[Chapter 715: Trouble's Getting Bigger]
Once someone mastered the media, they could really manipulate the narrative without any constraints. As for what the truth was, did anyone actually care?
The monopoly of Legendary World was barely even news; this had been around for years. If you went to the market, could you find a second brand?
Could you?
Alright, maybe there was one, but that was just a licensed product they were selling. The designs of the game consoles might've looked a little different, but the crucial components were essentially identical. The most important point was that the game cartridges were completely interchangeable.
So, about the latest PS3, third-party consoles were coming out fast. They couldn't even sell enough base models, and they weren't even thinking about the American market right now.
Well, since it wasn't exactly breaking news, who besides industry insiders would care if Legendary World was stepping on newcomers? To put it bluntly, if someone disliked you, so what if they bullied you?
Naturally, the eyes of the onlookers shifted to the new president's policies. Was he going to "kill the rich to help the poor"? That kind of stupid approach seemed only to transform wealthy folks into poor ones, without any real effect.
No wonder the richest man was spending money like crazy. He was buying yachts, planes, and farms like they were free; guess it was because rich folks were going to have to pay more taxes.
To say that nobody was taking joy in this would be unrealistic. Low-income groups surely hoped to see this play out since their lives couldn't get any worse. If wealth could be redistributed, it would definitely be a good thing.
Ahem. Actually, even if everyone started over, ten years down the line, it was uncertain whether the rich would crash and burn; the poor would still be poor no matter what. There simply wouldn't be any huge changes.
Usually, when a new leader took office, there was a golden three-month period. If you intended to push through some policies, that was the best time to do it. Even if things didn't go smoothly in some regions, the public would, to a certain extent, still accept it.
However, there were limits to everything. No matter how much you'd alter things, you couldn't touch the core values of America. Damn it, I earned my money through legitimate means; on what grounds could you just raise taxes?
If you wanted to raise taxes, fine, but you better come up with a reasonable explanation first.
What nonsense was this about raising taxes? This must be the jerk who got elected by that crowd.
Health insurance?
That's excellent; you pay for your own insurance. What was there to complain about? Why should I have to bear the burden?
Why should I?
Just because those bastards didn't want to work, didn't mean we had to take on the load?
Go to hell!
...
Sitting in the Oval Office, Bill finally understood how out of control things had become. Forget those Elephants waiting to strike; even within the Donkey party, the acceptance of his policies was waning.
At the end of the day, everyone was a dignified person. What he said to dupe those poor folks into voting was just hot air. If he stabbed himself in the back first, well, good luck with that.
Things escalated, and the big shots hiding in the shadows finally grasped what was going on. While mocking Bill Clinton, they also witnessed the devastation caused by William White.
When William White decided to disregard losses, you couldn't even put up a fight. The calculations of the Donkey party were all based on the assumption that William cared more about his wealth.
Now, the situation was about the losses of Legendary World. While you may have been extremely concerned about it, to William White, it seemed rather acceptable.
"Al, this issue needs to cool down; if it continues, we won't be able to conduct our operations here at all."
"Bill, he's in Texas, and I don't have George W. Bush here. We currently lack appropriate channels for direct dialogue."
Bill Clinton, despite being the president, was feeling pretty miserable; it seemed like nobody cared much about him.
"Bill, you might be overthinking this; I don't know who calls the shots in America, but it certainly isn't anyone sitting in that chair. To me, this matter is merely a warning."
"A warning?" Bill nearly popped an eye out at that; if this was just a warning, what the heck was next?
Which is to say, a lack of depth is simply a lack of depth. Besides boneheads like you, who else would dare oppose someone like William White?
What's a game console?
It's not just a toy, you know. If problems cropped up in this industry, it might send shockwaves through the semiconductor sector.
Even if your PC industry was booming, capable of absorbing any excess capacity, what about the thousands of game designers? Would they just be left out in the cold?
What? Go work for Japan?
Well, sure, some would, but that would only be the core team. As for the coders, what place would hire them still be the same?
If the programmers losing their jobs wasn't a big deal, then what about the artists and salespeople? Their futures wouldn't look too bright.
Over here in the States, the lines were too thick, and the gaming community didn't like it -- that was the consensus in the game industry. If Legendary World had made a move earlier, their games might've been even better.
...
"Sir, they're getting a bit uneasy. Our new big shot has indicated support for the high-tech industry in various settings."
"Support? Filson, I don't think he sees gaming consoles as anything significant. Honestly, it puzzled me that they didn't go after the media industry."
Filson was speechless; they had just begun to probe, yet it stirred up such a ruckus. If this kept up, it would surely turn deadly.
"Sir, they might want to leave themselves a way out."
"Filson, to be honest, I've long had plans to pull out of America. The local real estate prices were far too high and unsuitable for investments. Now it was looking very appealing, and as for our dear president, he just provided a convenient excuse."
Filson forced a smile. As a senior executive, he certainly understood the boss's plans. Yet, he had never expected such a day to come.
...
Nintendo, Sega, and Namco -- the three biggest game console companies -- finally let down their guard.
Of course, there were still bits of reluctance and frustration. Legendary World intended to reorganize; if they didn't want to start over, everyone should just continue collaborating. Although you could manage your finances independently, you could no longer maintain your own brand.
Sure, going solo was fine too. Legendary World would lift all restrictions. If you had the guts, you could develop on your own.
People were a strange breed; if someone forbade you from doing something, it could stick in your mind. Now that you were free to do as you pleased, you might not necessarily want that freedom anymore.
"President, Namco has already expressed their withdrawal, and Sega is also showing some flexibility. We..."
"Tian Zhong, Legendary World is like a drug; it keeps tempting us. Yeah, we can still manage the company ourselves, and the profits are ours. But you know, if we join, we'll forever lose the chance to develop independently."
"President, shall we risk it?"
"Hehe, even if I wanted to, those tycoons wouldn't agree. While Nintendo is my company, in situations like this, I don't have any say. That idiot from Arkansas, will he even manage the country?"
The Japan's coalition certainly wouldn't allow anyone to undermine this situation. So what if you were the founder? If you were a nuisance, they'd happily toss you out.
William White wasn't aiming for absolute control over the company, or rather, he couldn't achieve it.
So, the question became simple: If you could keep making money for everyone, you could stay as chairman, or you could appoint someone else. If you couldn't do that, then let us take over. This was Legendary World and Viking Comics; it was what they had been dreaming of capturing.
Hehe, foolish Americans fighting amongst themselves.
*****
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