"As far as I know, Earth Games' first game, Piano Tiles, launched just over a month ago. It's also the first game in over twenty years to revive this style in the market. Does it have a special meaning for you?" Wendy nodded at William, signaling him to answer.
William licked his lips. "Thank you—thank you so much for asking this question. Honestly, it means a lot to me."
"I grew up in the countryside. When I was a kid, we didn't have a TV at home. A bunch of us kids had to come up with our own games to pass the time. What made me happy wasn't playing the games we invented, but creating them. From that moment on, I made up my mind—I wanted to bring the joy of games to kids who couldn't enjoy TV entertainment."
He had spent the whole morning preparing this answer. He needed a believable backstory. Otherwise, it would be hard to explain how someone his age knew so much about tech. If people thought he started studying this stuff as a kid, it sounded more convincing.
"So that's why you released it for free."
"Yes."
"But recently, your games have in-app purchases. Why the change?"
William turned to Cynthia, and she understood. "We added in-app purchases so we could bring better games to more players and make sure the company has enough funds to keep going."
"If you had the chance, would you release a completely free game again?"
"Definitely."
Cynthia answered without hesitation.
William added, "Our company's goal is to bring players happiness, and we've been working hard toward that. But before we can make everyone happy, we have to make sure the company doesn't go under."
If the telecom policy hadn't changed, William would have loved to release free games — they would have made money much faster than they do now. But with games being truly free these days, there are a lot more things to think about.
"I believe the players who are fans of your company wouldn't want to see that day come. At the same time, we also look forward to the day when everyone can enjoy your games without any limits."
"Thank you."
"As far as I know, Earth Games has been hiring a lot of people recently. Does that mean you have a new game in the works? Can you give us a little hint here?"
"Of course."
William nodded. "Right now, we're working on three games. Two of them you've already seen, and there's one mystery game that will be revealed soon. We hope everyone will keep an eye out for it."
"That's great news. I'm already looking forward to it." Wendy's reaction didn't feel fake at all — it sounded like she was speaking as a fan on behalf of other fans.
Of course, it was also possible she really was a fan of Earth Games.
"I can promise we won't let anyone down."
Wendy gave a sly smile. "Maybe… you can share just a little right now?"
William looked a bit uncomfortable. "It's hard to say."
"Just a tiny bit?" Wendy pressed.
Cynthia stepped in. "Actually, some news about the new game will appear in our latest variety show, Craftsman Wood, which we're co-hosting. If you're interested, you might want to keep an eye on that show."
"I will."
Wendy nodded and let William off the hook for now.
"Miss Cynthia, you used to work at Tencent, right?"
"Yes."
"Why did you decide to move to Earth Games?"
"Instinct, I guess."
"Instinct?" Wendy leaned in with a gossip-loving look. "I'm curious — what kind of instinct would make you leave one of the world's top companies to join a brand-new one… oh wait, when you joined, the company hadn't even been founded yet, right?"
"You're right. The company was formed after I joined."
"In that case, who gave you the courage to take the leap?"
Cynthia didn't answer but looked directly at William.
The answer was obvious.
"Ohhh."
Wendy's smile grew wider.
Cynthia said, "I trust my instincts. I believe the gaming market has a bright future, and I believe our boss can lead us in the right direction."
William said, "I'm confident."
Even with that explanation, viewers would probably still speculate about their relationship. But doing interviews like this was meant to stir discussion and attention, so they had already prepared themselves for it before going on the show.
"True. I'm sure players who've tried your games also have a lot of confidence in you, and I'm really looking forward to what you'll do next."
After chatting with Cynthia, Wendy turned her attention back to William. "Next, we have a talent performance segment. Which one of you…"
Even though she phrased it as a question, everyone there could tell what she was aiming for.
William volunteered. "I'm pretty decent at the piano."
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Wendy looked pleased.
If you said she came prepared, that would be right. In the next studio over, a Yamaha piano sat alone in the middle of the room. Multiple cameras were already set up, ready to start recording the moment the player sat down.
William turned his head to look at Wendy. She gave him an innocent smile and gestured for him to go ahead.
Cynthia, meanwhile, had the look of someone watching a show. She had heard William play the piano at home a few times, but had never actually seen him play in person. She imagined it would look very elegant.
Since he hadn't prepared anything in advance, and Wendy had already picked the sheet music, William ended up playing Canon in D.
Romantic, and instantly recognizable.
Anyone who has played Piano Tiles probably counts this as their favorite song—it's so beautiful that it sparks endless daydreams.
When Johann Pachelbel wrote this timeless piece, he was thinking of his life, his wife, and his love.
And William?
In the past, he played without thinking of anything in particular. But this time, a few faces appeared in his mind. He didn't know if it was love or just fondness, whether it belonged to him or to the "her" in his eyes. It was complicated, yet strangely wonderful.
From the studio doorway, Wendy looked at William with tears in her eyes. The same piece now gave her a completely different feeling.
The first time she had heard him play, she was simply amazed—stunned that someone so young could create something so breathtaking. But during the second performance, she felt as if she truly understood his playing, almost as if she were there inside the music.
Growth.
A true prodigy never stops at one stage—he keeps growing.
If he didn't spend his talent on making games, the Chinese-speaking world might have gained another great artist.
Cynthia caught every change in Wendy's expression. She was moved too, but she couldn't relax enough to just enjoy the moment. She had to remember why they were here, which gave her the space to observe Wendy closely.
When William finished playing, the program had also reached its end.
Wendy led the two back into the studio and said to the camera, "Thank you, Mr. William, for the wonderful performance, and thanks to everyone watching on TV or listening on the radio. That's the end of today's interview."
"Thank you."
William and Cynthia both said goodbye to the camera.
The interview would be edited, have ads inserted, and subtitles added before airing during prime time that night.
Over at Merry's side, they had already gotten permission to start promoting the interview early, which would surely draw plenty of players interested in Earth Games to tune in to Riverdale TV.