Chapter 427: Trial Play
As the video ended and Chen Mo stepped onto the stage, the players below were already buzzing with discussion.
"Holy crap, this is an FPS game!"
"Yeah, and that second video seemed to be made with actual in-game footage, right? Some of those first-person perspectives even had UI elements!"
"Looks like it's an FPS with skills?"
"That's awesome, never played anything like it!"
"And it looks really cool. Look at that hero flying in the sky, shouting 'Justice rains from above' when using their ultimate—so badass!"
"I was just about to ask why those two Japanese-style heroes have dragons, and then the Chinese dragon showed up. Chen Mo really thought it through…"
"Wow, that Chinese-style dragon girl is gorgeous. I want to… admire her!"
"And the graphics are amazing. Looks like Chen Mo didn't waste all that money he made—he poured it into the visuals!"
"And these heroes come from all over the world, speaking different languages. Japanese, Russian, German… seems like they're all there."
"Chen Mo is really going further and further down the international path…"
"Enough with the fluff. I just want to know when we can try it out? I can't wait!"
"Yeah, what's it like to play a hero flying in the sky with VR?"
"I've played games in VR where you fly around—it feels great! But those flying skills from Chen Mo's new heroes look way cooler, so it's bound to be amazing!"
"Open the trial play now!"
Chen Mo was very pleased with the players' reactions. He stepped up to the stage and said, "Everyone, don't rush. Let me first give you a brief introduction to this new game."
"As you've seen, the game is called Overwatch, with the English title being Overwatch. It incorporates some elements, but the core gameplay is still FPS. However, compared to traditional FPS games, in Overwatch, players will take on many different roles with different playstyles."
As Chen Mo spoke, the big screen displayed a group photo of all the Overwatch heroes.
Chen Mo pointed to Reinhardt, who was positioned slightly to the right of center in the image. "Reinhardt is a tank hero. He has no gun, no bow—just a long-cooldown ranged skill. So, he's essentially a pure melee hero, completely overturning traditional FPS gameplay. And there are many such heroes in Overwatch."
"The original design intent of Overwatch is to give players a more diverse and richer gaming experience during the shooting process. For example, Soldier: 76 follows a conventional FPS playstyle, but his ultimate activates a tactical visor that automatically aims at enemies for you."
"In other words, players who aren't great at aiming can still have fun in this game."
"As everyone knows, FPS games have always been unfriendly to newcomers. Through Overwatch, we hope to let more players experience the joy of FPS games."
"This game is a VR title and will be launching on the VR platform soon. I know everyone is very concerned about the pricing. I can reveal it to you in advance: this will be a completely free-to-play game."
"Yes, you heard that right—completely free! Just like League of Legends, all revenue comes from non-gameplay-affecting value-added services, including skins, avatars, special emotes, and so on."
"Alright, next we'll open the trial play in the VR zone. Additionally, we'll have Jiang Hao, the star player of the NRG team, play on-site and stream it live on the big screen. For those who can't play right away, don't worry. Please line up orderly and enjoy the experience!"
As Chen Mo spoke, the players were already erupting in cheers. When they heard the game was free, a wave of exclamations swept through the crowd.
"FPS! Chen Mo has finally set his sights on FPS! The FPS game designers are going to cry now!"
"An FPS with skills? Can that work?"
"It looks super exciting—how could it not work? Has Chen Mo ever made a game that failed?"
"Wait, did I hear that right? Chen Mo said the game is completely free?"
"A completely free VR game? Never heard of that!"
"Has Chen Mo lost his mind? I think this game could sell for six or seven hundred and still be worth it, and he's giving it away?"
"What's the big deal? If it were anyone else, I'd be surprised, but… this is Chen Mo. He's been playing the free-to-play game on mobile and PC for ages. Are you just meeting him today?"
"Yeah, think about Onmyoji, that 'free game' that topped the sales charts for months, and now League of Legends, the 'free game' that's taken over the entire PC scene. Do you really think Chen Mo is doing charity? How naive!"
"Do you really think Chen Mo will lose money? He's laughing all the way to the bank!"
"But this is good for players too—a completely free VR game! I've never heard of that. Chen Mo is awesome!"
The players in the front rows were already pushing forward eagerly, desperate to get into the VR pods and try the game. At this point, manners went out the window—who cares about etiquette when there's a game to play?
If they didn't push now, they might not get a turn at all!
Once the VR trial zone's pods were opened, the front-row players quickly filled them all up, leaving only one special pod reserved for Jiang Hao's live stream.
The other four members of NRG looked at Jiang Hao with envy as he climbed into the pod, because they couldn't play—they had to stay and sign autographs for fans.
Oh well, what could they do? Jiang Hao was the most popular among the players.
With a limited number of VR pods, those who couldn't get one had to line up and watch the big screen.
…
After Jiang Hao entered the pod, the big screen quickly displayed his in-game perspective.
Of course, the pod's experience matched the human eye, while the big screen showed a view similar to the PC version—there was some difference. But for the audience below, it still conveyed the game's excitement.
After a brief loading screen, Jiang Hao found himself in a tea house with a strong Chinese aesthetic.
In front of him were bamboo and wooden tables and chairs, with a full tea set on the table. The tea in the cups was clearly visible.
Jiang Hao walked around the tea house.
Through the front window, he could clearly see the night view of the entire city.
It was a modern metropolis full of technological flair, with towering skyscrapers and bright lights. Many small flying vehicles zipped between the buildings, and the night scenery was breathtakingly beautiful.
Jiang Hao quickly realized that the tea house he was in, along with the small pavilion outside, was built on the rooftop of a building. This scene was clearly a Chinese-themed map.