Game development begins with destroying Girls' Frontline.

The first step is submitting entries for an individual competition over a month.

Then, starting from the second month, the top 100 of each individual competition will be released every week for voting. At the end of the third month, game demos of the three groups in the main competition will be released, inviting players to try them out and rate them.

At last.

A grand awards ceremony is held in the fourth month.

~~~

"I said it!! Penguin Games does not allow any employees to participate. This is a red line for the company, and there is no room for negotiation!"

Yao Xiaodong's roar was particularly loud in the quiet conference room.

He really couldn't understand it.

What is this person thinking?

Taking a job at Tencent and participating in Spark's competition? What are you trying to do? Rebel?

"If anyone posts something similar on Weibo again, don't blame me for being ruthless."

After saying that, Yao Xiaodong slammed the document onto the conference table.

"The meeting is dismissed!"

A group of penguin employees were left looking at each other in bewilderment.

Yao Xiaodong's anger stemmed from a wave of activity on Weibo these past few days.

That means representing the manufacturer in the competition.

This whole thing started with Kuro's art department.

After they registered, they reposted a screenshot of a successful registration for the Spark Competition individual event on Weibo, along with comments like "So-and-so is going to compete."

This incident was used as news material by some media outlets.

After several gaming media outlets reported on the matter, others immediately began to get restless.

While they may not say it, they really do things to show off.

Following this, employees from miHoYo, Manju, and NetEase also posted messages expressing their determination to get revenge, and the emergence of this group of people further catalyzed the development of the situation.

Based on this, the influence of the Spark Games Competition abroad has also begun to be exported back to China.

Compared to overseas, more industry professionals are speaking out.

Overseas, the attention was mainly drawn by big names in the gaming industry, such as Hideo Kojima, who even shared a link to a successful registration.

They said they wanted to give it a try.

Sony also shared the registration link and its own Sony Star introduction, stating that Spark, like Sony, is working to create a better gaming industry ecosystem.

Besides Hideo Kojima, many well-known Japanese illustrators, such as the legendary Tony, and some independent game developers from abroad have also given their praise.

Many of them included screenshots of their participation in the competition.

Chapter 457 E3? A New Battlefield!

These news reports from abroad further boosted the promotion of the domestic Spark Competition, and miHoYo even posted a video of a team participating in the competition on its official account.

We interviewed several senior figures within miHoYo and got their thoughts on participating in the competition.

miHoYo isn't the only one trying to piggyback on others' popularity; NetEase's Justice Online project team also issued an official statement.

They expressed their encouragement for their employees to participate in the fight.

With endorsements from employees of these major companies and celebrities.

The competition is gaining popularity, and manufacturers who have decided to log in to the Spark platform are starting to try and capitalize on its popularity.

The professionals involved are very satisfied with having their own competition.

of course.

There are those who are satisfied and those who are not.

Besides Tencent directly breaking through the defenses and using administrative orders to prevent employees from following suit,

foreign.

EPIC was also extremely annoyed by Starfire's base-raiding tactics.

"What are you guys doing?!"

"We are an engine company, and we organize so many competitions and so many projects to support developers every year."

"So the most discussed topic this year is actually the Spark Game Competition?"

Faced with the boss's questioning.

Eric Nathan, head of the EPIC platform, wiped the sweat from his brow.

This is a really difficult question to answer.

Spark's punch was originally aimed at the domestic market, but it ended up hitting EPIC in the face.

After all, EPIC's foundation is Unreal Engine.

"Well, Boss, we could also organize a similar competition..."

The figure sitting in the boss's chair glanced at Eric Nathan, took out a cigar from the table, and slowly lit it.

"Eric, do you know what the dumbest move is in chess?"

"what?"

"It's not about following what others do. I don't need someone who just does what their competitors do. I need someone who can promote the EPIC platform. Do you understand?"

Following trends is an art; if you follow them well, you can make a fortune, but if you follow them poorly, you'll become a clown.

The Spark Games competition has already generated considerable buzz, and simply copying it exactly would be beneath EPIC's dignity.

They're not penguins, after all; they have some sense of shame.

Therefore, the best response is not to do whatever Spark does.

Instead, it's a matter of you doing your thing and me doing mine.

EPIC's current strategy is to expand its gaming platform.

The reason the BOSS recruited Eric Nathan was not to replicate Spark's matches, at least not now.

He had already seen Xinghuo make his move, but his own side seemed to have made no move yet.

Eric Nathan understood his boss's thoughts.

He wiped away his sweat.

“Boss, our original plan was to launch the platform at E3, so our promotional efforts were slightly delayed.”

"However, before that, we had already contacted more than thirty developers using Unreal Engine and hundreds of independent game studios..."

"At the same time, we negotiated with E3 to establish an independent exhibition area and a separate exhibition, and to conduct publicity through independent video screenings at E3."

"There is also a developer sponsorship program that provides subsidies for games that use the Unreal Engine and are listed on EPIC."

While Eric Nathan was speaking, the EPIC boss was puffing on and on with his cigars.

"Not enough, Eric... not enough... We need to increase our investment. At this E3 expo, EPIC must find some blockbuster new games that everyone will think are NICE."

In the past, Eriksson's plans, while lacking in highlights, were still solid and steady.

But the situation is different now. Putting aside Spark, let's just talk about EPIC's biggest competitor, STEAM.

It's rumored that a new game will be announced at E3, along with the release of Steam 2.0.

Faced with such a STEAM, EPIC's current marketing strategy seems somewhat too conservative.

"Let's find a game that can truly command respect and stand up for us."

Eric Nathan scratched his head.

He's always wanted to find a game to endorse EPIC, but you can't force that.

But since the boss had already said that, Eric Nathan couldn't simply reply with "I can't find it..."

After thinking about it, I had no choice but to bite the bullet and say it.

"We did reach an agreement before regarding Radiation's platform integration..."

"You've made contact with Bethesda?"

Now it was the BOSS's turn to be surprised.

Eric Nathan touched his head.

"We talked about Fallout 76, but if they want exclusivity, we'll probably need to discuss it further. Bethesda is asking for quite a bit..."

"Radiation 76?"

Eric Nathan nodded.

"Best Spectrum's first massively multiplayer online action role-playing game had a huge impact..."

~~~

The Spark Games Competition is becoming increasingly popular.

However, Lin Li, who was responsible for all of this, had already shifted his attention away from the Spark Games Competition.

For the current Spark program...

Another point in time is clearly more important.

That includes E3 in early August and Summer Spark at the end of July.

The two time points seem to be unrelated.

But in Lin Li's view...

We've been in contact quite a bit.

First, according to Lin Li's own sources, EPIC will definitely announce its official launch at E3. Second, STEAM will also release information about its new version at E3.

And more importantly.

This year, both EPIC and STEAM will hold their own pre-E3 press conferences.

The so-called E3 pre-show press conference is actually part of the E3 show itself.

It's largely similar to the game's prelude in Cologne.

But there's something different.

The difference is that E3 is not a game show for gamers like Gamescom or Tokyo Game Show.

Essentially, E3 is an exhibition aimed at "game industry professionals and media".

Each year, fewer than 2 tickets are available for players.

However, manufacturers spend so much money to participate in E3, investing manpower and building exhibition halls, so they are obviously not really there for exchange.

Everyone was talking about communication.

They're all here to promote themselves.

Therefore, before the official exhibition, larger manufacturers will hold their own E3 pre-show press conferences to reach a wider audience of gamers and promote the demos they will be showcasing at E3.

In other words, you can organize this E3 pre-show press conference yourself as long as you attend E3; you don't need an application from the E3 organizers.

Normally, it's only major companies like Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Ubisoft, and EA that hold these pre-show press conferences.

This year, however, suddenly there are EPIC, STEAM, Spark, and even WEGAME...

Regardless of whether you're just filling in the numbers or not.

Anyway, we've secured the position.

As an aside, it's precisely because the E3 pre-show press conference has become increasingly effective as an online event that Sony stopped participating in E3 starting in 19.

Then, with the rise of face masks, E3 completely collapsed and was eventually replaced by the Summer Game Fest, which evolved from the pre-show press conferences.

of course.

That’s for later.