Started as a comics editor

Chapter 293 Mainframe Platform
Recently.

Tang Yao, the boss of Avalon, was still thinking about what happened in the office that day...

Meanwhile, across the ocean, the name Avalon is creating ripples in the core gaming community at an incredible speed, quickly converging into an undeniable wave.

Damian, who was full of questions, was just the first.

And it all started with those three stunningly different products launched by Avalon.

Well, actually we should also include "Yun".

However, what truly brought Avalon into the players' view... was not this game.

Instead, it was Hearthstone. Not only is the game itself very fun, but unexpectedly... the live stream was also extremely entertaining.

The main reason is that this card game accurately taps into the deep-rooted board game culture in North America, while the convenience of digitalization greatly lowers the barrier to entry. It is inherently fun and has explosive live streaming effects—the breathless concentration of the streamers during strategic battles and their ecstatic roars of joy when they draw a lucky card to turn the tide have become the most popular scenes for viewers.

It has consistently ranked in the top ten of the popularity charts on major live streaming platforms. Although it is still not as popular as those top-tier live streamers, its viewership is astonishing.

This marks the first time the name Avalon has appeared in the sight of overseas players.

Following that, the release of Undertale was much more subdued.

Although Avalon has come into the view of some players, the company is still unfamiliar to the vast majority of players... so this pixel-style game did not initially cause much of a stir.

The vast majority of players give up on playing the game as soon as they see the graphics.

But there are two sides to every story; while some players aren't interested in pixel art, others are...

When Damian, a somewhat well-known independent reviewer, published his almost pilgrimage-like review of Undertale, the ripples began to spread.

His description ignited the curiosity of players who already loved indie games.

They bought the game and stepped into that pixelated underground world... Then, the power of word of mouth began to show, the indie game community was quickly conquered by this work, and it quickly spread to the mainstream player group.

Countless players and critics, after playing the game, were immediately captivated by it, beginning to analyze its narrative, deconstruct its rules, and marvel at its exploration of 'what the player does is what they get'.

Thus, a masterpiece of independent fiction was born.

It was only then that many players realized... this game was actually made by the same team that created Hearthstone...

Just as the in-depth discussions and praise sparked by Undertale spread like wildfire, gradually moving from niche circles to the mainstream gaming scene, and even mainstream media began to turn their attention to this rising star—

Avalon's third game is here.

In North America, Rogers Hewitt, a streamer on a platform known for his Hearthstone gameplay, has just finished a thrilling comeback match.

He stretched, flashed his signature smile at the camera, and said, "Guys, I've had a good run today! It's almost time, so as usual, let's relax on TubeTube before we end the stream!"

Say it.

He immediately closed the game, opened the video platform, ignored the viewers' cries of "one more game!", slumped in his chair, and began aimlessly scrolling through the video platform.

After watching a few silly videos and laughing out loud, Rogers stretched again, moved the mouse pointer to the close button, and prepared to end the broadcast and run away.

But just as the fingertip was about to touch it—

A live comment suddenly popped up: "Outlast? Is this a promotional video for a new game?"

Rogers paused, his gaze instinctively refocusing on the video stream.

In the video stream, there was indeed one video with a very eye-catching cover: a deep, cold, noisy, ghostly green, like a spy under some kind of night vision device, exuding an ominous aura.

The title is also very eye-catching – “Outlast | Official Game Trailer”.

"Ok?"

Rogers was drawn to the unique cover and clicked on it instinctively, saying to the audience, "After watching the last one, it seems to be a trailer for a new game, a horror game, interesting... but I haven't heard of any companies making horror games lately..."

He hasn't finished speaking yet.

The screen was instantly swallowed up by the cold, shaky, and noisy night vision camera.

The corridor of the mental hospital was deathly silent, the shadows so thick they seemed impenetrable.

"The atmosphere is alright..."

Rogers paused for a moment, then made a casual comment, but his body betrayed him by leaning forward slightly.

A series of rapid edits, shaky camera shots fleeing in the darkness, twisted figures writhing in corners, and oppressive ambient sound effects layered upon layer...

As the promotional video played.

The most primal sensory shocks come crashing in: suffocating darkness, distorted night vision, the immense oppressive feeling of inhuman monsters, sudden bloody violence, and suffocating despair with nowhere to escape.

Every shot and every sound effect was perfectly executed.

It has a strong cult vibe.

And in the end...

boom!
A twisted, enormous, and fast-moving non-human silhouette, accompanied by a piercing shriek like metal being torn apart or fingernails scraping against glass, suddenly bursts out of the darkness at the edge of the lens without warning. The hideous face is clearly terrifying in the eerie green light, rushing straight at the screen!

"Pfft-cough cough cough!!!"

After this series of build-up.

As the day drew to a close.

Suddenly, there was a jump scar!

Rogers was so startled that he shuddered and choked on his own saliva, coughing violently.

After a brief silence, the live stream comments began to pop up rapidly.

"cool--!!!!!"

"This looks amazing!"

"This sounds interesting. Rogers, do you want to play?"

"Jump!"

"Strange, there was absolutely no word about this beforehand. How come I haven't heard anything about any horror games being released recently?"

"..."

Rogers coughed a few times, wiped away the tears that came out of his mouth, and saw the comments from the audience.

He looked at the end of the trailer with curiosity and a lingering sense of unease.

In the video, the eerie green light gradually faded, and simple white text slowly emerged:
[Outlast, November 5th.]

The name and release date pop up.

Along with that, logos for the PC version and the two major console platforms also appeared.

This proves that the game is released on all platforms.

And finally.

Then, a simple yet familiar logo silently slides into the frame—

【Avalon】

"..."

Rogers frowned as he watched the information revealed at the end of the promotional video; something seemed vaguely familiar…

Meanwhile, the live stream comments continued uninterrupted—

"Avalon? What does that mean? The sacred site of Celtic mythology? The central belief of the ancient Druid religion? Wait! No, isn't this the team that made Hearthstone?"

"Yeah, wow, cool!"

"...It really is true, the names are exactly the same."

"..."

Rogers, of course, saw the players' comments.

He stared at the familiar manufacturer's name on the screen, equally bewildered, and subconsciously said, "Aren't they the ones who make card games?"

……

"Aren't they the ones who make mobile games and online games?"

at the same time.

'Youminzhidi', the largest comprehensive gaming forum in China.

Some players also expressed their surprise, because in addition to the release of the overseas version of Outlast's trailer today, Avalon also announced that Outlast will be coming to two major console platforms. Although Outlast doesn't need localization in China, and the PC version has already been released, players are already familiar with the game.

But when the words "hosting platform" appear alongside the name Avalon...

Avalon's announcement that Outlast will be coming to consoles still shocked gamers!
"Login to the host?! Avalon?!"

Under a popular repost, a player commented incredulously: "Am I seeing things? Their game is coming to consoles?"

This statement quickly ignited the discussion among other players.

"It seems like... I played the PC version of the game, it's awesome, and now it's coming to consoles! I feel like I can trick my buddy into buying a copy!"

"Wow! Unbelievable! Actually, the point isn't the game itself, but the move to release it on consoles. I thought Avalon was just testing the waters with single-player games, but now it seems... Avalon is serious! Do they want to jump straight from the PC mobile game arena into the AAA console game arena?"

"...I saw that the overseas version of Outlast is being promoted. I took a look and the trailer has been released. It's quite popular. In less than an hour, it has already been viewed more than 100,000 times."

Wow, awesome!

"Haha, is that impressive? You haven't seen how popular Hearthstone is on overseas streaming platforms... and how popular Undertale is in the overseas indie game community."

"Oh? Tell me in detail!"

"Go and see for yourself, it's simply outrageous! ...Although Avalon's company name isn't exactly well-known overseas, their games are truly famous! Ever since they opened up the overseas market with 'Yun,' they've been making money with every game they release! Every game is incredibly popular! It's unbelievable that so many people in China still consider Avalon a rising star in the gaming industry, it's unbelievable...What rising star makes games that can dominate overseas! And every single one is a hit! Look at Jiuxiao, look at Yiyou, they're being beaten down by Avalon even in China, let alone overseas..."

"Huh? Is it that exaggerated?"

"What the person upstairs said is really not an exaggeration. I just checked the popularity trends on overseas live streaming platforms, and Hearthstone is already ranked seventh... It's really outrageous. The games ranked ahead of it are all famous super IPs! What's even more outrageous is that Undertale has a media score of 96..."

Wow...that's amazing!

"I estimate that Avalon's decision to release Outlast on consoles is largely related to the overseas market. Avalon is probably aiming to make a name for itself... And once Outlast is released in overseas markets, Avalon's name will likely become truly well-known to overseas players."

"..."

……

Although Tang Yao's mindset was slightly affected by Li Xue's actions... things still needed to be done.

After all, the release of Outlast on consoles was already confirmed.

of course.

Tang Yao had never considered logging into a console platform at first.

But the staff were incredibly proactive... They wanted to allow more players to enjoy Avalon games without hardware limitations...

Of course, Tang Yao, as the boss, had to satisfy them.

As for the coordination between Outlast's release on console platforms and its overseas version... all I can say is that the opportunity was there, and it would be a real shame not to take advantage of it.

Therefore, Avalon's purpose this time is not, as players say, to launch on multiple platforms and make a name for itself.

This can only be described as a secondary objective.

Tang Yao's main purpose.

...or rather, to allow more players to access the game without being limited by hardware.

It's that simple.

Anyway, that's what the staff who initially planned to make a console version thought.

They are indeed very pure, but... there are also those who are not so pure.

Inside the office.

"...Exclusive?"

"Ah."

Li Xue, dressed in a well-tailored business suit, her long hair pulled back to reveal her slender, white neck, exuded elegance and clear eyes, looking every bit the elite reporting for work: "Didn't we send both games to the console platforms? Including the later 'Left 4 Dead', Mercury Interactive Entertainment showed great interest in 'Left 4 Dead'. They experienced the test version, learned about the reputation we've built on the PC platform, and are very optimistic about the potential of 'Left 4 Dead'."

Therefore, they hope that Left 4 Dead can obtain a console exclusive launch on the Mercury Station platform.

"..."

Tang Yao looked at Li Xue, who was standing prettily in front of her desk as if nothing had happened, and forced a straight face, trying her best to maintain the boss's dignity: "Oh... what are the conditions?"

"They want a six-month exclusivity period after the initial launch on the console platform."

Li Xue explained, "In return, they are willing to provide maximum promotional support for Mercury Station, as well as a certain amount of exclusive fees."

"Well... forget it."

Upon hearing this, Tang Yao thought for a moment.

Then he gently shook his head: "No, this game won't be exclusive."

Although the conditions were relatively good, the Mercury Station platform was indeed in a dominant position in the console market.

Genuine cooperation actually has many benefits.

But how to say it.

Tang Yao was not willing to ignore the feelings of her staff and easily damage the team's rare purity for the sake of money and resources.

After all, the reason the staff wanted to make a console version was to allow more players to play the game without restrictions.

Of course, the most important thing is.

She has to consider Avalon's game assistant.

Moreover.

You might make more money if you don't monopolize it...

"it is good."

Li Xue seemed to have anticipated this, and simply nodded upon hearing it: "Understood. Then I will formally reply to Mercury Interactive Entertainment, politely declining their exclusive offer... But to be honest, I really didn't expect them to even consider exclusive rights, as we haven't even announced 'Left 4 Dead' yet..."

"This proves our game is great."

Tang Yao replied softly, "That's a good thing. As for suddenly... it was indeed quite sudden, but sometimes that's life. Wasn't it also quite sudden when you said you wanted to go to my house that day..."

Li Xue was surprised that the topic would suddenly turn to this, and her delicate body stiffened slightly.

But soon.

She looked at Tang Yao again and said very seriously, "I'm serious."

"..."

Tang Yao blinked her beautiful eyes, but didn't say anything more.

……

this side.

Avalon is thriving.

the other side.

Eyou isn't actually that bad... because the big boss in the mobile game industry has gone into making single-player games.

just.

Jin Feng, the person in charge, was not happy at all.

Not only am I not happy, but I'm becoming increasingly uneasy.

Especially after seeing that Outlast is coming to console platforms so soon!
No!

How did they do that?!
Jin Feng couldn't understand it at all.

But this wasn't actually the source of his unease...

The source of his unease was that he suddenly remembered a vague, deliberately forgotten fragment—a few months ago, in order to streamline the company's bloated structure, to make way for more profitable mobile game projects, and to eliminate those 'stubborn' voices, he personally approved a large-scale layoff plan.

This includes the self-developed engine team, which has a huge investment, a long development cycle, and no prospects in the short term.

And this team seems to have ended up going to Avalon...

"impossible……"

Jin Feng muttered to himself, as if trying to convince himself.

But in a corner of his heart, the vague image of the laid-off engine team lingered and he couldn't shake it off.

(End of this chapter)