Chapter 189: Absolutely Not Going to Be Popular
On Weibo, many people were also tagging Chen Mo.
"Found a great map called 'Sacred Realm.' Give it an official recommendation slot, this map is really fun."
"Same recommendation for the map 'Sacred Realm.'"
"@Chen Mo, it's the New Year! Time to develop a new game! Don't slack off; my wallet is itching to spend!"
"@Chen Mo, please give us a quality game similar to 'Warcraft.' Don't keep bullying my wallet with pay-to-win games anymore!"
Chen Mo scrolled through these comments tagging him, a bit surprised. He didn't expect to have so many loyal fans now.
And among them, many were eagerly anticipating new high-quality games.
Chen Mo thought for a moment and decided to give everyone a hint.
He posted a Weibo update with very simple content.
"The new game is an RPG, a single-player game, Western fantasy."
Then he attached a concept art: beneath a pitch-black, gloomy sky, the Tristram Cathedral faintly revealed dim candlelight, looking extremely eerie. A traveler looked up toward the sky, where a meteor streaked across the heavens, falling toward the direction of the cathedral.
Not long after this Weibo was posted, the comments below instantly exploded!
"Holy crap! Look what I just scrolled into—Chen Mo's new Weibo!"
"Here it comes, here it comes! Chen Mo is making a PC game again. Quick, place your bets, everyone! Guess what game this is?"
"Are you stupid, upstairs? Chen Mo already told you—it's a Western fantasy single-player RPG. How much more detailed can it get, dammit!"
"From this picture, isn't the atmosphere way too gloomy? Feels really eerie. That cathedral looks like a graveyard..."
"Yeah, look closely—it seems like you can faintly see tombstones next to the cathedral, and in the cathedral windows, there seems to be the shadow of a skeleton."
"Is it related to the Undead faction in 'Warcraft'?"
"Doesn't seem like it. From the art style, it looks way gloomier than 'Warcraft,' more like that super dark medieval style."
"Can't wait! Chen Mo is finally making an RPG!"
"Too bad it's not an online game, it's single-player. That feels like it might be pretty boring to play."
"Not necessarily, right? If you want a good story, you still have to play single-player games. Besides, most designers first make single-player RPGs to build experience and popularity, then make online RPGs later for a safer bet."
"True. Anyway, if Chen Mo makes it, it's bound to be a masterpiece. Just sit back and wait!"
"Ah, I thought he was going to make an RPG version of 'Warcraft,' but it's not. What a shame."
"Who knows? Maybe he has his own ideas. I'd love to play a 'Warcraft' RPG too!"
Soon, the news spread within the industry.
"Did you hear? Chen Mo's new game is on PC, a single-player RPG, Western fantasy theme."
"I heard. Let out a long sigh."
"What?"
"Thank goodness he's not messing with mobile games anymore, giving us a way to survive!"
"But I develop PC games. Who's giving me a way to survive?"
"Alright, look closely. This time Chen Mo is making a single-player game. Key point: single-player game, okay?"
"Oh, single-player game. Then I'm a bit relieved."
"Single-player games are fine; their money-making potential is limited. It seems Chen Mo's plan this time, like with 'Warcraft,' is to pave the way and build reputation, not to make money."
"Still, we have to be careful. If our games clash with his, it'll definitely have an impact. Hurry up and check it out, study it."
"Another picture was released on Weibo! The game's name is 'Diablo.' From this perspective, it doesn't seem like first-person."
Many designers were keeping an eye on Chen Mo's Weibo, and as soon as the new post came out, they started analyzing it.
The new Weibo was also very simple—just the game name "Diablo" with a picture below it. It showed a 45-degree isometric god's-eye view, where a barbarian wielding two axes was fighting countless skeletons and demons.
"It really doesn't seem like first-person. Is he planning to do third-person?"
"That's possible. Third-person is easier to handle than first-person. This is his first time making an RPG, so playing it safe is normal."
"Then it's actually not that bad. Third-person games are becoming rarer and are no longer mainstream. This game probably won't lose money, but it definitely won't be a blockbuster."
"Right, I can roughly guess Chen Mo's plan. Jumping straight into a first-person online game is too risky, so he's making a third-person single-player RPG as a transition. The selling points will mainly be the story and theme."
"I think so too. He's specifically making a game for players who love Western fantasy themes. This player base overlaps heavily with 'Warcraft' players, so sales are guaranteed."
"False alarm. But I think it's a bit of a shame. Doesn't this mean Chen Mo is backing down? Remember how bold he was when he made 'Warcraft' to go head-to-head with 'Legion Conquest'? Now he's probably worried about his own abilities and compromised."
"Let me point something out. Did you notice the color scheme of these two concept arts?"
"Color scheme?"
"Yeah, the colors are both dark, and very dark."
"Oh, he might be trying to create that kind of horror, eerie atmosphere."
"That's not the point. Creating atmosphere is fine, but with such dark colors, plus terrifying scenes and music, the immersion might be strong, but how mentally exhausting would it be to play? Look at mainstream online games now—they don't dare make scenes this dark, afraid players will feel too oppressed after playing for a long time."
"Oh, I see! Thanks for the insight!"
"So, Chen Mo clearly made a naive mistake. He wants to take a unique path and make this distinctive Western fantasy game, but he never considered whether players can accept it, especially the art style—it's too flawed! Look at Imperial Dynasty Interactive or Zen Interactive—which big company would dare do this?"
"Impressive, boss! Your analysis has taught me a lot!"
"I think Chen Mo's game will definitely make money, but not much—just enough to cover costs. It won't compare to his previous blockbusters. Maybe it'll be popular in some niche circle, but it absolutely won't become a hit."
"Good, then I can rest easy!"
...
Discussions about Chen Mo's new game were ongoing among both the industry and players, but most people still thought it wouldn't succeed.
It was simple: third-person single-player RPGs were basically one of the oldest game genres. They were almost becoming relics of the past, destined to be phased out sooner or later.
Moreover, the potential of this type of game had already been largely tapped. In an era dominated by first-person online games, how many players were left for these ancient single-player RPGs was a questionable issue.
[Reminder: Your output must contain ZERO Chinese characters. Translate or transliterate everything.]