion US dollars!
“How envious! Sigh, forget it, it has nothing to do with me.
“I don’t care how much loss you made, just help me push down the box office of Tomorrow is Beautiful!”
Pei Qian’s expectation of Flying Star Journey naturally decreased, seeing how it fell short of expectation. He originally hoped that it could squeeze out all other films from the film schedule. However, it seemed impossible now.
He got angrier when he saw The Chaser. “What’s wrong with you? Aren’t you a large production? Why did your box office drop so much after three days of release?”
That was so disappointing!
He then took a look at Tomorrow is Beautiful. Its box office was better than yesterday and was rising against the trend! It was about to overtake The Chaser and get back to the second place.
Pei Qian was speechless.
“Something is wrong; something is definitely wrong!
“Even if Flying Star Journey is bad, it is still a blockbuster film from the United States on its second day of the box office. Why is the box office of Tomorrow is Beautiful rising? That is not possible at all!”
There must be something wrong since things went this way. Pei Qian hurriedly read the discussion on the various film and television forums, trying to seek out the truth!
Finally, Pei Qian found the answer in a film review of the Flying Star Journey.
‘Flying Star Journey: Feeling of Damp Melon Seeds’
“I heard that 170 million US dollars was invested in this film. It is an adaptation of a famous novel and had a lot of stars. There was a series of foreign science fiction big IPs before it was released. I bought the tickets excitedly, and I have only one feeling after watching it. It just feels magical!
“It had been 100 years since the original work was born. I do not deny that the original work was really classic, but times have changed since science fiction 100 years ago. I don’t deny that this film would be a classic if it was released 20 or 30 years ago. However, we’re already in 2011, big brother! We’ve already watched Avatar last year. How can you show us this now?
“The protagonist travels to a planet with two factions of aliens who look like humans, as well as savages with green skin and four hands. These savages have no modern weapons but have not been extinct. These two factions of aliens possessed high-tech weapons but were still interested in the protagonist who could just jump a little higher than the people on earth.
“Even the alien princess had a crush on the protagonist at first sight. Moreover, the film’s interpretation of transmigration is quite inadequate. The conspiracy in the film is also pretty childish.
“Of course, I’m not criticizing the original author. It was a person who lived 100 years ago. However, the director should know that the film is out of date.
“Many people are comparing Flying Star Journey and Tomorrow is Beautiful. I might be suspected of being biased towards a domestic film, but I have to stay that while Tomorrow is Beautiful has its unreasonable points, its plot, worldly view, details, or take on sci-fi is much better than Flying Star Journey!”
“For example, Flying Star Journey can be seen as putting a lot of ingredients together and simmering them on fire. Everything was good, but the taste is bland.”
“Tomorrow is Beautiful is using a lot of simple and common ingredients to make a delicacy that no one has ever tasted. The ingredients used are not complicated, but the taste is endless.”
“Therefore, if there is someone who has not watched Tomorrow is Beautiful and feels that the Flying Star Journey is not very good, I suggest you can watch it. Of course, I have no comments if you want to watch it again.”
Pei Qian seemed to have found the crux of the problem. He did not believe it at first so he searched the forums again. He utterly believed in it this time. Some people actually watched Tomorrow is Beautiful because of Flying Star Journey!
Many people who had not watched Tomorrow is Beautiful became curious and watched it when they heard people criticizing Flying Star Journey praise Tomorrow is Beautiful. Some also rewatched Tomorrow is Beautiful after.
However, the most unlucky was not the Flying Star Journey. Most of the stars were big names in the industry after all. There was investment of 170 million US dollars. Even if they could not break even, it could not be bullied by other movies.
It was actually The Chaser. Its schedule was squeezed even since the popularity of Flying Star Journey and Tomorrow is Beautiful were on the rise.
Pei Qian was looking forward to the release of Flying Star Journey for it to slap Tomorrow is Beautiful and relieve its burden.
Great, now Tomorrow is Beautiful’s box office actually bucked the trend! Its box office might even increase now!
Pei Qian threw his cell phone aside and felt like all was lost. The overseas backup that he had been waiting for was incapable of fighting. They were f*cked from day one! Not only did they not push down Tomorrow is Beautiful’s box office, but it even had the opposite effect instead.
He could not take it anymore!
Chapter 451 - Boss Pei’s True Intentions
Chapter 451 Boss Pei’s True Intentions
In the evening…
Qiao Liang exited Be Quiet and stretched.
People had been heatedly discussing this game online over the past few days, but Qiao Liang had not taken part in the discussion. Instead, he quietly experienced the game. He knew very well that there was no point in debating with everyone else. Qiao Liang was always going to stand on Boss Pei’s side.
It was not just because Qiao Liang was a friend of Boss Pei’s, but also because he was a hardcore gamer to begin with.
Hardcore gamers sought complicated and exquisite experiences. Everything from the pre-game riddle to acquiring the rights to purchase the game to the eye-tracking game suited Qiao Liang to the tee.
It all boiled down to how one looked at the situation.
If one saw it as a barrier to turn gamers away, they would definitely feel uncomfortable. Yet, what if one took it as a free introductory game? Wouldn’t it be different?
The Lonely Desert Road, Game Designer,
and the eye-tracking game had all been free of charge. To Qiao Liang, this was already very commendable.
Qiao Liang knew that games were products of culture. Not everyone would like every game. It would be unreasonable for gamers to view manufacturers as good-hearted when they produced games to their liking but incorrigible when they produced games that they did not find enjoyable.
This was applicable to Be Quiet, too. Gamers had to fulfill prerequisites before obtaining the right to purchase the game. Objectively speaking, that could have turned many gamers away. However, there was nothing wrong with it in itself.
Tengda had never promised to allow all gamers to purchase their games under any circumstances and no matter what. Of course, there was no need for them to do so as well.
Game manufacturers and gamers had the right to choose one another. Players would choose not to play certain games developed by certain manufacturers. At the same time, manufacturers could choose to give up earning revenue from a portion of the public.
Both parties had to be willing to enter the transaction. Neither could be forced to buy or sell, and both had to be given equal power. Then, neither could blame the other for being unfair.
What’s more, Boss Pei had always been a unique designer. He was not one to bend backward to fit the gamers’ taste.
Thus, Qiao Liang always found himself supporting Boss Pei’s decisions.
He was a game manufacturer, providing gamers with a top-quality game at an affordable price. He had even waived all costs for the previous two games. Yet, he was being scolded for setting prerequisites for gamers to fulfill before they could purchase the game?
That didn’t make sense.
Still, even with that said, Qiao Liang was finding it difficult to explain certain aspects of the situation. Although it was the manufacturer’s right to set pre-requisites for their customers, was it really necessary?
What benefit would this bring to the manufacturer?
That was the main question that Qiao Liang had. At that moment, he frowned. He was trying to figure out the answer to that question based on what he understood about Boss Pei.
“I feel like Boss Pei did not mean to tell customers ‘I won’t let you play this game’. Instead, it was more like ‘if you can’t even solve this simple riddle, you probably won’t be able to enjoy this game, and so you shouldn’t bother buying it at all’.
“That thought seems very familiar. Where have I seen it before?
“I know! It was in Repent and be Saved!”
All of a sudden, Qiao Liang realized that Repent and be Saved had been exactly the same!
The only difference was this: players were encouraged to refund Repent and be Saved, but they were tortured and altogether discouraged from even purchasing Be Quiet.
Boss Pei was simply persuading gamers to turn away earlier than in Repent and be Saved. He was doing it before gamers even purchased Be Quiet!
A realization dawned on Qiao Liang.
“That’s right! Everything is coming together now!
“Boss Pei is doing something similar to what he did with Repent and be Saved! He’s just using a slightly different method.
“A game is an interactive form of art. Simply put, game designers set the questions while gamers try to answer them. “There’s one thing that hardcore gamers agree on: we have to lose some to gain some. We have to let go of the superficial and shallow desires of the mind, to learn deeper and more meaningful lessons!
“Take Repent and be Saved for example. We were made to endure torture and face setbacks in the beginning. We had to give up our desires for mindless violence and humble ourselves to hone our own skills.
“Only then were we able to grow through the game and experience a joy that no other game could bring to us. “That is what it means to lose some to gain some. It was delayed gratification. If the game had not been so difficult, we would not have experienced the true joy that came with growth.
“It’s the same with Be Quiet. It’s also a game where gamers have to lose some to gain some. First, we had to give up time and suppress our own desires to play the game, to think carefully about the riddle. Only then would we be able to experience the fun of the game itself.
“As for why different methods were used for both games…
“It’s obvious. Repent and be Saved is a standalone game. Others’ gaming experience would not be affected by one’s own gameplay. Be Quiet, on the other hand, is an online game.
“If a gamer—who has never played such games-entered this game, they would completely ruin the game for everyone else.
“Boss Pei had to ensure that everyone had the right attitude and the same level of intellect and that most people would enjoy the game without having their experience ruined by teammates who could not adapt to the gameplay. That meant he had to ‘train’ the gamers…”
Qiao Liang became increasingly sure that he had understood Boss Pei’s true intentions! The logic was simple. However, he still needed to find the right material in the game to persuade everyone else.
What’s more, it still seemed a bit too early to reveal all of these things.
On one hand, he had not completely gotten the hang of the complicated gameplay in Be Quiet. Without good footage or a good plan, the video would turn out very dry. On the other hand, the debate that everyone was having over the game had not yet hit its peak.
After some consideration, Qiao Liang decided to keep playing the game to gather more material.
Next week, he would upload a new video into Products of the Gods. In the video, he would talk about Be Quiet, the online horror game that had taken an unusual path. He would also explain the deeper meaning behind the ARG that Boss Pei had designed as part of his publicity strategy! Qiao Liang believed that the video would solve many questions and misunderstandings that gamers might have had about Boss Pei!
March 14th, Monday…
Chang You paced around his office, feeling anxious. The button on the details page of OTTO E1 on Otto Technologies’ official website had changed from ‘reserve’ to ‘purchase’. People did not have to fight for cell phones anymore. That seemed like a good thing, but it was not to Chang You.
That was because it meant sales had plateaued!
They had poured all of their revenue into manufacturing new cell phones. One could say that Otto Technologies was penniless now. Other companies would not have been able to do the same for sure.
Chang You knew very well that Otto Technologies had a strong pillar of support that it could count on. It could only afford to manufacture so many stocks because Boss Pei was funding the company.
That was exactly why Chang You felt bad towards Boss Pei. How were they going to sell more than ten thousand cell phones?!
Yet, Boss Pei had instructed Chang You time and again to just make sure there were enough stocks and not to bother about anything else. He could neither think about making sales nor lowering the cell phones’ prices.
As a result of sitting around, Chang You became more anxious.
He did not even dare to check the comments on the website. He knew that people had been calling him ‘Big Mouth Chang’ before. Now that he had betrayed Boss Pei’s trust, he was finding it even more difficult to deal with the mockery and criticism.
As Chang You continued to pace around the room, his cell phone rang. He picked it up and saw that it was Hu Xianbin.
Chang You’s eyes lit up. He accepted the call at once.
“Boss Chang, the mobile version of GOG will be officially released tomorrow. We talked about collaborating before, right? I’m just reminding you of this,” said Hu Xianbin through the phone.
Chang You became overjoyed. “Alright, no problem! i’ll tell them to carry out the plan that we had!”
Hu Xianbin spoke again. “I just spoke to Director Lin of Shang Yang Games. They had been busy developing Be Quiet before and had not had time to spare. However, they should be done with the promotional event for Bloody Battle Song by now. You can
call her to ask if they can update the game at the same time tomorrow.”
Chang You quickly said, “Alright, alright! I’ll ask them now!”
After hanging up, Chang You called Lin Wan to confirm that Shang Yang Games had prepared Bloody Battle Song’s promotional event for Otto Technologies’ cell phone. Then, Chang You felt much more relaxed. He also felt very moved.
Tengda was truly one big, warm family!
What was Tengda’s main selling point? At the end of the day, it was its games! The games business was obviously the lifeline of Tengda Corporation. It was also the foundation for all the other businesses.
Chang You knew very well that, to Boss Pei, Fish-Catching Internet Cafe, Upwind Logistics, and Otto Technologies… were incurring losses. The games businesses were the only ones not incurring losses!
After learning that Tengda Games was going to create a special high-frame-rate mode for their newest game, GOG, just for Otto Technologies; Chang You felt like he had eaten calming medicine.
He immediately instructed his subordinates to prepare to upload all of their publicity materials!
For example, they were uploading a huge banner on the details page for Otto E1. It would say: ‘The official cell phone for Tengda’s newest game, the Glory of Gods. With the especially improved depth and a high-frame-rate mode, the cell phone brings to you a never-before-felt immersive gaming experience!
All the publicity material had been prepared in advance, but Chang You could not use them earlier. He could not release the news because GOG had not been completed.
However, they could finally use the material now!
In fact, GOG’s client was still being developed and tested. However, before going overseas, Li Yada had already decided that the mobile version was going to be released first.
The mobile version and client version were not yet integrated. Since the former had less content, it could be released a week earlier.
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