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Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Heated Discussions

Chapter 40: Heated Discussions

At the city's Game Department.

Unlike the previous life, the entertainment industry in this parallel world is not controlled by a single central department. Instead, it is divided into distinct departments. The Game Department is, naturally, responsible for games. National agents handle the international distribution of games and game review. Even games that have passed review and are ready for export are reviewed by the Game Department.

Similarly, unlike the universal approach of the previous life, the parallel world has a detailed rating system. This is largely due to the more advanced technology of the parallel world. At least the online real-name registration system for games is fully implemented. Minors, forget about looking at Naizi; you definitely won't find her. Precisely because of this, the review standards are more flexible than in the previous life.

Of course, if they insist on having sexual content, it's still not allowed. Just like Alex's first game, Mirror, it can only be exported and sold domestically. It is considered a shady business, without support, but not completely prohibited either.

Furthermore, the Game Department has launched its own game engine, similar to the Unreal Engine of its previous generation. Only one is commercial, while the other is governmental. Moreover, the technology is not on the same level.

Meanwhile, at the city's Game Department, the leaders and judges responsible for this Science Fiction Tournament were meeting to discuss the situation. Unlike common players, these judges play almost all games, so they base their ratings on a combination of reviewers' summaries and their own opinion on the game's content.

After all, starting from scratch and completing the story, with so many games in such a short time, is simply unrealistic.

Additionally, given the significant feedback from players on selected games in previous years, this time the decision was made through a joint review process between players and official authorities.

After all, the purpose of the Game Department's tournament is to better guide the video game market. And the video game market is determined by players. If they officially select a suitable game, but players don't like it, how can that influence the market?

"Let's start with the voting for the first prize. Please, everyone, give your opinions one by one," the lead judge said from his seat.

"NetDragon Games, Galaxy Heroes, developed by designer Mark Stone, has some flaws in the plot and numerical performance, but the level design and pacing are exceptional." Everyone began to speak in turn, and the first judge spoke:

"Nebula Games, designer Alex developed To the Moon. Although there's nothing remarkable about its gameplay, the game's flashback format makes the pacing impeccable."

"I agree. Although Alex's game, unlike his previous Undertale, doesn't feature a spectacular setting system, the story itself is enough to be considered touching."

"Galaxy Heroes is excellent, but To the Moon is also very good. However, from a personal perspective, I think most common game designers probably don't have the resources to create a game like Galaxy Heroes. To the Moon is different, so, from this point of view, I think I lean more towards To the Moon."

"Although I also believe in the excellence of this game, can To the Moon be called a science fiction game? Because, in essence, this game seems to be about love, right?"

"Strictly speaking, To the Moon is not science fiction, but if you really use that standard, more than 40% of the games this time cannot be considered science fiction."

"I have my doubts. I still prefer Galaxy Heroes."

The main judges of this event's game selection were embroiled in a heated debate. Similarly, online, countless players were already experiencing and testing each of the participating games. In terms of initial promotional activity, many of the participating games had already received significant attention.

But the most striking figure was Alex. After all, the buzz around Undertale hadn't completely died down, and then came the resurrection of David Cannon, who had previously feigned death, only to be brutally attacked by Alex. So, it could be said that Alex completely captured the enthusiasm. This also led many players to try To the Moon immediately. Forums and player groups were already filled with enthusiastic promotions and discussions.

"I encourage everyone to play Alex's new installment, To the Moon! It's so touching it's practically a tear-fest!"

"Hey, man, is it that serious? You're moved to tears! Isn't it a game Alex created in just over ten days?"

"So what if it was created in just ten days? It's great if it's good enough! And the story is incredibly touching. After playing it, you'll understand what it means to be a tough guy."

"F***, seeing you all discussing this makes me cry again!"

"So exaggerated?"

"Play it and see. This game has shown how vulnerable I am to tears!"

"So great? Oh my God, I'm going to buy one and try it!"

"Who are you going to vote for? I've decided on To the Moon and no one else can do anything!"

"Likewise, I've decided on To the Moon too!"

"Although I'm also very moved, I don't think To the Moon can be considered a science fiction game, right?"

"Who the hell cares? I'm going to vote for it anyway!"

These players who played To the Moon in person voted without hesitation. And what if they said it wasn't strictly science fiction? But after experiencing the touching story, few cared. After all, what would they care if it was a science fiction game or not? If they thought the game was excellent and moved them, then the vote was cast. Whether it qualified or not was a matter of official confirmation.

Soon, the sales figures for the participating games in three days were released. To the Moon led the pack, with 193,000 sales, while Galaxy Heroes came in second with 87,000. These figures were already quite impressive. However, this significant sales lead was mainly due to two factors.

First, To the Moon is a cross-platform game, available for both mobile and PC, reaching a wider player base. Second, To the Moon is priced at just $3, while Galaxy Heroes costs $13. While To the Moon's low price is also due to its gameplay, the full game, from start to finish, only lasts a little over four hours. Even so, the lower price had a significant impact on sales.

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