"Counter-Strike" was a massive hit in North America, which naturally caught the attention of game developers from other countries. Many companies scrambled to send representatives to negotiate for distribution rights, eager to pay Blizzard licensing fees and revenue shares.
Of course, whether or not these deals would succeed—and under what terms—ultimately depended on Mavi's approval. "Which countries in Asia are interested?" he asked casually over the phone.
"In Asia, the main interested parties are from China, South Korea, and Japan, Chairman Mavi," replied Mike Mokahan truthfully.
"Which Chinese gaming companies have approached us for distribution rights?" Mavi was particularly concerned about his fellow countrymen across the Pacific.
"China? Uh, let me check! There are four companies: Tencent, NetEase Games, Shanda Games, and The9," Mike Mokahan answered. He wasn't sure why Mavi was paying special attention to the Chinese market, but at this point, he followed Mavi's lead in everything.
"Tencent? They're already getting into the gaming industry this early?" Mavi thought to himself.
He still vaguely remembered that rejection he received in Beijing. In his previous life, Tencent's gaming division wasn't established until 2003. But in this life, thanks to the $32 million investment from Naspers, Tencent had entered the gaming market three years earlier.
"Approve distribution deals for South Korea and Japan and negotiate terms with their representatives. As for the Chinese market, we need to establish our own presence," Mavi stated firmly over the phone.
China's gaming market was incredibly lucrative. Instead of relying on distributors who might mishandle things while taking a share of the profits, Blizzard would be better off entering the market directly and keeping 100% of the revenue.
As long as the game was good, making money in China wouldn't be an issue—Mavi was certain of that.
"Understood, Chairman. I'll arrange it immediately," Mike Mokahan responded respectfully.
"Alright, that's it for now," Mavi said before hanging up. With the revenue from five million open beta accounts, he could finally breathe easy again! And as "Counter-Strike" continued to spread worldwide, his earnings would undoubtedly triple, quintuple, or even increase tenfold.
Three weeks later, all five million beta accounts were sold out. Additionally, Blizzard signed distribution deals with several game publishers from different countries. This instantly brought Mavi an additional $150 million, raising his total bank balance back to $275 million.
Time to splurge again.
"Ivan, how much funding do the scientists at the Central Naval Design Bureau need for their research? Has the Navy given any estimates?" Mavi called his butler into the room and inquired about the new frigate development project.
"Young Master, the Navy hasn't specified an amount yet. But from what I understand, it won't be a small sum. Given the Navy's current budget, they likely can't afford to fund this project on their own," Ivan replied honestly.
Five days later, the butler returned with an update. "Young Master, the Navy just sent word. They'd like you to visit Navy Headquarters this Friday. The scientists from the Central Naval Design Bureau will also be there."
The Russian Navy Headquarters, officially known as the Russian Federation Navy Fleet, is a crucial branch of the Russian Armed Forces.
It was a much higher-level institution than the Northern Fleet, which Mavi had visited previously. In fact, it represented the pinnacle of the Russian Navy's prestige.
"Got it," Mavi raised an eyebrow. He never imagined that in this life, he'd be involved at such a high level—let alone receive an invitation to visit the Russian Navy Headquarters.
He wondered what rank the officer greeting him would hold. A rear admiral? A vice admiral?
The Russian Navy Headquarters is located in St. Petersburg. Its commander-in-chief is Admiral Vladimir Sarayev, and its chief of staff is Admiral Felix Nikolayev.
The headquarters oversees the four main fleets: the Northern Fleet, the Pacific Fleet, the Black Sea Fleet, and the Baltic Fleet. Additionally, it commands the Caspian Flotilla and the Kaliningrad Military District, which falls under the Baltic Fleet.
Due to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Russia's prolonged economic struggles through the mid-1990s, the Navy's combat strength was significantly weakened. Almost no new ships had been commissioned, and the limited budget was mainly used to complete projects already in progress from the Soviet era.
Despite this, many shipbuilding projects were still canceled due to financial constraints. Maintaining the existing fleet was also a major challenge. Many naval assets suffered from poor upkeep, leading to low operational readiness and frequent accidents.
So when Mavi proposed funding the Russian Navy's development of a new-generation frigate, Navy Headquarters approved the initiative immediately. The entire process—from drafting the proposal to passing department reviews—faced no obstacles whatsoever.
Furthermore, senior officials explicitly instructed the Northern Fleet, which proposed the project, to ensure smooth progress. They couldn't afford to let this initiative fail, as many high-ranking officials were watching closely—including Admiral Sarayev and Defense Minister General Ilnov.
Five days later, St. Petersburg—outside the Russian Navy Headquarters.
Under the escort of a military officer, Mavi rode in a military jeep as it slowly entered the heavily guarded military district.
Compared to his visit to the Northern Fleet, the headquarters here was even grander in scale. Security checkpoints were also more frequent.
The Russian Navy flag was visible everywhere, and uniformed naval officers patrolled the area, making Mavi feel as if he had stepped into a military film.
After about half an hour, the jeep came to a stop in front of a large building.
At that moment, a naval officer, wearing a captain's uniform with two stripes and three stars on his shoulder, stepped forward in a disciplined military manner to greet him.
"Mr. Mavi, long time no see," the officer said.
It was Captain Yevgeny, the same officer who had welcomed Mavi during his visit to the Northern Fleet.
But today, he was here as an aide to his superior, waiting at the entrance to personally receive Mavi—further emphasizing how much importance the Navy was placing on this project.
This level of attention inevitably put some pressure on Mavi as an investor.
"Hello, Captain Yevgeny," Mavi replied with a smile. Ever since he had gifted the Northern Fleet two Grisha-class corvettes, his relationship with them had grown much closer.
"Let's head inside. Vice Admiral Nikov will be arriving shortly," Yevgeny said seriously. The admiral he mentioned was the senior officer overseeing the new frigate development project—two ranks above Yevgeny.
(End of Chapter)