Chapter 36: The Game is On Fire!

As soon as the data was released, the major gaming media outlets were astonished. Many of them probably didn't get much sleep the previous night.

Why? Because they were busy revising their articles!

First-day sales of 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, and then 20,000 – these are vastly different numbers, and the content of the articles had to reflect that. Initially, these media outlets had estimated first-day sales to be between 8,000 and 10,000. They thought "Plants vs. Zombies" was just a niche casual puzzle game, and while it saw high sales in the first few hours thanks to social media hype, they expected the numbers to drop off quickly afterward.

However, the subsequent data completely slapped them in the face!

Not only did the sales not drop, but they kept rising, hitting over 20,000 in just 24 hours!

These people had a hunch that they were witnessing history.

When the 24-hour data for "Plants vs. Zombies" was released at noon, all these gaming media outlets published their articles.

"Today's Biggest Dark Horse: Plants vs. Zombies!"

"First Day Downloads Exceed 20,000, Dominating the New Games Chart!"

"Player Comments: Completely Addictive!"

"Industry Experts Predict: Highly Likely to Top the Puzzle Games Chart!"

"Game Review: Rich Content, Innovative Gameplay, Unmatched Creativity!"

"Can You Believe It? The Designer of Flappy Bird and Plants vs. Zombies is the Same Person."

"Will First-Month Sales Break 100,000? Steven Harris is Silent."

The media outlets were unanimously praising the game. Given the excellent data and impeccable quality of "Plants vs. Zombies," it was hard to find any faults even if one wanted to.

With the media blitz and the app store's featured recommendation, it was clear that "Plants vs. Zombies" was about to experience another explosive sales surge!

Many curious players visited Steven Harris's social media profiles, only to find that he had deleted his previous replies to Alex Parker. Previously, Harris loved to critique and comment on various games, but since the success of "Plants vs. Zombies," he had gone silent.

Enthusiastic netizens weren't going to let this slide. After all, Harris had once confidently declared that Alex Parker's first game wouldn't sell over 100,000 units in its first month. Now, people were curious to see if it would hit that mark.

"Mr. Harris, please say something."

"No worries, 'Plants vs. Zombies' has only sold 20,000 on the first day. The first month might not hit 100,000. You still have a chance."

"Don't give up, Mr. Harris!"

"Thankfully, you didn't rashly promise to eat something embarrassing if you were wrong."

"So, are you really not going to say anything, Mr. Harris?"

These comments quickly gained hundreds of likes, with many mocking Harris for his previous statements.

Harris, indeed, didn't post anything. He knew what would happen if he did. Seeing the mocking comments under his posts, Harris was furious but helpless. The success of "Plants vs. Zombies" was undeniable, and any criticism now would only backfire.

"How can this guy be so lucky? How can every game he makes be a hit? Fine, I'll wait. I refuse to believe he can maintain this level of success!"

Harris decided to lay low.

Netizens eventually lost interest when Harris didn't respond. After all, in the internet age, trends come and go quickly.

However, "Plants vs. Zombies" was genuinely on fire, with sales continuing to climb.

Johnny Alexander and Simon Dominic both called Alex Parker to congratulate him.

"Amazing, I heard you're dominating the new games chart. Looks like you're making a lot of money. Don't forget, I'm waiting for you to make a game where you can buy power with money," said Johnny Alexander.

Alex laughed, "Don't worry, I won't forget."

Simon also congratulated him, "You're amazing, Alex. I always thought your game had potential, but I didn't expect it to blow up like this! Impressive, truly impressive!"

Alex replied, "Your game is doing well too, currently second on the new games chart."

Simon said, "Yeah, but it's no match for 'Plants vs. Zombies.' I've played it a lot over the past few days, and it's incredibly well-made and addictively fun. I think this game is going to start a wave of puzzle games."

Alex said, "Let it start the wave. My next game won't be a puzzle game."

Simon was puzzled, "Why? It's making money and getting great reviews, and you're good at it. Why not continue?"

Alex explained, "It's hard to explain, but I don't have much faith in this genre in the long term. Anyway, let's meet up for a meal sometime."

Not only Simon but also other game media outlets believed that puzzle games were about to become very popular.

"Plants vs. Zombies" was undeniably a hit. Although it was hard to gauge the full extent of its success, it was poised to top the puzzle games chart and influence the overall paid games chart.

Moreover, the game's rating consistently hovered around 9.3. Despite some competitors trying to lower the rating, it never dropped below 9, indicating its immense popularity.

Very few players requested refunds!

The app store allowed refunds if the playtime was short and the reasons were valid. However, "Plants vs. Zombies" had very few refund requests, showing that players were delighted and intended to play long-term.

To game media and designers, Alex Parker's first major game was a resounding success, likely to inspire a trend in puzzle games.

Puzzle games have always been popular. They can appeal to a broad audience and are suitable for all ages. Once a puzzle game becomes widespread, it usually becomes a massive hit, never short of players.

Additionally, puzzle games didn't have high barriers to entry. Even C-level and D-level designers could handle them; the key was creativity.

None of the designers in this world doubted their creative abilities.

Thus, many designers and media outlets were watching the trend.

Would "Plants vs. Zombies" ignite the puzzle game market?

Was the golden era of puzzle games upon us?

Only future data could answer these questions.

However, unknown to everyone, Alex Parker, the designer of "Plants vs. Zombies," had no intention of continuing with puzzle games.

At least, not for now.