Chapter 52: New Game Confirmed

Ben Quinn felt his emotions slowly calming down as he reviewed the tweets he had posted. He found it hard to believe his earlier impulsiveness.

"What was I thinking today? Why was I so rash?"

Ben was a bit regretful, but it was too late. The tweets were already out there, witnessed by thousands of players. There was no turning back now.

In a few hours, this news would likely spread across major gaming media, possibly attracting the attention of the entire gaming community and even trending.

"Ugh, so irrational!"

Ben wasn't a hot-headed young man; he was in his thirties. If he were genuinely hot-blooded, he wouldn't have worked on a game like "Defenders of the Holy Spring."

He knew well that this game borrowed heavily from the creative aspects of "Plants vs. Zombies." If he had remained rational, he wouldn't have bothered with Alex Parker's provocations.

But now, with this blown out of proportion, Alex was at risk, but he also stood to gain! Previously, Alex's spat with Steven Harris had directly boosted the popularity of "Plants vs. Zombies." This new argument could give Alex's new game even more publicity for free!

Ben, naturally cautious, started feeling uneasy.

Why was Alex so confident? Did he really have such a strong hand?

Suddenly, Ben's phone rang. It was Charles Lynn, the CEO of Generation Entertainment.

Ben was startled. Had this issue already reached his boss so quickly?!

Ben cautiously answered, "Hello, Mr. Lynn. About the bet with Alex Parker, I…"

Before Ben could explain, Charles Lynn interrupted him.

"Well done," Charles said.

Ben was taken aback, "Mr. Lynn?"

Charles chuckled, "Alex is very cunning. I think he's using this to get free publicity for his new game by leveraging Generation Entertainment. But this also gives us a chance to promote 'Defenders of the Holy Spring.'"

"For the next four months, focus on refining 'Defenders of the Holy Spring' and add new features! When it's ready, we'll push it on our platform!"

"You responded well to Alex's challenge. I was worried your cautious nature would make you hesitant. Remember, Generation Entertainment crushes anyone who challenges us! Those who resist us are stomped out!"

Ben felt his spirits lift, quickly responding, "Understood, Mr. Lynn!"

Charles continued, "Good. Work hard and stop worrying. As long as you're with Generation Entertainment, we will never lose, understand?"

"Got it, Mr. Lynn!" Ben replied enthusiastically.

After hanging up, Ben's mood improved. Charles Lynn didn't reprimand him for making the bet but praised him, indicating strong support from the top.

Charles's message was clear: Even if "Defenders of the Holy Spring" borrowed heavily from "Plants vs. Zombies," it didn't matter. Generation Entertainment was so powerful that no one could challenge them. They would use this situation to their advantage for promotion.

As long as Ben had the support of Generation Entertainment, there was no way Alex could win the bet.

With this realization, Ben was actually grateful for his moment of impulsiveness that led him to accept the bet.

Determined, Ben thought, "Alright, for the next four months, I'll focus solely on improving 'Defenders of the Holy Spring.' I don't believe Alex Parker can beat me with Generation Entertainment backing me."

...

On the other side, Alex had already received several phone calls.

Daniel Cooper, Zack Johnson, and Amy Johnson all called, asking why Alex was so reckless. They felt the bet was too risky and seemed to be setting himself up for failure.

Alex, however, remained calm, reassuring them one by one.

As the experience store opened, Amy was already waiting outside.

"Boss, you're too impulsive! I never took you for such a hothead!" Amy exclaimed anxiously.

Alex shrugged, "We discussed this on the phone. I wasn't acting impulsively; I'm prepared."

Amy asked, "What preparation do you have for Generation Entertainment?"

Alex nonchalantly replied, "You wouldn't understand even if I explained."

Amy was exasperated, "@#￥%&*!!!"

Alex handed her a can of coffee, "Alright, no big deal. Starting today, we're developing a new game. We have four months, so no unnecessary leaves."

Amy was surprised, "Really? Do you already have a draft of the new game?"

Alex shook his head, "No, I haven't written a single word."

Amy facepalmed, "Boss, can you be more reliable?"

Alex replied, "Don't worry. Wait until tomorrow. I'll give you tasks then."

"Fine," Amy reluctantly agreed, "But hurry! We only have four months!"

"Got it, got it," Alex said, waving her off as he headed upstairs.

"Can he really do it?" Amy muttered to herself, "It's unbelievable that this unreliable guy is the designer of 'Plants vs. Zombies'…"

...

Back in his studio, Alex didn't immediately start writing the game's design document. Instead, he opened his drawing software.

Alex's drawing skills have improved significantly. He sketched on his drawing tablet, and after about half an hour, a classic character from his previous life appeared on the screen.

It was a somewhat silly-looking minotaur.

With a big head, small limbs, and a cute appearance. Large eyes with thick eyebrows gave it a straightforward, goofy look. Its trapezoidal face had tiny ears and horns, with a large nose ring in its nostrils.

This chibi minotaur didn't look childish despite its cartoonish style.

Looking at the sketch, Alex felt something was missing. After some thought, he added three black dots below each eye.

"Hmm, that's about right," Alex nodded.

This silly minotaur was a classic character from his previous life named Moo-Tang.

Yes, Alex's next game would be the national-level card game "I Am MT" from his past life.

In his previous life, the gameplay of "I Am MT" had become outdated. However, in this world, players had no idea what a "domestic card game" was.

Alex knew Ben Quinn and Generation Entertainment's strategy well.

"Defenders of the Holy Spring" was modelled after "Plants vs. Zombies," so Alex had a rough estimate of its profitability.

Even if "Defenders of the Holy Spring" had more content and better promotion, it still had to rely on sales – this type of game wasn't suited for in-app purchases.

If Generation Entertainment changed the monetization strategy for "Defenders of the Holy Spring," it would only make Alex's victory more certain.

Knowing this, Alex dared to bet on monthly revenue.

When it came to making money, this single-player game couldn't compare to a domestic card game, which wasn't about game quality but about the monetization model.

Sure, "Plants vs. Zombies" was a higher quality, more polished game, but it couldn't out-earn "I Am MT."

In the gaming industry, profitability often defied logic.