Carter gazed at the latest game sales figures, his excitement palpable. He was on a video call with his close friend, explaining the reasons he wanted to stay.
"Elvin, my performance is soaring!"
"Carter, I can see that. His games are impressive. I don't deny his potential!"
"But for now, he's still far from meeting my requirements." Another voice on the video sounded somewhat resigned. "I don't agree with your suggestion."
"Elvin, I've already talked to him. I want to introduce you two!" Carter looked at his friend earnestly. "Maybe he can really help you with the challenges you're facing."
"Help?" Elvin chuckled wryly. "Carter, after being in Greater Xia for so long, do you know what it's like if I were to seek help from this guy called Black Star?"
"In Greater Xia's terms, it's like using desperate measures for a desperate situation, like a last-ditch attempt to save a dying horse."
"I know he gave you a hand, but he might not be able to do the same for me." Elvin shook his head; his current problems weren't that easily resolved.
"Both are dead horses." Carter muttered under his breath.
"What did you say?" Elvin didn't catch that clearly.
"I said let's meet, consider it a favor to me." Carter looked at Elvin. He had already promised Ye Feng to introduce Elvin to him.
"Fine then, I'll be in Greater Xia for business in ten days. I'll meet him." Elvin looked at his friend helplessly. He had finally agreed to Carter's request. "Just to be clear, we're only meeting. I won't agree to anything else."
The call between the two ended, and Carter let out a sigh.
Despite Ye Feng's current achievements, he was still a small player in the eyes of the true industry giants.
"Breaking Up Kitchen" had gone viral again.
For most guys, having a girlfriend who played games with them was a great source of happiness. The game's popularity also led many girls to download it and play with their boyfriends.
From jokingly saying "We need to divide the tasks" to understanding each other after completing the game, it seemed like players were constantly working on their relationships while playing, just as Sprout Studio intended when creating the game.
In a relationship, sometimes arguments were better than silence. The arguments and conflicts in the game were easier to resolve compared to real-life issues.
"Sorry for causing trouble during the previous live interview. I'm glad it didn't have a negative impact on you." Shen Keke called Ye Feng. She had called him to apologize after the livestream ended that day.
With the sales figures now out, even though it was a positive result, it didn't erase her mistake.
"No problem. If Sprout Studio wants players' trust, it needs to withstand various tests." Ye Feng shook his head.
No matter what game you made, players were the foundation.
He wasn't afraid of this kind of "gamble" in making games; he was more afraid that what he said wouldn't be believed.
He had announced he would make a AAA game next year. Most people just laughed it off, not taking it seriously.
But what about next year? If he actually made it and did advertising, players would probably be surprised - "He actually made it?"
There were so many AAA games in the game store, often priced around two or three hundred. Without trust and anticipation, who would spend that money?
"Thanks, you're a great designer," Shen Keke's voice still held a hint of apology.
"Will you really release a AAA game next year?" Shen Keke asked softly.
As if realizing something, she quickly added, "I didn't mean that! I just feel like progress is too fast, and the development time is too short... No one has ever been this quick."
Ye Feng smiled lightly. He could almost imagine the frantic state of the short-haired girl on the other end of the phone, fumbling with her phone.
"I understand. I'll send you a picture later; that's the game we're going to work on." Ye Feng looked through his computer for a suitable image.
"Huh?" Shen Keke was taken aback. "You already have an image?"
"Is... is it in progress?"
"Yes, after completing 'Breaking Up Kitchen,' the studio expanded again. The project is already in motion." Ye Feng casually mentioned, unaware of the impact his words had on the girl at the other end of the line.
"Can you reveal how many employees your company has now?" Shen Keke swallowed and her fingers holding the phone tightened.
She knew this man had intentions and plans, but she didn't expect he had already started to act.
"Before, there were about thirty people. Now we've hired another hundred."
Shen Keke fell silent. Just the salary expenses for a hundred and thirty employees were no small amount. She knew his games had made money, but supporting a hundred and thirty people along with the costs of making games.
The entire company seemed like a bottomless pit, constantly consuming money.
Before "Breaking Up Kitchen" emerged, there were players who compiled Ye Feng's success story online, outlining the growth of Sprout Studio.
Though small, the studio's growth trajectory was remarkable, a legend in the gaming industry.
The first game, "Get Over It: Digging for Ascension," was made almost at zero cost. The second game, "Dead Cell" invested the just-earned over a million.
Now, he had hired another hundred employees.
In the realm of game development, that man was truly willing to invest.
Shen Keke felt a bit lost. Initially, investing a little over a million into game development might have been seen as youthful enthusiasm, a venture to start a business.
But now, he was willing to invest millions again?
"Do you plan to seek financing later? I know some good-natured business owners, I can introduce you to them." Shen Keke started worrying about his financial situation.
"Not for now," Ye Feng shook his head. "If we need money, we'll just keep making games. If the old game market saturates, we'll make new games."
The voice coming through the receiver sounded ice-cold, but Shen Keke could still hear the determination in it. At this moment, she really wanted to stand face-to-face with him, listening to his ideals and ambitions, hearing about everything related to the game.
"I hope your game development goes smoothly. May your studio become a huge success!" Shen Keke took a deep breath, as if all she could do now was wish him well.
"Thanks. I've sent the image to your email; you can take a look."
"Can I share it with the players?"
"You can."
After hanging up, Shen Keke anxiously opened the latest email in her heart.
The sender was Ye Feng, and the email only contained one image.