Game Development: Starting with Recreating the Anime Game Style

Chapter 603 Amplification and Endorsement

Since FGO became a huge hit in Japan last year, and Chu Chen was crowned "Mr. Billion Dollar Man", many Japanese media outlets have liked to use the term "Black Ship" when introducing Starry Night Games.

These two characters actually have a certain story behind them.

Historically, Japan experienced the Black Ships Incident, which occurred in 1853 when the United States used gunboats to force Japan to open its doors to the world. This incident was initiated by Matthew Perry, commander of the U.S. East India Squadron.

He led four warships to the mouth of Edo Bay, threatening the Japanese shogunate with force to open the country.

It is important to note that, because modern Japan recognizes the United States as its father, this period of history has been completely embellished by the Japanese government. This has resulted in the establishment of Perry Park and the annual "Black Ships Festival."

In textbooks, this historical event is portrayed positively, and Perry is even seen as a hero who brought progress.

However, among Japan's elite class, this matter is seen as humiliating.

Therefore, the reason why the media used the term "black ship" is more to express, on the one hand, the impact of foreign culture, believing that Starship has had a considerable impact on the Japanese game industry.

On the other hand, the article also reveals a certain degree of sarcasm and irony.

"...When the last PV of the Starry Night Games pre-show press conference ended, the thunderous cheers that lasted for several minutes made us feel as if we had been transported back to the last century, to the golden age when Japanese developers defined 'fun'."

"However, this time, the company standing in the center of the stage, receiving the worship of players from all over the world, is a company from China."

"After tonight, the name Chu Chen will be known to more people. This genius game producer, this billionaire, is still creating more miracles!"

"We must face the fact that the black behemoth named 'Star' is already full of mythical heroes that are both familiar and unfamiliar to us, and has smashed open the door to a new era."

"This is an unprecedented challenge for the Japanese game industry. In today's mobile game field, which is completely dominated by Star, we must seriously consider whether we still have global competitiveness in the traditional single-player game field."

~~~
Meanwhile, on the other side of the ocean, IGN, the world's largest gaming media outlet, gave a more straightforward and blunt assessment today.

On their homepage, the article reviewing Starry Night Games' press conference was marked with a bright red "8/10" rating. Don't be fooled by the low rating; the title was full of sensationalism.

【E3 2018: The Night Belongs to China】
This headline is clearly a typical example of "praise to death," but IGN's content this time actually made some sense.

"I've covered E3 for ten years, and I thought I'd seen it all. I've witnessed the birth of legends and the fall of giants. I thought I'd never have my heart race at any press conference again. Until tonight."

"Starry Games and its founder Chu Chen delivered a true feast for players in 60 minutes, from cyberpunk to space epic, from wasteland survival to the rebirth of myth."

“Every PV is so fresh, although there are still many obviously immature parts, and some games don’t look that cool, but they are indeed a new force in the current game industry.”

“At the end of the press conference, a colleague next to me, a senior editor with more than 20 years of experience in the industry, turned to me and said: ‘I feel that new blood is entering this market.’ I wholeheartedly agree.”

PCGAME, another American gaming media outlet, is even more impressive.

They directly featured the StarCraft E3 pre-show press conference on the front page of the PCGAME special webpage, and even used Chu Chen's photo, which was captured perfectly.

That was the moment he waved to the audience after finishing his "rapid-fire recitation".

The stage lights outlined a golden circle behind him, and he wore a relaxed and confident smile.

Chu Chen in this photo is stunningly handsome. His youthful charm and commanding presence blend perfectly, creating a fatal attraction.

Below the photo is a striking quote, directly quoting Chu Chen's words at the press conference:
“I was just a gamer who hated watching CEOs talk nonsense. So I decided to do it my way.”

("I used to be a player who hated listening to CEOs talk nonsense, so I decided to do it my own way.")
The article inside is also written in a very positive light.

In reality, for all game industry professionals, the influx of fresh talent is definitely more positive than negative for the industry. Even with a limited budget, Game Science's *Black Myth* in its previous life still garnered considerable positive coverage from Western media, albeit with a touch of bitterness.

In this timeline, StarCraft has a larger budget and local distribution channels.

Although there are a lot of sour news stories, mainstream media generally hold a positive attitude towards genuine game industry professionals.

"...When everyone thought the E3 formula was fixed, and when the press conferences degenerated into boring business speeches and trailer bombardments, Chu Chen and his Starry Sky Games reignited the stage with an almost 'primitive' passion belonging to the players."

"He didn't read from a script, there was no complicated process, he just shared his favorite toys with you like a friend. And these 'toys' just happen to be the most exciting video games on the planet."

"I look forward to StarCraft bringing more fresh things to the global gaming market."

This article quickly sparked heated discussions among European and American gamers, but the discussion wasn't about the content, but rather the cover.

"Holy crap! Has PC Gamer gone mad? When was the last time they used a real person on the cover? I remember it was over a decade ago with Gabe Newell?"

"No, Gabe Newell's appearance that time was also in a game image, but this is the first time! The very first time! A game producer has graced the cover of PC Gamer!"

"I have to say, the boss of Xingchen is really handsome, he looks like a celebrity."

"That's right, my wife asked me who he was yesterday."

These reports from mainstream media in Europe and America were like boulders thrown into a lake of public opinion, and the ripples they created quickly crossed the Pacific Ocean and spread back to Asia at an astonishing speed.

In the internet age, information knows no borders.

In particular, there is a piece of information that everyone is paying attention to. From yesterday to today, as long as the European and American media have reported on it, it will take anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour.

These news articles will then be translated and reposted on the Chinese internet.

And it's not just in China; in Japan and South Korea, these translated news articles also have a significant amount of traffic.

If you think about it carefully, there's something quite interesting here. Even though domestic media outlets are reporting on the stars, people still want to keep seeing information from overseas.

Unfortunately, this is a true reflection of the current global landscape of cultural dissemination.

In 18, the West is still the center, and voices from the center are always easier to hear and easier to believe.

In this respect, China is relatively better off.

What's that saying again? In this world, netizens from only two countries are the most "arrogant."

One is the United States, and the other is China.
Due to historical accumulation and economic development, Chinese netizens also possess a unique sense of relaxation characteristic of people from a large country.

However, for players and professionals in Japan and South Korea, the evaluations from the West carry a completely different meaning, and their impact is even more direct than the events themselves.

Just like in my previous life, when a Chinese scholar was debating with an Indian, he started with a fluent London accent. That cultural pressure from the center of the old empire could directly exert psychological and bloodline suppression.

This is why Chu Chen attaches such importance to E3.

Because what he wanted was this amplification and endorsement from the "center".

(End of this chapter)