Chapter 1011: Chen Mo’s Demand
Many players were stunned. What the hell, any random nobody trying to ride the hype?
In truth, this kind of reaction wasn’t surprising at all. Although the parallel world was relatively tolerant of games, mainstream media still favored titles like *Super Mario* and *The Legend of Zelda*—games that were “wholesome in content” and “suitable for all ages.” Controversy over so-called “violent games” had always existed.
Even FPS games reflecting war themes sparked debate, so it was no surprise that GTA was being singled out as a scapegoat.
But what baffled players was the sheer scale of the impact GTA had stirred up this time. Truly, fame brings trouble…
If GTA had been made by some obscure, unknown studio with mediocre sales and influence, it probably wouldn’t have caused such a massive uproar. And if controversy did arise, the developer might even have been thrilled, using the opportunity to milk the hype.
But Chen Mo and Thunder Entertainment definitely didn’t need that kind of attention…
Moreover, people noticed a peculiar phenomenon. Generally speaking, domestic attitudes toward games were more conservative than those in the Lighthouse Country. Yet this time, the storm calling for a boycott of GTA was fiercer abroad, while domestically, the opposition wasn’t as loud.
Thinking about it, the reason for this oddity was clear: the stakes were completely different.
In the past, most games with violent elements were foreign imports, entering the domestic market to make money. But GTA was a domestic game, meant to be sold abroad to earn foreign currency!
On top of that, this game directly impacted the sales of the Matrix Game Pod, which was backed by an enormous market.
The next-gen VR market was currently monopolized by the Matrix Game Pod, involving the Game Committee, domestic tech companies, the domestic gaming industry, and many others. This massive market would bring immeasurable economic value and significant cultural influence to the country. With sales going strong, why would anyone sabotage themselves?
Besides, GTA had passed review—it was personally approved by the Game Committee.
A game that had already been approved, only to be reversed and banned? Come on, that would be slapping their own faces. Why would the Game Committee ever do that?
GTA did have some controversy, but first, the country had a well-established rating system and regulations. GTA hadn’t crossed any red lines; at worst, it skirted the edges. Second, the story was set entirely in the Lighthouse Country. If it was satirizing anything, it was the social issues of the Lighthouse Country—what did that have to do with domestic affairs?
And despite the opposition, players’ love and support for the game were obvious.
Beneath similar news articles, players could be seen everywhere dismissing such rhetoric with disdain.
“What’s the connection between crime and games? Show me the evidence?”
“Do these people live in the last century? Or the century before that? The game industry has been around for years, and they still treat it like electronic heroin?”
“If you’ve got the guts, ban movies too, ban TV shows, ban comics. Let’s all just study hard and improve every day!”
“It’s clearly the fault of society and family, but they blame games. Nice scapegoating, 6666.”
“What are the animal protection associations and feminists butting in for… looking for a fight? But Thunder Entertainment is a domestic company. Your tricks for extorting foreign companies won’t work here! See if Chen Mo even bothers with you. If you’ve got the guts, jointly petition the Lighthouse Country to ban GTA sales? See if their players don’t revolt.”
“For the first time, I feel a sense of superiority as a domestic game player! I’m going to buy a skin to show my support for Silent!”
…
Clearly, these player responses showed that GTA held a high place in their hearts.
As for the opposition abroad, Chen Mo wasn’t going to bother with it.
Even if these animal protection groups, feminist organizations, and foreign media put pressure on some foreign game developers, Chen Mo was in the country. No matter how loudly these groups shouted, to Chen Mo, they were no more annoying than the buzz of a fly.
In short, Chen Mo couldn’t be bothered to explain himself to these foreign voices. If they had the power to ban GTA, let them try—clearly, that was impossible. As long as he was still making money, the Matrix Game Pod was still selling, and foreign players were still playing, he’d just pretend they didn’t exist.
However, for the domestic opposition, Chen Mo felt it was necessary to push back.
Not that he was worried these voices would affect GTA’s sales, but he cared about public opinion.
Even if these voices couldn’t stir up a major storm, they could still influence how higher-ups viewed the game. Someone might pressure the Game Committee, indirectly causing unpredictable effects on the future development of the domestic game industry.
Banning GTA was unlikely, but if similar themes came up in the future, getting approval might not be so easy.
So, for the sake of the domestic game industry’s future and to correct some societal misconceptions about games, Chen Mo had to fight this battle of public opinion—and he had to win.
By now, Chen Mo was an undisputed leader in the domestic game industry. His voice and stance could, at times, influence the Game Committee’s decisions and thus affect the entire industry’s development. Chen Mo was no longer in a position of “ignoring the world outside and focusing solely on making good games.” With greater power came greater responsibility, and Chen Mo had a duty to do this.
…
…
After hearing Chen Mo’s demand, Qiao Hua was somewhat surprised.
“Are you sure you want to do this? The Game Committee’s stance on this incident is to ignore it as much as possible. You know the promotion of next-gen VR won’t be hindered by these things. Most of the people criticizing GTA are just looking for attention or riding the hype. If you respond, they’ll only jump around more. The players already support you. Once this period passes and the topic cools down, no one will bring it up again. Why get involved in their nonsense now?”
Chen Mo smiled. “My hype isn’t so easy to ride. Besides, I’m not doing this out of spite. This matter also concerns the Game Committee and the entire game industry’s development. Letting them run around criticizing while we stay silent makes it look like we’re in the wrong.”
Qiao Hua was silent for a moment. “Alright, I’ll consult with Director Zhang again. If there’s no issue, I’ll arrange the best current affairs debate show in the country for you.”
“You’d better prepare well too. Those people on the show won’t be as kind as they are online.”