Tokyo: My obsession with China led me to become the king of Japanese entertainment.

In other words, diversity, fairness, and inclusivity are universally condemned in the gaming industry.

Every time a game is invaded, players are met with despair by a bunch of ugly male and female characters, and awkward, plot-destroying product placements.

The role played by The Last Two is quite subtle.

On the one hand, the fact that The Last of Us Part II turned out so badly means that the source material can only be described as second-rate.

The blame undoubtedly falls on Neil Druckman, the psychopathic Class A war criminal. His arrogance, his autocracy, his incompetence, and his ambition are the core factors that led to the game's downfall.

When Naughty Dog puts so much effort into making a game, but the core purpose isn't to please the players, the game is already doomed.

Even if you remove all the diverse content, the main plot of The Last of Us Part II is still a blob of unreadable material.

In fact, there were similar elements in The Last of Us, but at that time no one thought anything was wrong. On the contrary, they thought it was pretty good and the plot was quite reasonable.

So, if we have to say something, compared to later games like Starry Night Agents, which were completely pushed into the abyss, The Last of Us Part II isn't the one that's to blame the most.

However, they were the group that shouted the loudest after The Last of Us was ruined, even louder than the psychopath Neil himself.

Unfortunately, 20 years ago, the industry was still in the early stages of being poisoned by [the government's influence]. Although some games became aesthetically unappealing and had abrupt plots with personal biases due to [the government's influence] intervention, they did not yet cause widespread public outrage among players.

It won't escalate into a full-scale war between the two sides until 22 or 23, when a large number of disgusting games appear.

Therefore, at this point in time, it's rare to find a blockbuster game of the year willing to endorse it, so we must do everything we can to protect it.

As for how to protect the hat factory... have you ever heard of a hat factory?

If not, players can see it now.

Conservatism is the mildest accusation; others include things like being anti-sexual, unprogressive, and discriminatory...

Players didn't originally plan to focus too much on The Last of Us Part II; most of their criticisms were directed at NieR's mental instability, while also casually hurling some nonsensical comments that didn't fit the plot.

Instead, it was these same people who jumped out and said: "You're insulting me! I'm going to label you!"

In an instant, a massive number of hats flew out, and players didn't need to fight over them; everyone got one.

In addition, the attitudes of major traditional media outlets towards The Last 2 are quite consistent:

Just kidding, this is the sequel to Naughty Dog's legendary P game, which is clearly aiming for awards. How could we not give it face?

Furthermore, we, the gaming media, are the most professional and rigorous voices in the gaming industry. How can we be swayed by the voices of ignorant players?

What do you mean by "mental abnormality"? That's called exploring and experimenting with game narratives! It's called deeply exploring themes! It's called being hardcore and not pandering to...players.

As a result, in stark contrast to the wave of criticism from players, The Last of Us Part II received overwhelmingly positive reviews from the media.

The plot issues are glossed over in a few words, or even just a few words that aren't criticisms, and then they're praised to the skies.

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What top-notch visual effects, what groundbreaking technology, what industry pinnacle...?

Yes, we acknowledge that The Last of Us Part II has many excellent aspects besides its storyline.

But if a narrative-driven game has such a terrible narrative, is there any point in praising its other aspects?

It's hard to imagine the despair of an ordinary Last of Us player at this moment:

The sequel to the game I'd been eagerly anticipating for seven years was finally released. With immense anticipation and seeing unanimous positive reviews from the media, I smiled and bought it without hesitation.

Then, right before my eyes, my old friend Joel was killed in an extremely cruel way.

I was stunned for a long time. Although I was sad, I could understand. I'll chop up that Abby thing later as a way of paying tribute to my old friend.

For the next dozen or so hours, I endured the discomfort of my daughter Ellie's appearance becoming indescribably unpleasant while experiencing The Last of Us Part II's not-so-great gameplay, and I had to ignore as much as possible the disastrous damage the content did to the narrative rhythm and character development.

Until halfway through the game, I suddenly felt something was wrong:

What do you mean Ellie has wavered on her desire for revenge? Your dad Joel got his head smashed by a golf club right in front of you!

Wait... what do you mean I'm now in control of the killer Abby?

I endured immense discomfort and unease, clinging to the last glimmer of hope until the ending, only to be met with an extremely awkward reconciliation between the two girls.

So here's the question: what about Joe? Isn't he going to get revenge for Joel?

Aside from that, issues like Joel's intellectual decline and the collapse of various characters' personalities are secondary.

Filled with resentment, I wanted to join the online frenzy, intending to seriously discuss the plot, but I was unfairly labeled by a group of humanoid creatures.

Watching the media sing praises to Sony and Naughty Dog, it felt as if my own pain and unhappiness were just a dream.

This is The Last of Us Part II, a game that takes the concept of division to its extreme.

There may never be another game where the media and players are so opposed to each other.

Angry players would never vote for a game that specifically targets players who are designed to be irritating. As one of the few areas where players can have influence, they are actually quite eager to express their protest in this way.

If we could vote out the winners of The Last of Us Part II, that would be like celebrating the New Year.

But... how easy is that?

Regardless of how many huge die-hard fans Naughty Dog and The Last of Us have, or how stable its base of support is,

Finding a benchmark that can be established to counter The Last of Us Part II is not an easy task.

The Golden Joystick Award has a total of twenty nominees for Game of the Year, and apart from The Last of Us, each of the other games has its own fans.

The angry players cast their votes for their favorite games, and with the votes scattered, they naturally couldn't compete with The Last of Us Part II's strong support base.

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However, in this life, the situation seems to have changed slightly.

A video of a live stream, featuring the most active and internet-savvy producer among all the Game of the Year nominees, has begun to spread rapidly across the internet worldwide.

Do you think games should focus on pleasing players? Should they emphasize the developer's own expression and thoughts?

At the time, Jun Sakurada was focused on playing a game, and when he saw this question in the comments, he answered it almost without thinking:

"It's not to say that all the content of a game must serve only to please the players, but it's clear that the part that pleases the players should be the absolute core and the main focus."

"If you make a completely free game, with no in-app purchases or GGs, and don't take a single penny from the players, then I think it's understandable that you don't indulge the players; you're not making money off them."

"But if you want to make money from players, you should at least ensure that the overall quality of your game makes most of your players feel that their money was well spent."

"If you ruin the player's gaming experience by adding your own personal touches, making them feel it's not worth it, then no matter how good your personal touches are, it can't be called a good game."

"If you can't even make your games fun and enjoyable for players, then what kind of games are you making?"

This live broadcast was done in mid-19, shortly after Jun Sakurada left Johnny & Associates.

He didn't think too much when he said those words, and he certainly didn't intend to use them to attack The Last of Us Part II next year.

It's just an instinct to reinforce the persona of someone who dotes on fans and listens to advice.

Unexpectedly, more than a year later, this statement became an opportunity for players to unite.

Of all the producers nominated for Game of the Year this year, only Jun Sakurada made such a statement without hesitation.

Only he truly put himself among the players, without any airs of a producer.

Soon, this statement spread widely among gamers worldwide.

Jun Sakurada is a highly acclaimed producer in the global indie game community, a genius in the roguelike genre.

Countless players have found immense joy listening to his "apt" and playing his "Hundred Demons Cards" during this year of pandemic.

Hearing that this incredibly young producer had made such a statement now feels like finding a pillar of support.

Is the Hundred Demon Brand worthy of being called King?

It seems like it might actually work.

In its previous life, the Joker card was nominated for Game of the Year in 2024 and won many awards.

In this iteration, Jun Sakurada and Studio Hakimi further refined the already excellent art and music, making the overall gameplay experience even more enjoyable.

Among this year's numerous Golden Joystick of the Year nominees, Hundred Demons is one of the very few games that is virtually flawless.

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With a 97% positive player rating and over eight million units sold so far, it is definitely a leader in the market this year.

In other words, even without the messy events like The Last of Us Part II, Hundred Demon Cards is still one of the highest-quality games overall this year.

Moreover, Jun Sakurada is a celebrity and internet influencer with a huge personal fan base, and fans are naturally inclined to participate in ranking and climbing the charts.

Animal Crossing casual players may not care that much about winning the year or the best award, but Jun Sakurada's fans are still willing to join in the fun.

When players of the Hundred Demons Cards are putting in their effort, and angry players are also expressing their dissatisfaction by voting on Hundred Demons Cards, then the one who should be having a headache is the Golden Joystick.

The Golden Joystick is, after all, an award voted on by players.

Based on current statistics, Baiyao Brand has indeed surpassed Meimo Er by a large margin.

But as for the game itself, it sounds strange that a high-quality indie game of medium size could defeat Sony's strongest first-party title and a super big sequel with top-notch production quality.

And what if Sony gets upset?

The Golden Joystick faces a difficult decision...

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"Xiao Run, the work for next year is all in your hands."

Hearing Nagano Hiroshi's slightly teasing entrustment over the phone, Sakurada Jun was half touched and half joking: "Senpai, you've really given me a tough challenge."

"Given all the messes the guys hosting the Olympics have made, this ambassadorial position might not be such a sweet deal next year."

Just in the last two days, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs contacted Jun Sakurada, extending an invitation for him to serve as a goodwill ambassador for the next year.

The bait that initially lured him, leading him to take a huge risk and join Johnny's Entertainment, thus embarking on the path to stardom, has finally come back to him after nearly two years.

But now, he's not so eager for the title anymore.

"What does that have to do with you? Just do your job well, and those troubles won't affect you. At least that's how I felt during my term."

"Besides, this title is actually quite meaningless. Your daily work and interactions are enough to fulfill your duties. At most, you can occasionally mention a few official promotional phrases."

"Understood, thank you again for recommending me."

"That's too kind of you."

After hanging up Nagano Hiroshi's call, Sakurada Jun went online to read some news and found that it seemed there was already an official announcement. V6 had tagged their accounts on various social media platforms to express their blessings for the handover.

Unlike last year, when the appointment was announced at a meeting between the two countries.

There was no meeting this year, so there was no need to wait until there was a meeting to announce it.

At the record-breaking age of seventeen, Jun Sakurada is truly one of a kind to receive this title, which, while lacking real power, represents recognition from two countries.

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"Indeed, I must overcome all difficulties and return to China more often next year, otherwise I would be doing a disservice to my title."

The thought that he hadn't set foot on his hometown soil for a full year and a half made Sakurada Jun's heart itch with longing.

This is not a show; he genuinely misses his homeland.

Now that I have an officially recognized title, it will be much easier to do activities in China. I can also openly travel to China every now and then without worrying about being attacked or biased by Japan.

What bias? Isn't this a demonstration of diligently performing one's duties?

Perfect timing! Hakimi has been making waves in Japan for so long, it's time for him and his team to collectively manage the immensely potential market of China.

Just as Sakurada Jun was pondering how to phrase his response, a phone call came in.

Upon picking it up, I saw it was Hideo Kojima.

"Moshi moshi? Kojima-san?" Sakurada Jun answered with some curiosity.

Hideo Kojima, after watching "Love's Unpredictable" last time, this guy called and berated Jun Sakurada for over ten minutes. Good grief, is this the brother and sister you're talking about?

However, apart from that, their friendship despite the age difference is quite stable.

Why is he calling at this time?

"First of all, congratulations on your appointment." Hideo Kojima laughed. "Although there are quite a few game producers in Japan with various titles, you are truly one of a kind at such a young age."

"You flatter me. I only got here thanks to a recommendation from a senior colleague and some insignificant work."

"Alright, you don't need to be modest about the exchanges between our two countries. I'm here to give you another piece of good news," Hideo Kojima said mysteriously.

"Good news?" Sakurada Jun asked curiously.

"You'll know if you check out the official Golden Joystick account."

After hanging up with Hideo Kojima, Jun Sakurada curiously clicked on the official account of the Golden Joystick.

There are still a few days until the final gala, so we can't announce the award winners at this point, can we?

After reading Golden Joystick's latest statement, he couldn't help but chuckle:

Golden Joysticks announced that for the first time in 2020, its various awards will release a set of data:

The percentage of votes for the top three awards in all player-voted categories.

"Golden Joystick... is it trying to shift the blame?"

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Second update! Humbly begging for some monthly tickets, meow! I'm kowtowing, meow!

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