Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Media Play
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Brandon scrolled through the Usenet game board, pages one through ten packed with Savior posts, barely containing his excitement.
The post he was reading now had gone up a full week ago, racking up the all-time highest recommendations and still pinned as the main banner.
Even now, recalling the first time he read it made his heart race.
'Savior's new game for real... I have to play this no matter what!'
A die-hard Savior fan, Brandon had chills watching the ad for their first new release in two years since Soul Hunters.
And it was just like the Soul Hunters trailer—pure movie magic.
Savior's ads, dubbed "cinematic trailers" by gamers, hadn't let down the fans waiting for a new title.
「A massive moon blacks out in the darkness, red light spilling across the sky.
Wind whispers through the ruins of a withered wasteland city.
"The world doesn't stop. Not for a single moment..."
A knight in black armor and a blue-robed mage stand back-to-back, fending off surging monsters.
But the screen twists and shakes, cutting to a new scene.
Now the knight and mage clash blades.
A burning city backdrop. An ally turns foe right before their eyes.
"Yesterday's oaths... meaningless before today's war!"
The mage's line freezes the frame.
Then glowing text floats in the air, like player choices.
"Keep the alliance / Betray."
The knight's finger selects "Betray," and the scene erupts into a new battlefield.
Armies clash in chaos.
A colossal dragon cleaves the sky, spewing flames, a voice booming from the inferno.
"Your choice... has shattered this world!"
The screen fades to black and white, the world crumbling to shards.
All sound vanishes, a blood-red moon filling the frame.
"The one to rewrite the world... is you."」
"I can't believe it, no matter how many times I watch it!"
Brandon let out an awed gasp as the Eclipse video finished playing.
His monitor now showed only [ECLIPSE] blazing across a black screen.
The cinematic trailer for Savior's new game Eclipse, released a week ago, was blowing up online and even among the general public.
Ads on TV, in theaters, everywhere—even non-fans were tuning in.
But it wasn't just the ad sparking the hype.
The Eclipse trailer matched Soul Hunters' Hollywood-level quality.
But the real bombshell?
Savior CEO Seon Woo-hyuk's words, revealed via a gaming mag post-release, left everyone stunned.
Seon Woo-hyuk's interview claiming the trailer was real in-game footage sent Usenet and mags into a frenzy.
Graphics had raced ahead since Last Fantasy 7 and Soul Hunters, rivals now matching or nearing it.
But Savior crushed them again, like with their debut—graphics that stomped the competition. Gamers were losing it.
Plus, the real-time background changes based on choices?
Gamers, especially in the West where TRPGs ruled, exploded over the dynamic world reacting to choices.
Of course,
Some pushed back on the interview.
Industry insiders, especially Uni, slammed Savior and Eclipse as false advertising. Reactions split 50/50.
Daily Usenet brawls over possible vs. impossible kept Savior and Eclipse buzzing.
But the debate ended today.
'One hour left.'
Savior would address the rumors live on TV at 11 PM.
"Not gonna ask if I'm okay?"
"Not at all. Worrying about you is the most pointless thing on earth."
I tossed a light joke at Scarlett, who was giving my outfit a final check before the stage. Classic Scarlett response.
"Miss the old Scarlett who'd step up if it was too much."
"Back then, I didn't know you were America's top con artist."
"Con artist? I've never lied once."
She rolled her eyes in disbelief.
"Pulling off the impossible in front of everyone and slapping them with reality? That's a con."
Tap.
She patted my shoulder—outfit approved.
"Go con 'em good today."
"You know it."
I thanked her as a broadcast staffer opened the waiting room door.
"Mr. Seon Woo-hyuk, time to take the stage."
"Right behind you."
I followed without delay to the studio entrance.
Loud cheers leaked through the curtain.
"And now, introducing the alien invading America from the East—tonight's guest, Seon Woo-hyuk!"
Clap clap clap.
Jerry Reno's Tonight Show.
America's top talk show, massive popularity and fame.
Today, I'd promote the game here.
Popular talk show Jerry Reno's Tonight Show guest from Savior Soft wows with magic trick, putting the gaming industry on high alert...
"Talk about effective."
Scarlett scanned the front-page article, pleased with the payoff from greasing the press.
Gaming was still niche in America; even huge announcements rarely hit page one.
But newspapers had unmatched reach alongside TV ads. Her chats with reporters were paying off big.
'What a madman.'
Last night's show: deftly parrying the host's jabs, turning it into prime Eclipse and Savior Nexus promo. Still mind-blowing.
First-ever in-studio game demo on a talk show.
Seon Woo-hyuk had planned it all.
Post-booking, Savior pulled all-nighters for a 5-minute Eclipse demo rig.
Prediction spot-on, as always.
'10% jumps don't even surprise anymore.'
Host Jerry Reno playing trailer-matching graphics? Show hit 7% peak ratings—huge hit.
Nasdaq opened with Savior stock soaring again.
Scarlett replayed the finale—perfect.
'Seton suffered hard against Nendo.'
Seton once rushed 4th-gen Hyper Drive a year before Nendo's Neo Famicon to seize market share, like Uni now.
It bombed spectacularly.
Nendo's announcement synced with Hyper Drive's reveal.
People went:
Hype for unannounced Neo Famicon tanked Hyper Drive sales.
'Still boils my blood thinking about it.'
Scarlett, then North America marketing lead, couldn't forget.
Skipping a stellar console for vaporware felt irrational then.
Now she got it.
'After Eclipse's trailer and demo, who settles for other games?'
Savior showed playable hardware—hype uncontrollable.
Media play now? Uni would rage. Thrilling thought.
But first...
Ding.
Scarlett pulled her phone, dialed.
"Hello?"
"Greg, it's me."
"Yes. What can I do?"
"Soul Hunters X production status?"
"Japan carts started last month. First week: 2 million units easy."
"Good. I'll coordinate release and ads with distributors."
"Got it. I'll handle the line."
Click.
Dry, business-only talk.
But Scarlett savored that brief chat with Greg.
'Time to pay Nendo back.'
Their secret weapon against Nendo was ready.