Video Game Designer

The fall of the old god and the rise of the new god may be rare in other traditional industries, but it is very normal in the game industry.

It may only take a few big projects in the wrong direction, and if they don't succeed, that behemoth may collapse, just like THQ that killed itself.

It is possible that just because a successful game has accumulated enough capital, it will skyrocket from then on, just like Tianhe Network back then.

Even EA, which is the current big brother in the game industry, will suffer heavy losses from successive failures, and even change from a first-line big brother to a third-line little brother.

On the one hand, it is its own old series of games, which have not been able to achieve much success.

Battlefield, Need for Speed, and Real Racing, although the sales were good, they did not meet EA's expectations.

First of all, the Battlefield series fought countless times with the main competitor Activision's COD, and every time they were beaten head-on.

However, their own Need for Speed ​​and Real Racing have fallen into a vicious cycle. They are released year after year, but sales and reputation have been declining. On the other hand, Microsoft’s Forza series has come from behind, which means to replace them.

Apart from its own last fig leaf, sports game series such as FIFA and ice hockey, only the old IPs such as Sims performed well.

As for the expansion of the new IP, Dragon Age performed well in the past two years. Although it did not explode, as a series, Dragon Age also met EA's expectations.

But the later Mass Effect Andromeda really sucked out EA's blood.

Now that it has entered the promotion and is waiting for the release of Star Wars Battlefront 2, it can be said that EA is repaying the expectations.

But a successful game is not enough for the current EA.

So after learning that Tianhe Network had a new game plan, EA rushed to the door immediately.

Although the relationship between EA and Tianhe Network is very good, the two parties have cooperated countless times since the first game. It seems that as long as EA does not intentionally set harsh conditions, Tianhe Network will basically not consider choosing other companies.

But who can say so absolutely about business competition?

You must know that the games of Tianhe Network have gone through so many market verifications. It can be said that publishers with a little distribution ability are flocking to them. Even interactive movie games that everyone is not optimistic about can be profitable.

And this new unknown game is obviously the work of Tianhe Network's direct line, not the product of its studio.

Coupled with the fact that Tianhe Network secretly poached two generals from EA, and bid to buy two auction studios of THQ, it can be speculated that Tianhe Network is definitely going to make a big deal.

Even this will be a game like Red Dead Redemption, and it will be on the dual platforms of Sony and Microsoft as always. Just because of Tianhe Network's name, this game will be worth 3 million sales.

If it is as good as Red Dead Redemption, then the sales of this game will definitely not be less than 10 million, which is something that no game manufacturer will refuse.

Some second-tier publishers, Tianhe Network will definitely not consider it, only consider Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sega, SE, Ubisoft, EA, Activision, etc. These publishers can be said to be salivating for the games of Tianhe Network , especially Sony Interactive Entertainment and Activision, the shots can be said to be very generous.

Activision, in particular, probably has a relationship with EA. Since Activision was redeemed from Vivendi by its CEO Popitick and the ASAC II LP investment consortium, Activision’s actions in the field of game distribution are more than ever before. Much bigger.

Of course, Activision has a 5% share in the hands of Penguin, and ASAC II LP Penguin also has a share of more than 20%.

Since the year before last, Activision’s investment in game publishers has reached 3/4 of that of EA, especially in key projects such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft. Compared with EA’s investment cost in Battlefield and Red Dead Redemption It will cost a lot.

More importantly, Activision has much fewer third-party projects than EA.

The lack of ace third-party projects is what Activision is currently facing.

Such as Ubisoft, Bethesda, Capcom and other first-line game manufacturers, there is no doubt that the games produced by themselves must be published by themselves.

Under such circumstances, third-party game manufacturers such as Tianhe Network that have not set foot in the game publishing circle are undoubtedly the targets that everyone is chasing.

Faced with this kind of EA who may be at risk of being NTR if you don’t pay attention, it can be said that you are very concerned about the trend of Tianhe Network, and almost came to Tianhe Network when you found out that Tianhe Network had a new project ready to be established.

The game hasn't been made yet, don't know when it will be released? It doesn't matter, let's talk about the conditions first, cultivate and cultivate relationships, and we can also set up a little more information.

As for licking the dog until there is nothing left? Stop making trouble, since the establishment of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, EA has almost started to lick Tianhe Network, and then?

After licking out a Red Dead Redemption, EA directly created a record high in market value, and after Andromeda Waterloo, EA continued to lick, and the massacre of the prototype and the heavy rain allowed EA to stabilize the situation.

For EA, is it good to have everything you need until the end?

"Well, regarding the new game, we do have plans in progress, but we don't even have a GDD." Chu He waved his hand and said.

Hearing Chuhe's words, Charles couldn't help but be speechless. GDD doesn't have it?

Is it too early to draw this pie?

"Well, will you attend the next E3 exhibition in person?" Charles asked while looking at Chuhe.

"Maybe I won't go to E3 this time. We are acquiring a studio at Neon." Chu He looked at Charles and said.

"Platinum Studio? They don't accept the fate of being acquired so easily." Charles said as he thought of something.

This is not a secret anymore, you can find out if you pay a little attention to the actions of Tianhe Network.

"I'm quite optimistic about them. In the field of action games, they have enough strength." Chuhe nodded.

"Unfortunately, they are too poisonous. The highest-selling Bayonetta has only sold 1.5 million copies so far. Sega has not made much profit so far, and Microsoft's Dragonscale Avatar project has also lost more than 20 million US dollars. ’” Charles complained.

For general 3A game projects, the game publisher has been determined early, not only because of the PY transaction, but more importantly, the project team also needs the upfront fees for agency distribution, and even the follow-up publicity funds for the project to fill the cost of the 3A project. Some game studios established 3A projects, and then suddenly discovered that the copyright of the entire game did not belong to them, and they sold all of them because of the shortage of funds. They were all almost sold, the most typical of which is Platinum Studio.

The early platinum studios were established by a few big names who left Capcom, and then they fell into a dilemma without money, and then met their first 'husband' Sega.

This turned Platinum Studio from Cinderella to Mrs. Rich, and what Platinum Studio didn't know was that Sega was actually a bad man with a habit of "domestic violence".

Forcibly intervening in game development, and then the sales of the game were not good. Platinum Studio wanted to continue to develop new projects, but Sega refused to become an ordinary foundry studio.

what to do? Then 'divorce'.

Then the resigned Platinum Studio quickly found a new love, Nintendo, but this time the new love was not very reliable. At this time, Nintendo’s home game console was rubbed on the ground by Microsoft and Sony, and it was working as a Platinum of the Nintendo series. The games developed by the studio are naturally exclusive to Nintendo, not to mention games that sell so badly on game consoles?

In the end, Platinum Studios once again fell into the embrace of Microsoft. They thought that this time there should be a good result, and then Microsoft proposed a unilateral breakup.

'Married many times' 'Born at the wrong time'

These are not the biggest problems for Platinum Gold Studios. The real problem is that every "divorce" Platinum Gold Studios basically leaves the house, and even loses money. Ye Dunzhi and Kamiya Hideki, the three King Kongs, have become the two great protectors.

At present, Platinum Studio has been reduced to doing OEM for other Neon manufacturers, such as Sega and SE.

At this time, Chuhe set his sights on this cursed studio.