Chapter 502: The End of a High-Stakes Gamble! The Darkest Hour! |
According to statistics, as of 20:00 yesterday, "GTFO" has been online for exactly 7 days.
Total game copies sold: 4,079,527.
Average player playtime: 212 minutes.
A1-A3 Clear Rate: 50.5%.
B1-B3 Clear Rate: 20.66%.
C1-C3 Clear Rate: 9.08%.
D1-D2 Clear Rate: 1.95%.
In a single week!
Global total sales exceeded four million copies!
To ensure a one-hit kill, to topple Phantom Dream in the shortest possible time, this GTFO project, from its establishment to its release, was practically a race against the clock.
The goal was to land another blow on "Endless Dark Tide" while it was already reeling from the heavy hit of R6, to finish it off completely.
Once the decision was made, they started; once it was done, they released it!
There was simply no marketing phase!
After all, for GTFO, having the label of "a counterpart to 'Endless Dark Tide'" was already enough.
And under these circumstances!
GTFO, with zero pre-release hype or marketing, managed to achieve over four million sales in its first week!
This sales figure alone is enough to be called insane.
However!
Even more insane than the sales are its game difficulty and the jaw-dropping game clear rates!
Just the first layer of the game has already eliminated a full half of the players, with only fifty percent of players clearing it!
In the subsequent three layers, the number of players able to clear them rapidly dwindles!
To the point that by the D layer, less than one in ten players can pass it, with a clear rate of only 1.95%!
Out of a hundred players, fewer than two can make it through the D layer!
And!
That's not all!
Looking further down—
E1 Layer Clear Count: 202 people.
That's right! People!
Because the number of players clearing the final layer is just too small, even less than 0.01%!
Golden Wind simply changed the measurement unit for game clears, replacing the percentage with the specific number of people!
A single game!
Globally, over four million people purchased and played it!
A full week of 168 hours!
Across five continents, seven oceans, 233 countries and regions!
The number of players who have completely cleared the game barely reaches two hundred!
And among these two hundred people!
Golden Wind's "King Bandit Executive Team," as the developers, accounted for four!
The number of purely natural player clears, counting every last one, is only 198 people!
You must understand, typically, a game's difficulty is often directly proportional to its sales.
The harder the game, the higher the negative feedback, the lower the player patience, the more dismal the sales.
This rule is difficult to escape, even for a game company like Golden Wind, which is adept at providing players with high levels of positive feedback in high-difficulty games.
Take, for example, the original Sekiro and the Dark Souls released earlier this year.
One is the founding pioneer of "Wolf-type games," a milestone that established the genre.
The other is a super 3S-level game that combines the essence of "Wolf-type games" with top-tier rendering industrial capabilities.
In terms of game quality and gameplay innovation, even among Golden Wind's own many games, they stand out prominently.
But in fact, the first-week sales of these two games still didn't surpass the famous "Resident Evil 7," nor did they exceed the family-friendly "It Takes Two," let alone catch up to the practically "one copy per person" "My World."
And the reason for this...
Is it because "Wolf" and "Soul" aren't fun?
The answer is, of course, no.
No one can deny their playability; in fact, those who love them adore them to death, still playing through seven or eight New Game Plus cycles with gusto, and the number of Wolf scholars and Soul scholars is countless.
To put it bluntly, it's because of the "high difficulty," or rather, the "poor general accessibility."
The extreme difficulty discourages many less-skilled players from the start, and repeated feelings of defeat make many players question, "Shouldn't games bring joy?" This soul-searching question.
Therefore, historically, the market and sales for such games have always been slightly inferior compared to games of the same caliber.
Like this year's "Dark Souls."
GDC global marketing, Phoenix Engine's full support, it is undoubtedly the Game of the Year so far.
With the assistance of various top-tier external channels and impeccable game quality, Dark Souls' monthly sales have only just surpassed one hundred thousand.
But now!
A "GTFO" with zero marketing preparation!
Relying on its own "extremely high difficulty" of only 198 global clears and the relatively niche game genre of "horror co-op."
Single week! Four million copies sold!
Although the 40 dollars per copy price played a significant role in this.
Golden Wind's masterful control over gameplay, the balance of positive and negative feedback, and the emotions of co-op players has reached such a peak that it is enough to cause an uproar throughout the gaming circle!
For a time, from media to players, to friendly competitors and peers, discussions about GTFO were endless, pouring in one after another!
"What the hell? Are you crazy? A game with a global clear rate of less than 0.01% sold a freaking four million copies? I don't even know how to write this news article!"
'Don't worry, if nothing unexpected happens, GTFO's next wave of momentum is coming soon (dog head)'
'Indeed, there must be many players who, after seeing the reports, will buy the game out of curiosity, thinking [Let me see what's going on].'
'The sales won't stop here; maybe next week it can exceed 4.5 million.'
'The key is this forty-dollar price tag is too brutal; this is really twisting the arm of Endless Dark Tide.'
'Weren't there a lot of people saying GW chose to stay silent and turtle up against Endless Dark Tide? How about now....'
'I can only say CloudPower's initial choice to copy L4D's approach was wrong. For such an important engine innovation as Phantom Dream VI, the debut showcase actually chose to do a high-definition remaster of one of Golden Wind's old games, it's really like sticking a straw up the asshole....'
'How so?'
'Looking for (zuo) death (shi).'
'...Bro, your witty remark just rendered me speechless.'
'What a freaking weird riddle, damn it!'
'Fuck—! I'm eating lunch right now! You really deserve to die!!!'
'Hahahahahaha this riddle is truly witty WDNMD....'
'It was a highly anticipated technological innovation, now completely shattered by GW.'
'Natural advantage, no helping it. Little Yellow has Yiyou's full-sense assist support, which itself is equivalent to mastering a certain level of Reality Augmentation Technology to some extent. But CloudPower is starting from scratch, equivalent to CloudPower + Phantom Dream = 1+1, while Golden Wind + Yiyou = 1+0.5. They're just short by 0.5; Endless Dark Tide's advantage really isn't that big...'
'Don't awkwardly slander them. Golden Wind, apart from scale, can't possibly be equated with CloudPower, okay?'
'I just want to know what Phantom Dream and CloudPower's reactions are.'
'Hey—what else could their reaction be! It must be—'
...
It exploded!!!
Within just a few days!
At the Phantom Dream Engine R&D Company in the United States!
Chief Executive Officer Carter Walker was sitting dazedly behind his desk, staring blankly at the now-darkened tablet screen in front of him—
"Hard to Turn Around! Phantom Dream V Engine Performance Disappointing! Players Express Great Disappointment!"
"SNG Review Editor-in-Chief Simon's Sharp Critique: What Truly Conquers Players Is Never Mere Technical Showmanship."
"Single-Day Market Value Evaporates Three Billion! Following Price Adjustment Policy Announcement, Phantom Dream's Single-Day Market Value Drop Exceeds 20% for the First Time!"
"Phantom Dream's Bubble Is Finally Bursting! Where Should Phantom Dream, Teetering on the Brink of Total Collapse, Go From Here?"
"Disaster-Level Performance! Atlantic Financial Review Labels Phantom Dream's 'High-Profile Promotion' a Trap!"
"Propping Up a Toppling Mansion? The Previously Highly Anticipated Phantom Dream V Might Be 'The Last Straw That Breaks the Camel's Back'."
(......)
It exploded.
Everything exploded.
Public opinion exploded, stock price exploded, market value exploded.
As Golden Wind's "GTFO" announced its first-week sales breaking four million copies.
Phantom Dream V's debut work, "Endless Dark Tide," which had already been overshadowed by "Rainbow Six," finally encountered its darkest hour.
You could say "Rainbow Six" had high investment, involved Aurora Games for technical support, development costs exceeding two hundred million, and like "Endless Dark Tide," it's a 3S-level multiplayer game, completely relying on striking later to catch them off guard, that's acceptable.
But what about "GTFO"?
Lower cost than Endless Dark Tide, less marketing, higher difficulty.
Same theme, same genre, same multiplayer co-op.
But in terms of sensory experience, effect presentation, game sales, and many other aspects, it completely crushed your Endless Dark Tide.
What will players think?
What will investors think?
A massively funded, brand-new generation engine!
Originally hoping for a dazzling debut, leading a new trend, recapturing market share, becoming the industry leader in game engines once again!
But instead, it became the industry's laughingstock!
No improvement! No distinctive features! No meaning!
"Golden Wind's own combined external full-sense assist with Yiyou isn't inferior to Phantom Dream VI...."
"Originally thought Phantom Dream was going to pull off something amazing, didn't expect them to drop a huge turd...."
"Promoted so fiercely beforehand, calling it unprecedented, leading the era, but in the end, there's nothing special about it, even falling short of GW's non-3S GTFO...."
"Not releasing this new engine would have been better; releasing it just makes them die faster.."
"Purely just trying to raise game prices to rake in another profit...."
"Was quite hesitant before, but after serving up this thing, it's simply the biggest scam of the year...."
"Cherish life, stay away from Phantom Dream...."
...
Comprehensive sales crushing!
As the media said, at this moment, Phantom Dream has finally, after the last glimmer of hope for a turnaround was extinguished, encountered the most fatal darkest hour in the company's history!
Without much thought, Carter Walker could foresee!
Next!
What they will face, besides a large number of investors losing complete confidence and leaving, includes more manufacturers who were barely maintaining cooperation abandoning them, and peers engaging in even more frenzied market encroachment!
Looking back on this turbulent year!
Since the audacious announcement of the price adjustment policy at the beginning of the year!
Nine months to date!
Golden Wind's engine debuted, producing "Battlefield Storm: Rise";
Golden Wind announced a partnership with Phenix Engine to co-develop "Dark Souls";
Golden Wind announced cooperation with Aurora Games to develop and produce "Rainbow Six";
Three major works! Three major nodes!
Each node was a direct factor leading to Phantom Dream's fluctuating and declining market value!
And with the arrival of this moment!
Golden Wind, targeting CloudPower, released the first-person horror FPS work "GTFO"!
The fatal blow has finally landed on their heart!
The already teetering dangerous building finally collapsed; the already fragile, unhealthy bubble finally burst.
The short-term revenue boost brought by the price adjustment policy ultimately couldn't escape the subsequent fatal side effects.
Returning to the industry peak as the leader was but a phantom dream.
Being discarded like worn-out shoes by the very gaming industry soil they relied on for survival is their final destination.
"...President? President!"
"Ah?!"
With a shout, Carter Walker snapped out of his dazed confusion.
Looking at the assistant who had somehow pushed open the door and entered the office, Carter Walker took a full three seconds before trembling his lips and asking:
"How's the situation?"
"The situation........."
The assistant looked troubled, pondered for a moment, then sighed lightly and said:
"The CloudPower side said President Konik is away attending a conference and will contact us later; reportedly... he went to Neon."
"Oh...... oh......"
Carter Walker nodded slowly, seeming to have already anticipated this outcome:
"What about the Vivendi side...."
But before he could finish,
He saw the assistant already slowly shaking his head.
Everything was understood without words.
"Okay..... okay..... okay....."
Saying "okay" three times in a row, Carter Walker picked up the coffee drink on his desk.
He wanted to take a sip, but couldn't pour out a single drop for the longest time.
"You—"
The assistant stepped forward, took the drink bottle, unscrewed the cap, and handed it back to him:
"Here you go."
"Thank you, um, thank you...."
Carter Walker took the cappuccino drink and took a sip, feeling the coffee today was exceptionally bitter.
It's over.
There's nothing more to say.
Konik will "contact them later" either.
If the news is correct, Konik might have really gone to Neon this time.
To Neon to meet with Komera's board director Ito Suke—to discuss the matter of introducing Komera's self-developed engine.
There aren't many game groups globally with a presentable self-developed engine; Komera is one of them.
Why they need to discuss introducing Komera's self-developed engine goes without saying.
As for the Vivendi side....
Carter Walker took a deep breath and exhaled it despondently and despairingly.
Konik is Vivendi's mouthpiece and claws in the gaming industry, naturally representing Vivendi's stance.
That's right too.
A company that was once a global game engine industry flagship with a market value of twenty billion, shrinking and plummeting to a market value of barely ten billion in just nine months.
What conditions does he have that would make Vivendi worth fully supporting?
Admittedly.
At this moment, bound by contract, their Phantom Dream is still Vivendi's exclusive strategic partner, a member of the joint group occupying half of the global gaming industry.
But Phantom Dream is ultimately not a company group under Vivendi.
They are outsiders.
From beginning to end, Phantom Dream was just a pawn, a sharp knife, a means for Vivendi to sanction GW.
That's all.
Actually, Carter Walker had already anticipated this point before reaching "cooperation" with CloudPower.
To put it bluntly, this was his grand gamble.
If he won.
Phantom Dream would hold the top seat in the game engine world, calling the shots, with pricing freedom.
With CloudPower on the left, Komera on the right, backed by Vivendi, doing whatever they wanted.
But unfortunately, he lost the bet.
"Sigh—"
Carter Walker knew well that the mass exodus of investors and the plummeting market value wouldn't stop here.
An even more violent storm might even sweep away his soul along with it.
And the tragedy is, at this moment, not a single person is willing to extend a helping hand to him.
After all, even the previously "intimately cooperating" Vivendi has discarded him like worn-out shoes; who else could he get help from?
Thinking of this.
Carter Walker couldn't help but close his eyes, shrinking into his office chair like a defeated dog, letting out a muffled and despairing groan:
"I really am....
...a freaking genius! Wuhu!!!"
At the same time!
After checking the bank deposit SMS notification, Shen Miaomiao cheered with delight!
Where's the logic in this!
Without even trying too hard!
Made another profit—!!!