"What exactly is going on?" Schiller asked, looking at Arkham Batman.
"See for yourself." Arkham Batman took a flyer from the printer beside him. It was obviously a paper version of the ad they had put out, basically a promotional poster, though it had quite a lot of text on it.
"Manhattan Playground—a Multiverse theme park! Tired of the same old dungeon mechanics in certain games? Sick of overly strict economic systems? Want something fresh and exciting? Come to Manhattan Playground and enjoy an all-new Multiverse virtual gaming experience!"
Schiller's eyes widened. "By 'certain games,' he doesn't mean Battleworld, does he?"
"He does," Arkham Batman said. "Though they didn't name names, probably to avoid getting sued. But this is obviously talking about Battleworld. After all, before this, yours was the only Multiverse gaming company."
Schiller shook his head helplessly. Arkham Batman asked, "Aren't you angry?"
"If I said I knew competitors would show up sooner or later, would you be surprised?"
"Not really," Arkham Batman said. "I actually thought it would happen sooner or later too. Beings on the level of the Multiverse or above must have ways to peer into Battleworld. They'd also realize the profit this model could bring and would definitely rush to imitate it. And there are quite a few among them who can do it—or at least reproduce part of its functions."
"Although you're currently the biggest monopoly, small companies have their advantages too. Even if they only cash in on the novelty for a while, it's still guaranteed profit. After all, everyone understands what this kind of virtual game is now. They won't be as guarded and will be more willing to try it. One generation plants the trees, and the next enjoys the shade."
Schiller let out a long sigh. "So this Manhattan