Chapter 73: A Bet Is a Bet
After *I Am MT* secured a spot in the top five of the official app store's best-selling mobile games chart, everyone had to admit that this "free game" was incredibly profitable.
It was even making more money than most high-priced, buy-to-play games!
Half were surprised, half were baffled.
Many designers couldn't figure it out. This was just a small 100MB game, its quality wasn't particularly high, player reviews were average, and even with an anime to build hype, relying solely on that anime couldn't possibly overpower the massive distribution channel of the Imperial Dynasty Game Platform!
Yet *I Am MT* had crushed *Guardian of the Holy Spring*, nearly doubling its monthly revenue.
Designers who had previously looked down on this game began downloading it to study its secrets to success.
And the gaming media once again found themselves working overtime because of Chen Mo's game.
On the last day of the month, the bet expired.
*Guardian of the Holy Spring*'s final sales were 890,000 copies, with a monthly revenue of 8.9 million. As for *I Am MT*'s monthly revenue, Chen Mo announced it: 23 million!
That was more than double, nearly triple!
Soon, articles from major gaming media outlets poured in.
"Bet Result: Chen Mo Crushes Imperial Dynasty Interactive!"
"*I Am MT* Mobile Game Monthly Revenue 23 Million, Steadily in Top Five Best-Sellers!"
"Revealing the Profit Model of *I Am MT*: The Secret of 'Free Games'"
"Whales Splurge Thousands on This Game"
"2000 Yuan for One Card? You Read That Right, This Is a Free Game"
"Even with the Imperial Dynasty Game Platform, They Still Lost! Where Did *Guardian of the Holy Spring* Go Wrong?"
"Qiu Bin Has Yet to Speak Out. Can He Deliver on the Promotion Slot?"
"Chen Mo's Weibo Flooded with Criticism, No Response Yet to Player Questions"
"A 'Pay-to-Win' Game?"
"Explainer: How Much Revenue Can *I Am MT* Bring Its Creator?"
"Expert Commentary: A Game That Uses Spending to Create Fun Is Not a Good Game!"
...
Articles covered every angle, much like player comments, split down the middle. Some were shocked by *I Am MT*'s downloads and monthly revenue, while others questioned the game's profit model.
If this monthly revenue had appeared in Chen Mo's previous life, it wouldn't have been a big deal. Back then, *I Am MT* had 55 million in monthly revenue, not to mention the later 200 million from *Dota Legend* and 3 billion from *King of Glory*.
But this parallel world was different. Here, the mainstream profit model for mobile games was still selling copies. To push monthly revenue to the 20 million level, you'd need to sell 2 million copies a month. Even if you raised the unit price to 20 yuan, you'd still have to sell 1 million copies.
Selling that many in a month? Easier said than done!
So, after *I Am MT* secured its spot in the top five best-sellers, many gaming media outlets were stunned by its income. Breaking into the top five in its first month, and doing so with a low rating of around 7 points—this was practically historic!
A game that made money while being criticized—that was a first!
As *I Am MT*'s popularity soared, the name Chen Mo became more and more well-known.
*Plants vs. Zombies* had been popular before, with high quality and good reviews, but it wasn't as iconic. It was still a game sold by copies, and while its creativity was impressive, it wasn't as shocking to this world as *I Am MT*.
A free game.
Unfair, selling power.
Making money while being criticized.
These three traits of *I Am MT* marked it as something truly unique, prompting industry insiders and players alike to study it repeatedly.
...
The two people at the center of the storm, however, didn't end up in a public feud as some had predicted.
After *I Am MT*'s monthly revenue data came out, Qiu Bin immediately posted a Weibo update. The content was simple, just four words: "A bet is a bet."
Chen Mo also posted a Weibo update.
"Thank you all for your continued support. No need to send any more razor blades. I fully understand your desire for me to shave more often and maintain my handsome image, but my experience store is practically overflowing with them."
Players were both amused and annoyed. Had they ever told him to shave?!
"I've never seen such a shameless designer!"
"Where's the experience store?! I'm coming with a knife!"
"Like this post and I'll get a purple card every time I draw."
"Update! When is season three of the anime coming out?!"
"You have time to post on Weibo? Get back to updating the Azeroth Universe!"
"This trash game ruins my youth and drains my wallet! Refund!"
"Anyone playing MT add me as a friend, account xxxxxx..."
...
Comments ranged all over, but most were "sincere and friendly" "blessings."
To everyone's surprise, Chen Mo and Qiu Bin never actually clashed. Chen Mo didn't press his advantage, and Qiu Bin didn't refuse to admit defeat. It seemed like both sides just let it slide.
This left many onlookers who had already brought their little stools and bought snacks and drinks feeling quite dissatisfied.
They thought there'd be a show, but by the time they were ready, it was already over.
Still, dissatisfaction aside, the main players had backed down, and the fans couldn't keep the fight going. So, for now, the matter on Weibo came to a close.
What the onlookers didn't know was that an undercurrent was slowly beginning to sweep through the entire gaming circle.
...
Imperial Dynasty Interactive Headquarters.
Qiu Bin placed his resignation letter on Lin Chaoxu's desk with both hands.
Lin Chaoxu looked up at Qiu Bin, then pressed down on the letter and pushed it back.
Qiu Bin was stunned. "Mr. Lin, this..."
Lin Chaoxu said, "It's just a promotion slot. Give it to him."
Qiu Bin felt a pang of shame. "I'm sorry, Mr. Lin, I..."
Lin Chaoxu waved his hand, signaling him to stop.
"This incident isn't entirely a bad thing. At the very least, you've helped Imperial Dynasty identify a potential threat."
Lin Chaoxu stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window beside his desk, and looked out at the view. "If it weren't for this, we might have taken another six months or even a year to discover Chen Mo's immense potential. Trading one promotion slot to gain that knowledge a year early is well worth it."
Qiu Bin felt a warmth in his heart. He had expected Lin Chaoxu to fly into a rage, even prepared to resign. Instead, Lin Chaoxu wasn't angry at all.
Sure enough, someone who could single-handedly create a behemoth like Imperial Dynasty Interactive possessed extraordinary magnanimity and foresight.
Lin Chaoxu said, "Don't worry about the promotion slot. I'll have someone contact Chen Mo directly."
Qiu Bin bowed his head. "Yes."
Lin Chaoxu walked over to Qiu Bin. "But there's something else I need you to do."
Qiu Bin asked, "What is it?"
Lin Chaoxu said seriously, "Make a reskinned version of *I Am MT*."
Qiu Bin was taken aback. "Another one?"
Lin Chaoxu nodded. "Yes. If you're worried about public pressure, you don't have to release it under your own name. Just find some C-level designer to put their name on it. But you must personally oversee this new game. I want its gameplay to perfectly replicate the quality of *I Am MT*."
Qiu Bin hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I understand."
Qiu Bin put away the resignation letter on the desk and left Lin Chaoxu's office.