Chapter 134: Game Date
Chapter 134: Game Date
The project to open the Pangea System was under way.
While Earth Resource's 20 elite programmers were making perfect preparations, a call came from the head of Isung Group.
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: According to the analysis from the Strategic Business Division, high-performance computer sales could drop by over 30% in the long term.
I hadn't calculated specific figures, but 30% was an enormous amount.
It had brought a lot of revenue to Isung Group, but the Pangea System would wipe it all out and even cause losses.
Just as a twinge of guilt started to surface.
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: Isung Group will actively support your investment this time.
―Kim Shin: Really?
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: Thanks to your advance notice, we were able to prepare sufficiently.
Prepare? I didn't get it.
Could they prepare for Isung Electronics' revenue dropping due to fewer computer sales?
―Kim Shin: What plan do you have?
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: Isung Electronics can't bear the overall losses from declining computer sales.
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: We're planning to make the competing companies cover those losses.
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: Centered on Isung Electronics, we'll start a chicken game across the industry. Companies that can't withstand the price and volume competition will be weeded out this time.
"Wow...."
Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong was a likable guy who treated me favorably.
Doing business in America, I'd momentarily forgotten how fearsome Isung Group was.
They had grown by boldly investing and crushing Japan's and America's leading electronics firms with sheer volume.
'Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong isn't just anyone either.'
He had a track record of failing with Isung Group's online services, so many doubted his management skills.
But he'd piled up over 20 years of intense management experience since then.
Born into a chaebol family, he'd prepared from a young age, managed companies, dealt with other businessmen and subordinates.
Even one year of that changes a person, and he'd lived it continuously—credit where it's due.
'No wonder he lived so fiercely that he even broke the law and ended up in prison.'
He'd been through it all, human-wise.
His mental fortitude alone was worth emulating.
―Kim Shin: Turning a crisis into opportunity with a chicken game—impressive.
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: Isung Electronics plans to readjust its future investment strategy. Instead of immediate investments, we'll execute large-scale plans at year-end or early next year.
―Kim Shin: Large-scale investments?
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: Competitors will cancel theirs when their management gets tough. The goal is to expand large-scale production facilities like foundries and create a massive gap with others.
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: Thanks to your heads-up, we could refine this plan in detail.
I'd only mentioned it because it would hurt a business partner badly.
I had hoped for some cooperation from Isung Electronics.
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: And personally, I might invest a bit this time too.
―Kim Shin: Investment—you mean the put option?
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: Yes. Unlike you, sir, being in the same industry makes it difficult for me. But I have some undisclosed funds I could invest. Would that be acceptable?
There was no reason to stop him if he was cooperating actively.
―Kim Shin: How much?
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: Roughly 2.1 billion dollars.
A bold all-in bet, but the amount didn't feel huge.
Most of his wealth would be in unsellable stocks, and few people have as much cash as I do.
―Kim Shin: Any amount is fine. Let's do it together.
―Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: Thank you.
After finishing the chat with Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong, I sank into thought for a moment.
Earth Resource's business was pioneering new fields.
Cloud services, content, and shopping malls overlapped with existing areas but targeted niches, with markets expanding rapidly.
The non-contact boom from the COVID era was a bonus.
'Really glad we don't have cutthroat competition.'
I also kept in steady contact with Senator Bill Karen from New York.
―Bill: Even if Biden takes office, Buy America and First America policies will continue. Lots of subsidies for U.S.-made products by American companies employing Americans.
―Bill: To revive the COVID-hit U.S. economy, they'll push even more aggressively. As you probably know.
When I was in Korea, America's image was a champion of globalization and free trade.
The United States was a superpower with immense financial strength and cutting-edge technology.
Now America was using policy to revive manufacturing.
―Bill: With your overflowing capital, you should consider manufacturing.
―Bill: The next White House is very favorable toward you too, sir.
―Kim Shin: Even after I said bad things about Biden in front of him?
―Bill: The halo effect of being the first COVID vaccine producer is still strong. With the successor president's age, they'll avoid souring ties with a prestigious figure like you to cover weaknesses.
―Bill: Biden's transition team didn't take your words as political either.
―Kim Shin: There was no political intent, really.
―Bill: Once the White House officially changes hands, expect contact. Even if relations were a bit rocky, embracing that shows presidential grace—better effects, right?
Politicians were quick to pursue practical benefits and tended to prioritize gains over sentiment.
Due to the time difference with Korea, I texted Jo Soo-ah during evenings, when she'd report afternoon work.
―Kim Shin: What are you up to?
―Jo Soo-ah: Visiting hospitals in Gangnam.
―Kim Shin: Bright Light Ophthalmology, right?
―Jo Soo-ah: Yep! How'd you know?
―Kim Shin: You went there often Wednesday afternoons. The director plays golf with friends at dawn and skips surgeries Wednesdays 'cause he's tired.
―Jo Soo-ah: Still does.
The time difference with Seoul meant we couldn't be together long.
Just texts or occasional calls.
[Last Survivor]
Oh Myeong-woo personally introduced a game developed by a company that acquired stakes via Earth Channel.
"Shin-ah, so the game's set in the near future. Like 10 years from now?"
"And?"
"Nuclear war plus comet impact—total apocalypse."
"So?"
"Players start surviving in different regions. Over 10 maps. From cities not yet doomed to jungles, battlefields, sewers, frozen cities. Freely choose survival styles... and eat food at set intervals. Steal from NPCs or restaurants."
"And?"
"Leveling up too. Not absolute, but."
"So what happens?"
"Eventually, shoot everyone else to be the last one standing."
"...."
It looked like a PUBG imitation.
Battle royale games mostly followed similar formats anyway.
"We invested 20 million dollars to save it from cancellation during development. Launching this week."
"Yeah, yeah. Got it."
I left game development entirely to Oh Myeong-woo.
Earth Channel's strength was turning failed projects into experience.
With many subscribers, even flops could recoup development costs if some played.
'Last Survivor' hit 100,000 logins on launch day.
"Told you! This'll blow up."
"...."
It looked kinda crude—do these games really hit big?
But the thrill of scrambling to survive once it starts.
Scrounging weapons, food, resources in a doomed city.
Dying pointlessly to disasters in set zones at intervals.
Players needed information about the types and ranges of the disasters.
'People love this stuff.'
Next day, 230,000 concurrent users—hype continued.
〈'Last Survivor' Revealed on Earth Channel〉
〈Secrets to 'Last Survivor' Popularity?〉
〈3,000 Million Dollar Dev Cost Recouped Day One〉
Oh Myeong-woo excitedly said.
"We'll keep adding disaster types and city backdrops. Items too, of course."
"Yeah."
"Gonna host a game tournament soon."
After work, I'd game at home with Oh Myeong-woo.
Weird playing on Earth Channel—everything was mine.
―Jo Soo-ah: I wanna play too.
I told her that I often played games with Oh Myeong-woo, and she wanted to join us.
―Kim Shin: Didn't you hate games?
―Jo Soo-ah: Not really. Lots of Arcor staff play Last Survivor.
―Kim Shin: Really?
―Jo Soo-ah: Na Sang-guk and Lee Eun-young started an in-house gaming team.
From then on, I spent many late nights gaming with Jo Soo-ah.
We hid in buildings together, ran from danger, and hunted our enemies.
We competed for information about the next disaster.
―Got the antidote.
"Let's go. Gotta run to the next safe zone."
Much of the thrill came from talking through our headsets during tense moments.
'Did PC bang couples feel this back then?'
Like enjoying 20s experiences I missed.
Difference being my platform and stake-owned company's game.
―Hello.
"Nice to meet you."
―Players 1 and 2, are you a couple?
"Yes. We are."
In 4-player teams, we'd game with strangers alongside Jo Soo-ah.
There was a subtle pleasure in hiding our identities.
"Jong-yeop."
"Yes, hyung."
"Mic and speakers. Top-tier."
Rich salaryman gaming meant pay-to-win essentials.
Sound crucial for enemy positions.
I wanted to look impressive in front of Jo Soo-ah.
I contacted an audio company and spent four million dollars turning the room into a giant speaker system.
"Computers' faint currents might degrade sound quality, so we added isolation gear...."
"Yeah. Got it."
Perfect sound made gaming way better.
Life in America was demanding and intense.
I dealt with the stress of investments and business, as well as the strain of meeting so many people.
Playing games with Jo Soo-ah gave me a welcome release.
Even far from Seoul, late-night meets via talk and play felt great.