Okay, John found himself powerless to do anything about the press conference ticket fallout. After all, once words are spoken, they scatter as water poured into dust; who could possibly gather them back so casually?
There were still several days left before the press conference, days long enough to make John rack his brain for something worthy to show the players. They couldn't just stand on stage and announce, "Our game is in development, and both Metal Gear and Resident Evil 2 are progressing smoothly," only to reveal nothing afterward. Character showcases, original scene designs, trailers, gameplay systems, anything would be more compelling than empty promises.
Players would arrive excited and full of expectation, only to receive nothing. That would be humiliating.
Partial disclosure of core gameplay would be necessary, but how could they reveal progress when development was still in the fragile stage of folders-with-no-seeds? So John sat and discussed promotional plans with Koch and Martel.
"Resident Evil 2 isn't an issue. We've already completed models for Leon and Ada. Even without finalized scene maps, a trailer is doable. Leon's monologue mixed with Ada's, hinting at plot and atmosphere, enough mystery to satisfy players without exposing unfinished assets."
Martel spoke with confidence blooming across her face. The timeframe was short, far too short to produce real, substantial gameplay for the conference, yet a polished promotional video? That was possible.
As soon as she finished, Koch, now the lead on Red Alert, eagerly added, "Don't worry, Mr. John. Red Alert is progressing smoothly. We've already entered beta. With a few bug fixes, we could launch at any time."
Feeling he hadn't stated enough, Koch leaned forward and continued: "We've neglected the promotional video, but if we push harder over the next few days, pre-production can absolutely be ready for the conference. We'll emphasize the themes, scale, spectacle, and something powerful enough to shock players. In the first chapter, we'll also plant seeds linking to Metal Gear. But the concept of parallel timelines needs your approval."
Koch sat straighter as he detailed their progress while John listened quietly. Having a team this efficient should've been gratifying, yet instead, a heaviness pressed against his chest. So his Metal Gear was the only one lagging behind?
"I understand. Focus on the Red Alert trailer first," John cut Koch off as he attempted to continue reporting.
After the meeting, John sat in his office dazed. In such a short time, even with dreamlike memories of Metal Gear's iconic trailer, finishing cutscenes and visual sequences felt almost impossible. Character concept art wasn't even finalized. Scene maps were nowhere near ready.
But perhaps, as Martel suggested, narration-driven story teasers could bridge the gap. He stared at the open Metal Gear GDD document. Slowly, an idea formed.
Meanwhile, news of the upcoming PixelPioneers Studio press conference spread rapidly through player communities, anticipation surging like a wave. Everyone wanted to see what masterpieces the studio would unveil.
Then, overseas powerhouse Storm Force announced the first DLC for Epic Continent, scheduled the day before PixelPioneers Studio's conference. Immediately after, Gemtechs, Moondustries, and Essence unveiled announcements of their own, new games, new VR projects, new experiments, as if they had conspired to saturate the battlefield at once.
Players were stunned. Then thrilled. A flood of announcements and a golden feast for gamers. Even if all titles wouldn't launch simultaneously, hope alone was intoxicating. At least now, they knew exactly what they would be playing in the coming months.
Yet just as excitement peaked, John received news from Armani: enrollment was open for drama-school director courses. Unlike full-degree programs, this refresher class targeted industry professionals, offering certificates, not formal qualifications. Most wouldn't attend except those seeking genuine skill improvement. A chance to study direction, learn cinematic expression, reshape narrative, it was tempting.
"It's close by. We even have housing nearby. And Martel's not far, I could discuss Resident Evil 2 content with her between classes."
The decision was made, and PixelPioneers Studio would survive without him. Their structure was solid; production wouldn't collapse if he stepped away briefly. Most issues could be solved via remote meetings anyway, and if not, a one-hour flight or two-hour high-speed rail from one city to another wasn't a hardship. Not like the old days, crammed into slow trains overnight just to move things forward.
Now, the world was faster, and time felt dangerously short.