Started as a comics editor

Chapter 271 Not only that
No.

Avalon? ??

Nine Heavens.

Shen Lun sat in front of the computer, staring blankly at the comment section below the new version announcement, his face full of existential doubt.

"The designer is a genius!!"

"Control decks are about to rise to prominence!"

"Bring it up quickly! I want to play!!!"

"..."

Below were exclamations of amazement and eager shouts from the players.

Even through the screen, you can almost feel the passion that's about to burst forth.

The number of comments skyrocketed in a short period of time, and its popularity seemed to rival that of the open beta launch of "Dungeon & Fighter".

...Shen Lun is now really starting to not understand this company.

Avalon... what on earth are they doing?
The massive wave that "Dungeon Fighter Online" created in the PC game industry has yet to subside, and its aftershocks are still violently impacting the foundations of the game.

Shen Lun managed to maintain his composure in front of his subordinates, attempting to re-evaluate the value of PC games, and even the absurd idea of ​​trying PC games again... All of this was based on a breathing space he subconsciously tried to grasp—he thought Avalon would take a temporary break in the mobile game field, at least to digest the huge success brought by Dungeon & Fighter.

However, reality dealt him an even heavier blow.

Avalon didn't stop! They didn't pause for even a moment! Before the explosive popularity of the PC game "Dungeon Fighter Online" had even reached its peak, they had already precisely and seamlessly channeled this massive wave into the mobile game realm! With a new expansion for a card game, they dropped another bombshell: the Explorers' League!

No!

You guys should at least take some rest!

Let's be quiet for a while!

Even if it's just to create paid content for "Dungeon Fighter Online"? Even if it's just to rip off the players?
"...Is it really necessary?"

Shen Lun muttered to himself, his voice dry and hoarse.

When he saw the new version of the mechanism description, his first reaction, like Guan Lihui's, was one of utter absurdity and bewilderment.

This completely contradicts his understanding of card game deck-building logic, and feels like he's cutting off his own arm.

But when he saw the accompanying cards that followed, he was amazed by the incredible imagination of Avalon's designers. What seemed like impossible shackles became keys to fun, and their design prowess was beyond imagination... They were truly geniuses.

Legendary cards, the discovery mechanic, class cards... Even without actually playing them, he could sense that these weren't isolated entities, but rather a tightly interconnected and intricately linked system.

This expansion pack is not a whimsical idea that came to mind on a whim, but a well-thought-out, well-supported, revolutionary design that is capable of overturning the existing environment and creating entirely new gameplay.

and so.

What exactly is the nature of Avalon's R&D capabilities?

They are capable of creating not only popular PC games like Dungeon Fighter Online.

It's amazing that Dungeon Fighter Online was so popular, so popular that even Jiuxiao wanted to go back to making PC games.

They immediately released a new expansion for Hearthstone, which included new mechanics, new cards, and new deck-building strategies...

It's as if... it's as if the huge success of "Dungeon & Fighter" didn't make them lose their way or become complacent in the slightest. With astonishing efficiency, they seamlessly detonated a nuclear bomb in the mobile game field during the peak of the PC game's popularity.

This precise control over market rhythm and user attention, as well as the ability to coordinate and operate its own product matrix, is simply superhuman.

But the problem is.

This company.

like.

seem.

...It hasn't been established for very long, has it?

It lacks both depth and substance.

We lack talent reserves.

All that's left is money.

Leveraging their early advantage as mobile game developers, they accumulated a significant amount of working capital.

But the question remains: can money truly guarantee the rapid production of high-quality content? Can money truly provide such formidable execution and control over the pace of production? Can money create the nascent form of a multi-platform, multi-genre gaming and entertainment ecosystem empire?

No.

Jiuxiao also has money. Although its initial voyage to the sea was a failure and caused significant damage, it doesn't mean that Jiuxiao has collapsed.

At least for now.

Compared to Avalon, Jiuxiao has a larger scale and channel advantages.

But even so.

Even Jiuxiao cannot produce high-quality content as quickly as Avalon.

Dungeon Fighter Online proved that Avalon can be dominant in the PC game market.

The release of the new version of Hearthstone, in the mobile game field, in the field that Nine Heavens thought was about to become its backyard, once again planted Avalon's unshakable flag, and made its debut with an even more dazzling appearance, riding on the huge traffic brought by Dungeon Fighter Online!

Although the new version of this game has not been officially released yet.

But its popularity had already taken off.

Shen Lun's idea of ​​"trying PC games again" seemed incredibly naive and ironic in the face of Avalon's actions.

Avalon showed him through their actions that there is never just one battlefield, and that they have the ability to define the rules and overturn the status quo on every battlefield!
So it's still the same question.

why? ? ?
Where does this company get so many talented people? Technical and time-sensitive issues can indeed be addressed quickly if money is poured in regardless of cost.

After all, even if you just throw money at it, you can build a powerful team.

Jiuxiao can also throw money around and spare no expense in manpower and resources to shorten the construction period.

This is not a technical issue at all.

The problem remains the same as it was at the beginning, from FGO to Hearthstone, then to Dungeon Fighter Online... and now to Hearthstone's wildly imaginative new version.

Where does Avalon's top-notch industrial R&D capability come from?

And where did this profound insight into the core needs of players come from?

This is not something that can be solved with money, nor can it be solved by having more people.

Does the domestic game industry have talent?

Yes, of course.

Nine Heavens has many well-known production staff. Although the domestic game industry does not have a producer system and the star producer model is not very popular.

But a good producer, or rather a core creative leader, can indeed make even a mediocre game shine.

Shen Lun has a very clear understanding of this.

Like Avalon, they seem to have a precognitive ability to find the point that ignites the greatest passion among the player community!
This is absolutely outrageous!!!

Do they really have that many talented producers inside them?
Making FGO! It directly ushered in the era of anime-style mobile games!
They made card games! And they achieved great success overseas!

Making PC games has made established game companies like Jiuxiao question their existence!
This includes a game like "Yun" that was completely unexpected!

"Where did they find these people? Why didn't they come to Jiuxiao? Why didn't they go to Yiyou? Can talent really be cultivated?"

Shen Lun muttered to himself.

At this moment, he even had a slight urge to sneak off to visit Avalon and see for himself how they managed to keep producing new content.

Because during this period, the aura emanating from this company was so despairing.

...It's like a bottomless pit.

Nobody knows what they'll bring out next.

Nobody knows how many talented producers this company has, or how many brilliant ideas they have.

This is my thoughts.

Shen Lun suddenly remembered a small matter.

When we were trying to poach talent, the headhunter mentioned a small thing.

...The real core of Avalon is their boss.

"..."

Think of this.

Shen Lun's gaze froze for a moment, then he shook his head.

No, no.

Rumor has it that Avalon's incredibly young leader, supposedly no older than twenty-five, is the driving force behind all of Avalon's miracles and the source of all its creativity...

This is utterly absurd from any perspective. It defies common sense.

That defies all common sense.

But does Avalon really have that many talented producers, or more accurately, core creative leaders?
"..."

Shen Lun fell silent.

Can't figure it out.

He shook his head vigorously, not wanting to think about it any further, and instead looked back at the screen.

Whatever.

After the release of the new Hearthstone expansion... Avalon, the rising star of the gaming industry, will probably be quiet for a while, right?
It's about time things calmed down for a while, isn't it?
……

Late September.

The Golden Week holiday is just around the corner.

The new Hearthstone expansion, League of Explorers, is officially live!
Guan Lihui updated the game immediately. During one of the longest holidays of the year, he happened to catch his favorite game with new content!

Is there anything more wonderful than this?

there is none left!
In fact, long before the Explorers' League was officially launched, Guan Lihui and other enthusiasts had been building decks for the new version on the forum based on the newly revealed cards.

The most popular of these is, of course, the Highlander deck.

Because of Reno and the Discover mechanic, it's entirely feasible to include only one card in a deck.

Oh.

There is also Elise Starseeker.

He and his enthusiasts had a heated discussion on the forum, but it was all theoretical and they didn't take into account the actual ranked ladder environment.

But at least we managed to cobble together a deck.

Guan Lihui couldn't wait to give it a try!
But first... you need a card.

Guan Lihui looked at the game page, rubbed his hands together, and immediately clicked to recharge!
However, just as he was about to head straight for the card pack, another option on the screen caught his eye—Adventure Mode.

"Adventure Mode! This is in the new version?"

Driven by curiosity, Guan Lihui temporarily abandoned his idea of ​​immediately assembling a deck and engaging in a bloody battle with others, and clicked on the link.

A page pops up, accompanied by a resounding sound effect, and the adventure chapters unfold—Temple of Osis, Uldaman, the ruined city, and the Explorer's Hall.

Each area is marked with the price in in-game currency or real money required to unlock it.

At the same time, exotic background music flows out, instantly creating an adventurous atmosphere.

If it were Tang Yao, Indiana Jones would be the first character that comes to mind!

But Guan Lihui felt that the music was particularly catchy and his spirits were lifted.

His eyes widened: "Wow! PVE? And there was no advertising!?"

This was a completely unexpected surprise! Without hesitation, he immediately used the gold coins he had just recharged to unlock the first area—the Temple of Osis.

Select a deck.

Enter the adventure, where a chessboard full of exotic charm unfolds.

Hello, my name is Reno Jackson, a renowned archaeologist, explorer, and treasure hunter.

A vibrant yet slightly flamboyant voice accompanies a simple animated performance.

The game then began.

The opponent is Sinnar, the God of the West Wind.

His hero skills are very special.

[Gift of the Genie - Draw a card, gain a magic crystal, and grant your opponent a wish.]

The game has just begun.

The opponent then used their hero skill, and Guan Lihui gained an extra card in his hand.

It's called an energy wish.

Zero cost, the effect is... Discover a spell card!

He immediately used the Power Wish card, and three random spell cards appeared on the screen: one for healing, one for clearing the board, and one for increasing attack.

Discovery mechanism...

Guan Lihui suddenly understood what this adventure mode was for.

His eyes lit up, and he began to concentrate on playing against the computer.

He soon discovered that this adventure mode... was simply the perfect training ground for the new version!
Each boss has unique hero abilities and pre-set card decks, designed to be both fun and challenging!
More importantly, here, he can familiarize himself with and experiment with all the mechanisms of the new version without any pressure!
"Interesting! Haha! Interesting! These leaders' skills are so ingenious!!!"

As you progress through the chapters and levels.

Guan Lihui's interest grew higher and higher. The fun of PVE was completely different—there was almost no sense of frustration. He could slowly try out new card combinations, appreciate the unique voice lines and animation effects of the bosses, and immerse himself in the carefully designed storyline and level mechanics.

This feeling... is really great.

So soon, Guan Lihui unlocked all the subsequent levels without hesitation, and then became completely immersed in this adventure, challenging bosses with unique characteristics and bizarre skills while absorbing the essence of the new mechanics like a sponge.

And the more you play...

The more he felt...

Avalon is such a great company!!!

The quality, depth, and integration with the core gameplay of this PVE content far exceeded his expectations!

It doesn't feel like an accessory at all! It's more like a meticulously designed independent gameplay element embedded in the Hearthstone base game!
Fun!

so fun!
As he conquered each level and his collection grew with new cards, his desire to compete with others finally became irrepressible.

"Time to go dominate the ladder!"

Guan Lihui rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming with eager anticipation.

He temporarily put aside the adventure mode and built the Highlander Priest deck that he had been longing for before the new version was released.

Then, click on Ranked Match to enter the ranked battlefield.

The environment has indeed undergone a complete transformation!

But it didn't get worse... it became more vibrant and fascinating than ever before!
"This is fun! Hahaha!"

"Wow, what a pity! I just realized that choosing the other spell card would have won us the game."

"That opponent's 'cosmic thief' strategy was so ingenious! I'm copying it!"

"No, I feel the deck can be optimized. It can be combined with Battlecry. I'll try Brann Bronzebeard next time."

"Wow, this new class card is so strong when combined with the old system!"

"A fast break! It's finally here!"

We're rich!!!

Accompanied by this classic line that resonated throughout the battlefield, Reno Jackson made a dazzling entrance!

In a cozy room that is neither too big nor too small.

Guan Lihui leaned back comfortably in his chair, his eyes fixed on the screen, his pupils reflecting the intensely changing battle situation, filled with excitement and focus.

The dramatic environmental changes and endless fun gameplay brought by the new version are allowing him to enjoy the pure fun of the game.

...A mix of competition and surprises—this is exactly the kind of start to the Golden Week he wanted!

At the same time, many other players shared the same thought as him.

Much!
……

at the same time.

Avalon.

Tang Yao sat alone behind her desk, playing a game.

On the screen, the Hearthstone League of Explorers adventure mode interface is playing exotic music with a distinct Indiana Jones style, exciting and full of adventurous spirit.

She smiled softly, then reached out and rested her snow-white chin on her hand, gazing at the bustling game world before her, a hint of indescribable...loneliness flashing across her beautiful eyes.

However, after a brief silence, the loneliness dissipated like a thin mist.

Her gaze shifted to the other side of her field of vision, looking at the tabletop.

Ok.

FGO is about time to make its appearance. After reassuring mobile game players, it's time for the real new game to debut!
(End of this chapter)