77. Apocalypse People(1)
Zero Games, which invested 5 billion won and made a collectible mobile game for 4 years.
I was a producer at Nexle.
“How is it? Isn’t it fun? Did you make it well?”
Representative Baek Ho-jun.
So far, as a producer, I have made a total of three games, but only one has achieved significant results. It was a collectible mobile game made by Nexple for 4 years.
‘The service was terminated after two years due to poor performance.’
So, it was Taeyeon who knew this person’s skills well.
‘As a producer, he has some basic skills, but nothing flashes.’
The mobile collectible RPG I’m playing right now did just that.
Hero comes out, quests are given, skills are taken, and merciless… … .
It was just a common medieval fantasy concept.
What really matters is… … .
“It’s almost identical to what Nepple made.”
Exactly this.
Almost the same as the previous one!
“It has to be. Because we applied that platform as it is.”
“Is there any particular reason you did that?”
“Those plans and systems are my own weapons created by me. So, wouldn’t it be natural to use it?”
A look full of pride in oneself!
However, in Taeyeon’s eyes, it wasn’t a game where she could show that much confidence.
So I threw out a bitter word.
“Isn’t it already used by many mobile games to be called PD-nim’s own weapon?”
“That, that… … .”
Baek Ho-joon, the CEO, blushed from embarrassment.
“I can complete such a plan and system in a week. And leaving that problem aside, I’m following the previous work too much. Not just the base system, but scenarios, level design, everything. Whoever sees it will know it as a sequel.”
“Uh, actually, it was made with that feeling… … .”
As Taeyeon’s expression grew colder and colder, he sensed a crisis and hurriedly made an excuse.
“I don’t have a lot of money or time to spare, but I thought I needed to be successful and have enough cash!”
“You are sure of success.”
“yes. Because we are using proven know-how as it is.”
“… … .”
“Unless you are a genius developer. Anyone who starts a game company will make the same choices as me the first time. Because that’s the safest. Game producers, shouldn’t companies make money?”
His voice was raised because he was excited.
Taeyeon quietly refuted those words without any change.
“That is not wrong. If the game succeeds because it is really fun and engaging.”
“… … yes?”
“The previous work you mentioned had a track record of landing in the top 10 for about 15 days after launch.”
“U-isn’t it?”
“The problem is that the development cost alone for this game is over 8 billion. Even more money went into marketing, including… … It also includes the cost of the so-called self-sufficiency.”
“… … !”
“You wouldn’t say you didn’t know, would you? No matter how strong the business and marketing departments of Nexple are, it is not a place where work is done without consultation with the development studio.”
Baek Ho-jun’s face turned white.
I’m sorry.
It refers to a company purchasing its own products with its own money in order to increase its ranking on the charts.
As a kind of abusing, it was an unfair act that is taking place not only in games but also in numerous content businesses. Nexple also used this method to gain or lose a lot.
“Right after I became the CEO, this act was banned. Because I don’t admit that. I’ve never done an event like making company employees spend money and return it to their account later. It is an act of disrupting the market and deceiving users.”
“that… … .”
There were many things I wanted to refute, but doing so would only make me more miserable.
CEO Baek Ho-jun, who quickly figured out the fact, kept his mouth shut. But my heart was boiling.
I never could have imagined that it would be a place like this.
“If you are going to use the system as is, at least the art needs to be developed a little more, but there is no such thing. Even the quest just bring this, bring that… … The worldview itself is full of content that I don’t understand.”
He struggled to refute the thought that he couldn’t just go on like this.
“But even now, if you look at the mobile store game charts, these simple collectible games are still on the charts. What do you mean? It is proof that such games still work for Korean mobile game users!”
“You can’t just look at it the way you feel comfortable.”
Taeyeon responded slowly.
“Most of the new collectible RPGs currently ranked at the top of the charts are made by buying famous IPs. If not, the overall quality is eye-wateringly excellent. The recent blockbuster mobile games from China are a good example.”
“A Chinese game?”
A moment of displeasure flashes across his face.
“I know what kind of game you are talking about, but if you look at it, most of them copied famous Japanese games as they were… … !”
The words didn’t come to an end.
Taeyeon was staring at her, but there was a lot of meaning in that look.
“Why are you drinking while talking?”
“… … .”
Taeyeon let out a small sigh and then said.
From now on, that was the main point.
“I once played a game that the CEO made while he was at Nexle. At that time, I raised it to the highest level and paid for it.”
“Yes… … did you?”
If I had heard this story for the first time, I would have been delighted to think it was a positive atmosphere. But now, I just couldn’t do that.
“Now that I’ve played it, it’s very similar to that game. Even some graphics and resources seem to have been used as they are… … .”
“I didn’t write it as is. People have a conscience.”
“… … .”
“The things applied now are the things that are being worked on. When the outsourcer arrives and a fix is made, we will replace the resource.”
Didn’t you think so?
No further conversation is necessary.
“You’d better do that. Even though it’s a game made by PD, the resources are owned by Nepple.”
“… … .”
When Taeyeon stood up from her seat, she was startled and flustered, then asked cautiously.
“Well, then the issue of additional investment is… … .”
“I won’t.”
“… … yes?”
“Our investment is long overdue. And this game, originally, should have been released early last year, but the deadline has passed. The additional amount invested at that time came from the chairman’s own money, so I won’t say anything in particular… … .”
Taeyeon’s eyes were fixed on the game screen.
“I don’t want to spend more money here. Please release it as soon as possible and show the results. Do you understand?”
“… … All right.”
Taeyeon muttered as she left the company.
“That company sucked too. It will be difficult to recover the investment.”
* * *
Among the companies that Nexple invested a total of 50 billion won, there was not a single company that made a game with the possibility of success.
‘At least that’s what I saw.’
Were the standards too strict?
But it was unavoidable.
50 billion is no small amount of money.
‘Because I have an obligation to work hard to promote profits as the company’s representative.’
In fact, even though I spent so much money and time, I couldn’t understand why I made a game that was below my expectations and below average.
‘Anyway, let’s finish the Nexple investment business at this point… … .’
Check the following schedule.
The schedule for visiting indie games and meeting with the representative is densely written.
‘I’ll have to do what the chairman asked me to do.’
Eugene’s rap.
It is a group that invests up to 100 million won in seed money in potential indie companies and provides consulting for growth.
Currently, only 10 companies belong to this team, and Taeyeon is in charge of covering the jade.
-Who said he would just pamper me? I’ll take care of your salary, so help me! I’m asking because you’re the best in terms of watching the game.
Taeyeon did not immediately accept the reason for the request.
‘He’s trying to take care of me even more in this way.’
Jinseong Rap is not a group created to make money.
When it comes to property, isn’t Chairman Yoo Jin-seong one of the most famous people in Korea?
Yu Jin-sung Lab was an investment to promote the Korean game industry.
‘Indie games have their own flavor. I can’t wait to see what creative games await.’
Some companies use shared offices, and others use officetels.
‘I can’t help it. It wouldn’t even be hundreds of millions of dollars.’
The CEO himself sometimes works for 10 people without even receiving a proper salary.
From nob le mt l dot com
Most indie game companies are like that.
‘It’s rather rare to work with a plausible office environment. It’s because I made a game by myself.’
Raising the Elementalist is also a small-capitalized indie game. The workshop was also a new home, not an office.
‘It’s a little different that the staff composition is extraordinarily splendid, but anyway… … .’
It’s a distinctly different feeling from when I went around the Nexle investment company.
There is a lot of willpower to save money and use it to make good games.
In this case, even those who actually receive a salary are often voluntary passion payers.
‘The quality of all of them is not bad, perhaps because they are companies that invested only in passion and ideas, regardless of interests.’
Of course, we lowered our expectations a lot, and the actual development cost and period were also affected.
‘Even taking that into consideration, there are at least two good games out there. Among them, there are useful talents.’
One of them was quite admirable and played frantically.
It’s an original web novel, but it’s so popular that it’s been made into a webtoon, and it’s earning foreign currency abroad.
When I asked how he got it, he said:
“The kid who wrote it is my best friend.”
It turned out that he was working not only as a developer but also as a management publisher… … .
The title is ＜Apocalypse Police＞.
The worst situation in history where the country’s security is messed up and moral concepts are blurred due to the worst pandemic and war in history.
The main character, a police officer at a police box in a small village in Gangwon-do, stands firm and protects the security of the village for the precious village where he was born and grew up, and for his family, friends, and acquaintances.
The scenario was roughly like this, and the goal of this game was to protect the village and its people by all means.
At the beginning of the scenario, only simple incidents and accidents happen and it is necessary to deal with them, but when the flow is prolonged, all sorts of incidents and accidents from the outside are introduced and the scale gradually grows.
The problem is that there are about six developers in total for this game.
‘They alone can’t handle the scenario.’
It’s still fun enough and well made, but I think a much better game can come out if more support is provided.
Above all, the producer of this game is a former head of the planning team at Nexle, and he is very talented.
In particular, he has experience of doing all sorts of things while dipping his toes into the publishing and content development industries through his friend’s novel management, so he has the capacity as an entrepreneur.
This was the most important quality for game producers.
‘If you raise it well, you will be able to do it… … It’s not that far, but I might be able to grow into a great game producer.’
Taeyeon’s eyes were full of excitement and anticipation.
* * *
After a while, the following article became a small issue.
[Jinseong Yoo’s rap. Massive investment decision in indie game developer ‘Apocalypse People’!]]
[Rejection of the game. What kind of company is Apocalypse People, who was chosen by Chairman Jin-Sung Yoo?]