Finally, regarding the storyline of Chris and Jill, John handed the responsibility over to the two project teams tasked with updating the weekly content for Resident Evil Resistance.
However, the main person in charge was not chosen from either of those two teams. Although he disliked such matters, John clearly understood that internal factions existed within the organization. Compared with many other game companies, PixelPioneers Games was already in a much better state under his leadership and Armani's support, but eliminating internal disputes was still impossible.
Two project teams working on the same game might smile politely at each other, yet privately, they still viewed one another as rivals. Everyone wanted their work to outshine the others. In such a situation, John naturally couldn't select anyone from within those two groups, even if he pretended not to know the inside story.
Thus, the new content director became Malcolm, Martel's long-time partner. Looking at Malcolm, who had hurried all the way here, John handed him the thick stack of printed documents. The main gameplay wouldn't change much; the true focus this time would be the narrative.
Meanwhile, inside the Moondustries Games studio, Oli casually browsed through online discussions, a faint smile creeping onto his face. His account had already disabled comments, so no storm of insults could land directly there. As for the players raging across the internet, how serious could that be? As long as the game maintained its fame, people would continue to play it. Even overwhelming infamy wouldn't erase that.
Hadn't Moondustries been constantly lambasted in the past? Yet now, it had risen to become one of the industry's three major giants. Who in this industry hadn't endured waves of criticism? Even the so-called "conscience" studio, PixelPioneers Games, beloved by players today, had once been cursed endlessly.
Oli smirked. His only disappointment was that John hadn't reacted more aggressively. If John had publicly attacked "Alien Crisis," it would have stirred even more controversy. A direct confrontation would have been perfect for publicity. Oli had already thought out the entire follow-up plan and drafted the apology letter in advance. Once the controversy peaked, he would issue an apology titled, "A Letter to the Players from the 'Alien Crisis' Production Team: What I Learned from My Seniors."
In that letter, he planned to say that as the game's chief designer, he had been shocked and deeply impressed when first witnessing "Resident Evil." Who would have thought a horror game could reach such an incredible level? They learned a great deal: quest design inspired by "The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim," pure horror elements drawn from "Outlast," narrative atmospheres learned from "Resident Evil," and dynamic action inspired by "Epic Continent." They would portray themselves as a young team eager to learn and pay tribute. After a "sincere apology," they would then update the UI in the game, demonstrating that they had merely "borrowed" from others. And afterward? They'd hire some online supporters to help cleanse the image, business as usual.
Just as he was plotting all this, his assistant hurried into the office anxiously.
"Boss, our game's popularity has been snatched away!"
"Stolen? Is some major new title releasing soon?" Oli was stunned. "Alien Crisis" was already complete, and their timing had been carefully chosen precisely because no other major release was on the horizon.
"No, it's PixelPioneers Games. They suddenly released a brand-new trailer for 'Metal Gear.'"
"...What?" He froze for a second, then instantly opened the webpage and entered the 'Metal Gear' community.
The moment PixelPioneers Games silently dropped the latest "Metal Gear" trailer online, players everywhere erupted with excitement. Originally, everyone had been passionately arguing about "Alien Crisis," but once the new trailer appeared, discussions shifted instantly. Who cared about pointless arguments now? This was far more thrilling.
Using the momentum of "Metal Gear" to divert attention was also part of John's strategy. Why should "Alien Crisis" confront "Resident Evil" directly? The best approach was to cool things down, wait until launch day, and then announce a new mode inside "Resident Evil Resistance." There was no need to rush out a competing title. Their opponent's game was free, while John's was buyout-based. Even if the opponent performed spectacularly, their goal would already be achieved. Instead, they'd let the early hype fade, then counter with a free mode inside "Resident Evil Resistance." Free versus free, this was John's decision.
There was no need to loudly persuade players not to fall for marketing tricks. At most, the PR team would subtly guide the discussions. By suddenly releasing such exciting "Metal Gear" content, player attention shifted instantly, and it was nearly time to reveal more anyway. The game was almost one-third through development.
"This really feels like the calm before a glorious scam," Luna teased as she watched the trailer in the office, a dog lazily curled beside her.
"It's not a scam. Everything shown in the trailer is real in-game footage. The models and materials aren't toned down at all. The only difference is that players might not always perform such perfect moves," John replied, shaking his head. After a moment's thought, he added more convincingly, "It's like instant noodle commercials. They show a huge pile of beef, but in reality, you only get a tiny piece; that's what real deception looks like."
Luna was speechless for a while. Somehow, it sounded reasonable… yet also ridiculous.
As John chatted with Luna, the first wave of players and industry peers finished watching the "Metal Gear" trailer and were utterly stunned. Their minds buzzed with only one overwhelming thought: Was this truly just a game trailer?