Game Development: Starting with Recreating the Anime Game Style

Chapter 396 Convinced
They tirelessly discuss the skill combinations of different Servants in the "battlefield" and how to deceive their opponents with words, but few people care about the stories and bonds of these Servants in the main story of "FGO".

The game *Fate/Grand Order*, which carries a rich storyline and a grand world view, has now truly become just a simple "launcher" in the eyes of these new players.

Shiokawa worries that this abnormal prosperity might be like duckweed, seemingly impressive but actually rootless and baseless.

Once the hype surrounding "FGO Killer" fades, will these players who were attracted disappear like the tide, leaving no trace?
With FGO's current popularity so high, the main game itself isn't getting much discussion. Could this ultimately damage the long-term value of the FATE IP?
These thoughts kept swirling in his mind, but he dared not ask them.

After all, the current situation of FGO can be described as not just good, but extremely good.

However, he remained silent.

Chu Chen, who was sitting and playing on his phone, noticed very early on that Yan Chuan was preoccupied.

"If you have any questions, it's best to ask them now. I have a very busy schedule today, and I'm heading back to China tonight."

Chu Chen's voice was calm, and he didn't look up, his gaze remaining fixed on his phone screen. However, Yan Chuan subconsciously replied, "Yes."

He then scratched his head, wondering if it was because he hadn't shown any expression since getting on the bus that Chu Chen had seen through his thoughts.

However, Chu Chen's question did indeed relieve him.

He quickly took the opportunity to voice his questions.

After listening, Chu Chen didn't reply, but instead asked a seemingly unrelated question.

Do you think the Fate universe has any barriers to entry for someone who knows nothing about Type-Moon?

Shiokawa nodded subconsciously.

"Of course, not only do they exist, but the threshold for understanding them is not low. Magicians, Heroic Spirits, Holy Grails, Root... these concepts all require a lot of background knowledge to understand."

Although Starry Night Games made a lot of optimizations in the remake, it still doesn't have a significant "fan base" outside of Japan and China, two regions where Fate has a certain "fan base".

FGO's influence overseas is only so-so. In the United States, neither its users nor its revenue is half that of "Final Battlefront".

Of course, part of the reason is that as a gun girl theme, Final Frontline is relatively easy for people in Europe and America to relate to.

However, another reason is the overly complex world setting of FGO itself, which is why the operation of FGO gradually shifted from external to internal in the previous life.

Since they couldn't solve the barrier to entry, they had no choice but to ignore it and shift their operational focus from targeting ordinary players to targeting hardcore fans.

"That's right. FATE is a typical IP that is interesting, but also has a high barrier to entry."

Chu Chen looked away from his phone and focused his gaze on Yan Chuan's face.

"Have you read Romance of the Three Kingdoms?"

The sudden shift in topic caught Shiokawa off guard, but he still answered instinctively.

"Of course. In Japan, the Three Kingdoms culture is also very popular. Koei's Romance of the Three Kingdoms series and Mr. Mitsuteru Yokoyama's manga are both national-level works."

"very good."

Chu Chen leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped in front of him, looking very relaxed. "I also really like the Three Kingdoms. The first time I came across it was in a children's comic book that was about the size of my palm. It was full of colorful illustrations and had very little text."

"In that comic book, Guan Yu had a red face and a long beard, and he was holding a big sword. Zhang Fei had a black face and a big beard, and he was shouting 'Waaaa!' Lü Bu was always riding a red horse with two feathers on his head."

"It's very simple, very stereotypical, right? But for a six or seven-year-old, that's enough. I know who the good guys are, who the bad guys are, and who's good at fighting."

Shiokawa listened quietly, as if he had vaguely grasped something, and the confusion on his face was gradually replaced by a focused expression.

"Later, when I went to middle school, I watched TV dramas and the stereotypical characters in comic books were enriched and made more complete in my mind."

"It wasn't until I went to high school that I actually read the original novel of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, or even Records of the Three Kingdoms."

Chu Chen picked up the bottled water next to him, took a sip, and then turned his gaze back to Yanchuan.

"For a large and complex IP, the user's cognitive process is inevitably a process of gradual deepening."

“Not many people will immediately pick up a thick book and start reading; they need a trigger, an opportunity.”

"The reason why Fate has such a great influence in Japan is inseparable from its anime and manga, but these things are not enough as a starting point."

"If we want FGO to become a game for everyone, we need to have more catalysts on this foundation. FGO Assassination, the variety show recording we're going to today, and the voice actor live streams from before are all like drawing a 'comic strip'."

"The purpose of these comic books is to first bring in as many general users as possible, even people who never play games. Even if some people just come in to take a look, some of them will stay."

"Just like whales swallow large amounts of 'seawater' and then filter out their own food, those who remain will settle and become our users."

This theory is actually the reason why many Tencent games are successful.

Tencent can use its traffic to bring more people into the pool. Even if the pool is leaky in many places, the large base means more users will stay in the end, and revenue will increase.

The current "FGO Kill" in FGO is essentially aimed at bringing more people together.

In short, Chu Chen meant that you shouldn't care why these people came; as long as they came, it was a good thing.

The reason why Shiokawa couldn't see through it was partly because he was "in the mountains." It's naturally very difficult for someone in the mountains to see the whole picture.

Secondly, it's due to experience. Anyone can offer hindsight advice, but few can provide insights before something has even happened.

Like this thing.

Will the explosive popularity of FGO affect the game itself? Is this a question that everyone can answer right now?
Some people might be able to, but few can give such a confident answer as Chu Chen.

Only by doing what others cannot can one earn admiration. All the doubts that had been swirling in Shiokawa's mind before vanished like clouds and fog, and he suddenly understood.

Looking at Chu Chen again, Yan Chuan felt a sense of awe once more.

It wasn't obedience to authority or status, but a pure admiration for wisdom and foresight. This reverence wasn't formed all at once; rather, Yan Chuan had similar insights to some extent in almost every conversation with Chu Chen.

That's what truly convinced him.

(End of this chapter)