Bluetech accepted WHTS Company’s offer in one day.
As a result, the copyrights related to Battle Royale Ground Zero, which was under development, became the property of the WHTS Company, and the developers also moved to the WHTS Company.
Today is the day when both companies announce their agreement and have their first meeting.
Han Seok-ho dressed up in a suit for the first time in a while and drove towards Gangnam Station, where the WHTS Company office building is located.
– Brother Seok-ho, will you be okay by yourself? Still, we’re following… … .
The person on the phone was a colleague on the development team who moved to the same company.
Han Seok-ho bends the steering wheel with one hand and holds the phone close to his cheek with the other.
“How many times can I say it’s okay? You guys take this opportunity to rest for a few days. You sang a song about wanting to go on vacation, didn’t you?”
-Isn’t the situation different from back then?
“What is different? Even if we move companies, our work remains the same. So don’t think about it and have a good vacation. Then hang up.”
-older brother!
pop.
Almost immediately after the call ends, the phone rings again.
The number is different from before. This time, it was an employee from the next department who moved the company together.
Han Seok-ho turned his cell phone to silent and threw it towards the passenger seat.
“phew… … .”
A sigh escapes. It’s not that I don’t understand the employees. It seems that the company will be moved overnight, so everyone must be worried.
Han Seok-ho parked his car in the basement of the building and went up to the lobby.
At the entrance to the lobby, four security staff in black suits were standing, checking employee IDs and even conducting body searches.
Upon presenting the pass given to them in advance, an employee leads the way.
‘The security procedures are at the level of an airport. Is it because it’s a cryptocurrency company?’
Let’s think that I have to go to work at a company like this in the future, and the vagueness comes first.
What is the company atmosphere like, will I be able to adapt well, what will happen if the results are not good, etc.
Then I suddenly remembered the events of that day.
Lee So-young, team leader.
She had poured out criticisms that did not suit her doll-like appearance.
The evaluation itself was at an acceptable level. However, I didn’t say it in a roundabout way, and I poured it all out in a direct way, so my confidence hit rock bottom.
‘Isn’t she directly involved in game development? Ay, I don’t think so.’
Moments later, the security guard walking ahead stops in front of a large door.
“You can go in this way.”
Han Seok-ho lowered his head and opened the office door.
The moment he looked inside, he was so shocked that he froze.
It had to be. It was because the person I had made up my mind to avoid unconditionally was sitting in the office.
“nice to meet you. You’re team leader Han Seok-ho, right?”
Lee So-young smiled brightly and said hello.
“Ah, yes. you’re right.”
“I will work for the same company in the future. Please take good care of me.”
Looking at that enchanting appearance and smile, he looked like an angel, but Han Seok-ho, who had already gone through hell, remained vigilant.
Seeing Han Seok-ho hesitantly, Lee So-young immediately apologized.
“I was really sorry at that time.”
“yes?”
“Did I say too harshly? The representative told me that it would be helpful to be honest… … .”
Han Seok-ho’s throat soared in the answer, ‘It was really bad’, but he managed to shake his head.
“You’re right, but what can I do?”
“no. It’s true that I was bad. I found out later that the CEO deliberately induced harsh criticism.”
“Inducing? What do you mean by that?”
“in fact… … I’ve only played an FPS game once in my life. I think it was more comparable because I tried it right before going to Blue Tech.”
“The name of the game is… … ?”
“It’s Blizzard’s Overwitch.”
Han Seok-ho was so depressed that he unknowingly burst into laughter.
Blizzard is a huge company with over 4,000 employees.
How big of a difference would it be if you compare the game that was officially released by such a giant game company for years and the alpha version game developed in less than a year by a team of 30 or so developers on the same line.
“I couldn’t help it if the comparison partner was a Blizzard game. I fully understand.”
It was then. A familiar voice comes from the entrance of the office.
“I can’t agree with that.”
Standing at the entrance was Shin Woo-hyuk, CEO of WHTS Company.
Han Seok-ho gets up quickly and bows his head.
“Hello, CEO.”
“Yes, nice to meet you. Thank you so much for making the difficult decision.”
“you’re welcome.”
After exchanging brief greetings, he strides forward and sits down. Then, after gracefully crossing one leg, he opened his mouth.
“Did you just say that you can’t help it if Blizzard’s games are the target of comparison?”
“It was, but… … .”
“Why did you think that?”
“If you buy Blizzard, it’s a company that made famous games like Star, Dia, and WoW. In terms of size, technology, investment, etc., they are no match for us.”
Anyone in the industry would have said the same thing. But his thoughts were different.
“Soyoung, how did you evaluate Blizzard before I stopped by Bluetech?”
“You said it was a losing year. Blue Tech said it was a rising year.”
His gaze returns to Han Seok-ho again.
“I will correct that. I don’t think it’s Blue Tech, but I think it’s the rising year of Han Seok-ho’s Battle Royale team. That’s why I paid a lot of money this time and got it.”
“Oh, no. We don’t have that ability.”
“You have to do it to know.”
Shin Woo-hyuk held out a bundle of documents that looked more than a hand’s length away.
“this… … What is it all about?”
“This is the resume that came in this time. All of them are only for people with FPS game development experience, so check them out.”
Han Seok-ho receives a bundle of resumes and quickly estimates the numbers. Judging by the thickness, it was likely to exceed at least 100 sheets.
“CEO, how many of these people should I pick?”
From noble mtl dot com
He looks at Han Seok-ho with an expression asking what he is talking about.
“How many people are you picking?”
“Didn’t you mean to pick the person you need from this resume?”
“The recruitment process has already been completed. All of them will go to work on Monday and work together with team leader Han Seok-ho.”
Han Seok-ho’s mouth drops open when he hears that he has hired all 100 employees.
“We will invest more firmly than Blizzard. So make it right.”
* * *
WHTS Company’s job posting for gamers has become a hot topic in the industry.
A company that has never made a game has hired 100 experienced workers, so it is bound to be of interest.
People in the industry expressed their doubts about WHTS Company’s excessive move, and netizens raised their expectations that a jackpot game would come out.
and another place.
There was a company that was watching WHTS Company’s progress with great interest.
It was the Ohsung Group, the No. 1 conglomerate in Korea.
“According to the investigation, WHTS Company acquired the development team belonging to Bluetech. The acquisition price is about 12 billion won, and the industry is saying that it is too much.”
Jeon Yong-taek, the vice chairman, is sitting in the senior seat and listening to the report.
He had been paying too much attention to the WHTS Company for some time. To the extent that even the slightest movement is directly reported.
“It was not enough to pay 12 billion won to take over the development team, so they hired an additional 100 employees… … What is your intention?”
“There are rumors that WHTS Company is thinking of introducing cryptocurrency into games.”
“Cryptocurrency in games?”
“That’s right. As we have been giving acorn coins as social media rewards, it seems that there will be no major difficulties in applying them.”
Jeon Yong-taek had already experienced the power of virtual currency. That’s why I had no doubt that WHTS Company’s move this time would have tremendous explosive power.
“Secretary Yoon, is there any way for us to take a step forward in this matter? You used to distribute games as well.”
“That was already 10 years ago.”
“Or come up with another idea. You can help with development, or you can provide infrastructure.”
Jeon Yong-taek wanted to intervene in the affairs of the WHTS Company by any means.
It wasn’t for money or for the company’s profit, but because it wanted to pay off the debt it owed in the battery incident.
“There are ways to help.”
“what? Tell me now.”
“There is a mountain to overcome in Korea to introduce cryptocurrency into games. It is the permission of the Game Review Board.”
Jeon Yong-taek frowned.
“You just need to get permission, right?”
“that is… … It’s not that easy. As you know, in Korea, after the sea story incident, permission related to game money is very tight.”
Sea Story refers to a pachinko game used in adult arcades.
As this case was featured in the media, even the game, which was in good shape, was struck by lightning, and from then on, the game industry even considered it taboo to exchange game money for currency.
“Oh my. That means we’ll pierce that blood.”
“That’s right. There is also a precedent that government ministries pushed virtual currency, so the matter will be solved even if only the ministerial level is oiled.”
Although WHTS Company has a lot of cash, it will lack connections with the political world.
So, if Oh Seong stepped forward and resolved the itchy spot, he could shake off the debt he had owed in one shot.
“I like it. Proceed like that.”
* * *
By the time the game development manpower absorbed by WHTS Company is settling down, a large domestic game company receives a completely unexpected contact.
“Are you saying that Nexon has requested a turnover at the development team level?”
Han Seok-ho heard the news from me and raised his voice.
Nexon was a large game company that was called 3N in Korea. In such a place, it was very unusual to request a team-level turnover.
“Did you know that a new FPS game was released by Nexon this time?”
“Nexon’s new FPS… … Are you referring to Sudden Fields 2, which was released last month?”
Sudden Field was a game that boasted the number one share of PC rooms among FPS games.
Sudden Field 2, which was released this time, was a successor to such a popular game, so it was being promoted tremendously.
“you’re right. They said they would hand over the entire Sudden Field 2 development team.”
“Sudden Field 2 is a game that has just been released, so how do you transfer the development team?”
“The service is said to end within this year.”
Han Seok-ho sits still and blinks his eyes. It must be because he didn’t hear me or because he didn’t believe me.
“The Nexon side has already been talked about internally, and we are waiting for our decision.”
“Now, wait a minute. CEO. The Sudden Field 2 development team would have over 50 people, but we have no place to use that many people.”
“Wasn’t the developer more or less good?”
“It was like in the early days of development, and 80% of our Battle Royale development has already been completed. So, to be honest, it is too much for me to use all the manpower I received this time.”
If there is a problem with people remaining, there is a very simple way to solve it.
“Let’s make another game.”
“I wonder if it is too early for a new work.”
“no. It wasn’t a new game, it was about making two identical Battle Royale games.”
Han Seok-ho looks at me with an expression asking what nonsense he is talking about.
“I heard that the battle royale under development is already on the brink of completion?”
“There is still some optimization left to do.”
“While doing that, blow it up and make another one from the ground up. The one that is currently being developed is released as a beta version first, and the newly created one is released as an official version.”
Anyone can think of it, but it was a development method that was never used because it was a waste of money.
“If that’s the case, development costs will be duplicated and the burden will increase. Would that be okay?”
“So when it comes to a better game, I’m satisfied.”
Han Seok-ho looks at me with an expression of emotion. Tears welled up in both of his eyes.
“CEO! I must! I will make it successful no matter what!”
* * *
Shortly after the meeting with Han Seok-ho, the intercom in the representative’s office rings.
The sender was Park Tae-shik.
I quickly pick up the receiver.
“Oh, Taesik. what’s the matter?”
-It’s nothing else, because I recently collaborated with Ohseong.
“Cooperation? There is no such thing.”
– It’s strange. Was it just a rumor?
I grabbed the handset that was loosely slung over my shoulder.
“What is it?”
– Rumor has it that Ohsung Group is lobbying for games. Are you trying to release cryptocurrency so that it can be introduced into the game? That’s why I think he’s stabbing the government.
As soon as I hear the words “government and lobby,” I immediately frown.
Now is 2016, the time when the flames of impeachment bloom. I didn’t know how the sparks would fly if I got involved in an illegal matter with the government at this timing.
“I’ll figure it out, so if anyone asks, I’ll never say it has anything to do with us. got it?”