Chapter 87
Chapter 87
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Identity (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
To call it encouraging would be an understatement.
Approximately 110 billion won. Even after taxes, development costs, and various other expenses, we would still pocket at least 20 to 30 billion won.
And that was just from the first week.
One might think that was too little, but that would be wrong.
This wasn't total sales; this was initial sales.
‘It’s only been a week. Considering the remaining period, it’ll probably finish around the 5 million copy mark.’
After that, a steady stream of smaller income would continue to flow in.
Ultimately, it would amount to a net profit in the 100 billion won range.
Funnily enough, the thought that came to my mind at that moment was something else entirely.
‘With this money, I can develop two more AAA titles.’
Reinvestment.
The first thought that struck me was that I had secured development funds.
You could call me a hopeless case, and I wouldn't have a thing to say.
But what could I do when this was my pure joy?
Pleasant imaginings began to branch out.
‘First, let’s expand the staff for Team 2. They’ve just finished the planning phase and are about to enter full-scale development.’
The planning phase for Development Team 2 had been particularly long.
This was because two people with diametrically opposed philosophies on gaming had to coordinate their ideas.
It wasn't a major penalty.
Until now, Team 2 had been maintained with a staff of just over ten people.
What mattered was what came next.
Now that the planning was wrapping up, I needed to expand Team 2’s actual development staff.
Recalling my past life, *Demon's Relic* was a game made by a team of about 40 people over five years, with a budget of roughly 70 billion won.
I would plan the budget and scale with that in mind.
‘Shorten the timeline, increase the personnel.’
A team of about 60 to 70 people should do the trick.
I’d cap the total development cost at around 60 billion won.
My head grew hot just thinking about it.
Next, I had to think about my own game…
“Sunbae! Sunbae!”
Han Seo-rim grabbed me by the collar and shook me back and forth.
“Ugh! We made a hundred billion, right?!”
“Seo-rim, could you let go…”
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
Han Seo-rim shrieked and threw her arms around me in a tight hug.
Jo A-yun sidled over and joined in.
“Hehe…”
It was utter chaos.
And in that moment.
“Me too!”
“Hup!”
“Ah!”
The hyperactive duo dragged Myeong-gyu over and piled on top of us.
Seeing that, Yang Gil-sang awkwardly approached and joined the group hug.
“Congratulations. Everyone worked so hard.”
…Right, it was an emotional moment. This was to be expected.
I decided to push aside my fleeting thoughts and enjoy the moment.
Just one thing.
“Guys…”
I can't breathe.
Like, at all.
* **
Another week passed.
The reviews for *Hellic 3*, having collected a mix of high praise and criticism, converged on a single number.
User score: 82.
Still a score that qualified it as a fine piece of work.
Regarding this, Han Seo-rim said.
“How is this not a 90?!”
Han Seo-rim, who had started browsing online communities again after taking a break, couldn't quite accept the criticism of *Hellic 3* and would occasionally come to me to complain.
Even when I explained that no game could be perfect for everyone, or pointed out *Hellic 3*’s blind spots, she didn't seem to understand.
It was probably out of disappointment.
The user score for its predecessor, *Hellic 2*, still stood at 91, so the gap must have felt significant.
“Calm down. 82 is a high score. Especially for a user score.”
Though not an entirely objective metric, the user score was one of the indicators directly linked to sales.
For a first AAA title, 82 was a pretty decent result.
No, it was more than decent; it meant we had captured the public's favor quite well.
As I said before, it was just that *Hellic 2* had been an anomaly, a freak success.
“I know, but still…”
Han Seo-rim couldn't shake off her disappointment.
I understood.
Did she think I wasn't disappointed too?
There’s always a surge of regret when you release a product and await its evaluation.
The nagging thought of, ‘Could I have done better?’
When I first started making *Hellic 3*, I debated whether to have one protagonist, use all four as playable characters, or implement only one of the four into the game.
I deliberated over whether to strengthen or weaken the connection to the previous game, and I spent a long, long time considering how to set up the game's pacing and systems.
This was the result.
You can't hold on to the past.
That was true even for me, a regressor.
So, I had to accept it.
Fortunately, we had the opportunity to do so.
“The score might not have surpassed *Hellic 2*, but the sales were more than enough. And considering this was our first AAA game, it’s an even more meaningful metric.”
Let's think about the future.
This was all within the expected range.
After all, this was the first AAA development experience for the development staff themselves.
It wasn't because I had hired young employees.
Even if I had hired seasoned veterans, it would have been unavoidable.
‘Because Korea has a small pool of talent with experience in developing AAA console games.’
It’s often called development capability.
The practical skills of the personnel needed for development, and their intuitive understanding of the final product—these were things that couldn't be acquired no matter how much money you threw at them.
Such abilities are built purely from the ‘experience’ of the development staff.
This is one of the main reasons Korea is called a barren land for AAA console games.
Large corporations have no reason to take such risks, and small indie companies lack the foundation, so no one has cultivated the soil needed for AAA console production.
Rewind had gained that.
We had become the one and only ‘company with experience completing a AAA console game’ on this small peninsula.
“Let’s do better next time.”
I said, patting Han Seo-rim on the shoulder.
Then, I suddenly realized something.
I noticed it when I saw the tips of my fingers trembling.
‘…Ah.’
I’m more disappointed than I thought.
* **
The year was coming to an end.
That didn't just signify the end of one period and the beginning of another.
Year-end, in other words, was a time of reckoning.
The game industry was no exception.
『(Chat) zMasterMovez: It’s almost awards season.
Who do you guys think will win?
I'm betting on Road to Harsin.』
On community forums in every country, the hottest topic was who would be this year's GOTY winner.
It was only natural.
For users, GOTY wasn't just about the most fun game of the year.
It went beyond a simple ranking, serving as proof that a game was a masterpiece that would still be recognized five or ten years down the line.
That was the perspective they were coming from.
The users already had a good idea of the outcome.
『BangbaeBloodlord: I think it’ll be Road to Harsin too. Seems like it’ll sweep the awards like End of Us did last year.
┕Hellic3Fan: Just give Hellic one award… I’m begging you…
┕ClearAsDay: The competition is just too strong.
┕zMasterMovez: ClearAsDay, you not streaming again…?
SweetBelf42: Valhalla… did not disappoint… ^^
S2PoppyS2: Demon Soul 2 was good too! I think it’ll win at least one award ^^!』
This year was Valhalla’s year.
*Road to Harsin*, released early in the year, was a game for which praise was insufficient, both narratively and gameplay-wise.
As was always the case with Rousseau’s games.
For that reason, most reactions to *Hellic 3* winning the top prize were skeptical.
To sum it up, the consensus was, ‘It was fun, but not as incredible as Valhalla's game.’
In truth, it was somewhat inevitable.
Valhalla and Rewind were in different weight classes to begin with.
There was talk about that as well.
『(Chat) CherryLips: I still think Hellic 3 is amazing.
Isn't it incredible that a company making its first AAA game is even mentioned as a competitor to Valhalla?
Even if they lose, they fought well.
Hellic3Fan: Right, their growth is insanely fast. Still, I hope they win at least one award…
ExamTime: I’ll definitely buy whatever Rewind puts out next. Most importantly, I didn't regret the money I spent on the game. They’ve definitely established trust in the developer.』
As Yeon-ho had judged, Rewind had successfully laid the foundation for its future.
—I didn’t regret the money I spent on the game.
For a game company, there was no higher praise.
In any case, the conclusion was that the users' prediction for this year’s GOTY was *Road to Harsin*.
It was the prevailing opinion, and the conversation shifted to, ‘Just how many awards will *Harsin* take home?’
The die had been cast.
* **
December arrived faster than I had expected.
It was probably because I was on a break.
After releasing *Hellic 3* and fixing all the minor bugs that were discovered afterward, I had a lot of free time.
Furthermore, with the Development Team 1 staff taking vacations in rotation, the office was quiet, which likely contributed to it.
I was just spacing out, and time flew by.
Awards season.
The time to wrap up the year and the games released during it had come.
“Valhalla is truly overwhelming.”
Three award ceremonies had already passed.
So far, Rousseau's *Road to Harsin* had won two, and Flare Soft's *Demon Soul 2* had won one.
I was reminded of my past life.
In 2014, Valhalla's *Road to Harsin* had taken four of the five major GOTY awards, with Flare Soft's *Demon Soul 2* taking the remaining one.
The gap between Rousseau and me could only be described as overwhelming.
To be honest, it was possible we wouldn't win a single award.
It would be a lie to say that fact wasn't disappointing.
But would I let it break me? Absolutely not.
I kept repeating it to myself.
‘This is just the beginning.’
For a director, it's crucial to view one's own game objectively.
There was no need to berate myself out of a sense of competition.
*Hellic 3* was a well-made game.
The sales figures and reviews proved it.
Let's set a realistic goal.
This time, even snagging one of the five major game awards would be a success, and then some.
As such, this fourth awards ceremony was incredibly important to me.
The BAFTA, the British awards ceremony.
Since it was practically a given that *Road to Harsin* would win the final one, The Game Awards, this was where I had to make my stand.
During the ceremony.
The seven core members of Rewind were here.
Next to me sat Rousseau.
“*Hellic 3*, I enjoyed it.”
Rousseau said with a chuckle.
I replied.
“I enjoyed *Road to Harsin* as well.”
“Of course you did. It's my game.”
His arrogant way of speaking was the same as ever.
But then, his skill was such that it couldn't be dismissed as simple arrogance, making it seem more like a personality trait.
This is why ability is so important.
I was having such useless thoughts.
“Next up is the award for Best Game of the Year!”
The amplified voice spread throughout the venue.
“It’s starting.”
“Yes. Which game are you predicting?”
“Well, it’s either me or you. *Demon Soul 2* is in the running, but… that’s my gut feeling.”
“Then I’ll bet on myself. You’ve already won two.”
Rousseau just smiled without a word.
I didn't bother to ponder its meaning.
If I had to describe my current feeling, it would be this:
Despite sitting in a plush, comfortable chair, I felt like I was on pins and needles.
“And the award for Best Game goes to…”
The host's voice echoed like a verdict.
I closed my eyes.
I squeezed my clasped hands, and next to me, Han Seo-rim was muttering something under her breath.
It was in that moment.
*Tap—*
A hand rested on my shoulder.
From Rousseau’s direction.
I flinched and looked at him.
He raised the corners of his mouth and said.
“Congratulations.”
I understood what he meant from the host's voice that followed.
“…Studio Rewind’s *Hellic 3*! Congratulations!”
The words struck me like a thunderbolt.
I was dumbfounded.
The familiar sensation of the surrounding noise fading away returned.
Even though this was my second awards ceremony, it was the same.
I was once again reminded that the moment something you desperately wish for comes true, it’s surprisingly preceded by a daze rather than elation, with the elation following much later.
“Well, go on up.”
Rousseau chuckled and pointed toward the stage.
I gaped for a moment, and then,
“Sunbae! What are you doing just sitting there?!”
Only after Han Seo-rim's scolding was I able to get to my feet.
* **
Rousseau thought.
‘Tch, so much for winning four.’
His congratulating him before the announcement was based on instinct.
Having been in this business for decades, his intuition for such things had become sharp.
Was he vexed?
If he asked himself, the answer was clear.
‘He’s growing well.’
What Rousseau had said to Yeon-ho was not an empty compliment.
Rousseau had genuinely enjoyed *Hellic 3*.
That was why he could also clearly pinpoint its flaws.
‘He was too buried in the fact that it was a series.’
In other words, he had created elements that would be puzzling to anyone who wasn't a fan of the series.
It was like putting a shackle on its own mass appeal as a standalone package.
He chalked it up to a beginner's mistake.
Perhaps his vision had narrowed because he had only ever made *Hellic*.
Rousseau could tell.
Yeon-ho's behavior right before the award announcement meant that he, too, had realized that flaw.
That was why Rousseau held a sense of anticipation.
Rewind's first AAA title, *Hellic 3*, had demonstrated success as a metric.
It had gained the nourishment of developer experience, and by winning one of the five major game awards, it had earned the reputation of a developer that could compete in the AAA market.
Therefore,
‘Now, what will you bring out next?’
The next game would be far better than this one.
Because he was that kind of greedy director.
“I would like to thank everyone who helped me get to this stage.”
Yeon-ho's acceptance speech continued.
Rousseau watched with satisfaction as the seed sprouted and grew.
A sensation rising from beneath his feet.
A sense of crisis, or perhaps, competitiveness.
An opponent he wanted to make his ally, but one he knew he absolutely could not, was approaching, making it all the more welcome.
His smile was growing wider.
“Next, we have a few questions.”
The host stepped forward.
With practiced eloquence, he conversed with the Rewind development team, and in the midst of it, he asked a certain question.
“Among the reviews for *Hellic 3*, the BGM received a lot of praise. The BGM for Chapter 2, in particular, was met with an enthusiastic response from countless users! There’s something they’ve been curious about! The kissing sound inserted into the BGM—how was that created?”
“Ah! I was really curious about that!”
Joseph, grinning from ear to ear, chimed in with the host's words.
Rousseau looked up at the stage.
The girl who looked somewhat disheveled, *Hellic*’s sound director, blinked after hearing the interpreter's words.
Then she let out a small “Ah.”
She took the microphone.
After a moment of contemplation, letting out a soft “Umm…”, she finally turned her gaze.
Precisely, in Yeon-ho’s direction.
And she smiled.
“…”
“…”
A silence fell over the hall.
Yeon-ho’s eyes trembled.
Joseph's voice trembled too.
“…Huh?”
A gaze and a smile, devoid of any verbal expression.
And yet, an overwhelming cruelty that explained the entire behind-the-scenes story.
It was, without a doubt, the ‘worst gaze in the history of the industry.’
Identity (1)