Rebirth 08: Can a mobile game company also build a tech empire?

Chapter 164 New Product Preview

The third scene is set in a cluttered room.

Takeout boxes and beverage bottles were placed on the table.

A content creator (UP) from the gaming section is sitting at a table.

Recording a live stream of Minecraft on a mobile phone.

His phone was propped up on the table, the screen lit up, displaying a game.

He explained as he operated the equipment.

"Brothers, today we'll continue exploring this newly discovered cave—"

In the video, his eyes are fixed on the phone screen, without blinking.

He recorded for about twenty minutes, then stopped and rubbed his eyes.

My eyes are sore and tired, and there are already some bloodshot streaks in the whites of my eyes.

He closed his eyes to rest for a few seconds, then opened them again and continued to stare at the small screen.

The screen gradually darkens.

After the three scenes ended, a line of text appeared on the screen.

Some gaps must be filled.

"November 10th, Conquer Online new product launch conference."

The video ends.

The comments section on the video was completely flooded with messages.

The densely packed white text floating across the screen overlapped one another.

It's almost impossible to see any complete content.

All you could feel was that overwhelming, frenzied atmosphere.

"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! Conquer Online is releasing something new!"

"This video is so well-made!"

"The scene where Cheng Lin is holding up her phone and looking at the screen immediately made me imagine myself in that situation; it happens every night!"

"That video of Tech Xiaoxin typing on his laptop on the plane is so relatable! Laptops are heavy and inconvenient; business travelers know what I mean!"

"That gaming YouTuber who's recording gameplay videos, his eyes are almost blind but he's still persisting—isn't that me?"

"So what exactly is it? A cell phone? Or something else?"

"November 10th! Only 8 days left! I can't take it anymore!"

"Some blanks always need to be filled—this copywriting is brilliant!"

The comment section below the video was also buzzing with excitement.

"Zhengtu's promotional campaign was brilliant; the caption at the end of the video was simply divine."

"So what Conquer Online needs to do is fill these gaps?"

"Phone screens are too small, and computers are too heavy and inconvenient to carry—the implication is pretty clear, isn't it?"

"I bet it's a tablet! It's definitely a tablet!"

"A tablet? Aren't there already tablets on the market? Like the Windows kind?"

"Windows tablets are heavy, expensive, and have short battery life; it's not the same thing at all."

"If Journey to the West really makes a tablet, with their design skills, it will definitely look amazing!"

"I can't wait! I've already got my wallet ready!"

"The more mysterious it is, the more we look forward to it! November 10th, come quickly!"

The answer is also the subject of heated discussion.

A Q&A titled "Deep Analysis of What the New Journey Product Is Based on Three Scenes in the Promotional Video".

Less than an hour after it was released, it received over 10,000 likes.

The respondent is a user with the ID "Digital Old K".

The titles listed are: Senior Digital Enthusiast, Z-Dimensional Certified UP Master.

His answer was over three thousand words long.

I also included a few diagrams that I made myself.

"After watching the trailer for Journey, my biggest feeling is that this company understands its users very well."

"The video selected three scenarios: browsing Z-Dimensional in bed in the dormitory, writing copy on an airplane, and recording game gameplay. What is the common pain point of these three scenarios?"

This is a demand that existing equipment cannot meet.

"On the dormitory bed, the phone screen is too small, and although the computer screen is large, I have to get up to turn it on, so the experience is disjointed. On the plane, the laptop is too heavy and the space is cramped, so it is impossible to work comfortably. When recording game live, staring at the small phone screen, eye fatigue is the norm."

"Three scenarios, three pain points, all pointing in the same direction: the blank space between mobile phones and computers."

"Mobile phones are too small, and computers are too heavy. Is there a device that combines the portability of a mobile phone with the large screen of a computer?"

"Yes! A tablet!"

"Note that the tablets I'm talking about are not those thick and heavy Windows tablets on the market with only two hours of battery life, nor are they those rudimentary learning tablets with poor functionality and a terrible user experience. Instead, I'm referring to a completely new category that is truly designed for mobile scenarios and is centered around touch control."

"If ZT is really making a tablet, given the design capabilities they demonstrated on ZT1 and the optimization level of the ZUI system, this product is definitely worth looking forward to."

"Furthermore, don't forget the ecosystem advantages of Journey. Mobile phones, games, Z-Dimension, and Answers are all compatible, with data synchronization and seamless experience. If you are already a Journey 1 user, buying a Journey tablet will provide an experience upgrade that no other manufacturer can offer."

"I've already set my alarm for November 10th!"

The comments section below this answer was equally lively.

"Old K's analysis is so detailed! After reading it, I'm even more excited!"

"I experience all three of these pain points, and I desperately need a product that can fill the gap between them."

"If it really is a tablet, and the design is as good as the Conquer Online 1, I'll buy it without hesitation!"

"I hope the price won't be too high, as students have limited budgets."

"Conquer Online 1 is only 1999, the tablet shouldn't cost more than 3000, right?"

"Upstairs, tablets have larger screens and more complex manufacturing processes, so their cost is definitely higher than that of mobile phones. A price under 3000 is already very reasonable."

"I don't care how much it costs, as long as I can get my hands on it!"

On Baidu Tieba, the number of followers of the Journey forum has surged by over 100,000 in the past two days.

The forum moderator pinned a post.

The title is "Zhengtu New Product Launch on November 10th: All the Speculation is Here!"

Below the post, all sorts of speculations emerged.

Some people are certain that it's a flat panel.

Because my cousin works at Foxconn.

We have already seen the prototype on the production line.

Some say it's the mobile version of Journey 2.

Since Conquer Online 1 has been released for almost half a year, it's time for an iteration.

Some people had a really creative idea.

It's said that Journey is going to release a game console specifically for playing their own games.

Some people say it's neither.

It's possible that the game is about to release a smartwatch.

There are various opinions, and no one can convince anyone else.

But one thing is in common.

Everyone is looking forward to November 10th!

Time passed day by day.

November 5th, 5 days to go.

On that very day, another bombshell announcement suddenly exploded across the internet.

At 10 a.m., when countless users habitually opened the Taobao homepage, they were stunned.

Taobao's homepage has changed.

The most conspicuous position.

That carousel that originally displayed various promotional activities.

It was replaced with a huge poster.

The poster's background is a deep black.

In the center is a huge, countdown-like number.

5 days, 12 hours, and 42 minutes.

Below the numbers is a line of large, eye-catching white text.

Taobao joins hands with Journey to the West to create a Double Eleven shopping extravaganza!

Below that is a line of smaller text.

"On November 11th, the new Conquer Online product will be launched exclusively on Taobao Mall."

At the very bottom of the poster.

The simple Z-shaped logo of Journey Technology and the orange logo of Taobao stand side by side.

The entire homepage was filled with this poster, which took up more than half of the space.