Wu Wei

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Wu Wei
Alias(es)	Old Thief; Old Wu
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Platinum Studio / Platinum Game Company; later Sony
Occupation/Role	Lead game designer; founder and CEO of Platinum; later Sony's highest director and CEO
Status	Active
Notable titles	“Supernova game designer”; Chief Cooperative Game Manufacturer of Sony; Resident Evil 7 Chief Director; Capcom Devil May Cry 5 Special Consultant 79 203 258 515

Background

Wu Wei is a transmigrator whose prior life included extensive experience as a game-company employee. That background gives him unusually mature business judgment, production-management experience, and negotiating skill despite beginning his career as a university student. He privately reveals his transmigrator identity only to Akiyama Kazuo near the latter's death. 14 19 58 512

His first major earnings total 400,000 yuan, which he offers to share with his close friends so they can pursue game-development ambitions together. 10 He later builds Platinum around that group, leading its projects and expansion as its core creative force. 58 115 440

Appearance

Wu Wei is a tall, well-proportioned man with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He is described as handsome, though his everyday presentation often clashes with his professional image. 14 112 521

• Has a mandala tattoo on his arm. 497
• Wore a bright pink helmet topped with a small duck while riding a Kawasaki H2 to pick up Shen Yunshi. 87
• At E3, appeared in a silver-gray tailored suit that emphasized his physique and commanding presence. 521
• Used an ogre mask and suit during a Harvest Day livestream heist. 497

Personality

Wu Wei is confident, calculating, and highly protective of his interests. He generally prefers peaceful coexistence, but responds ruthlessly when opponents resort to underhanded methods; his campaign against Xiang Tianming demonstrates his preference for strategic retaliation over simple violence. 43 55

In business, he is poised and difficult to pressure. He conceals his leverage, speaks indirectly when negotiating, and is willing to exploit an opponent’s vulnerability, yet avoids forcing cooperation when he lacks interest in a project. 61 62 64 434

Away from formal negotiations, Wu Wei is theatrical, mischievous, and fond of pranks. His friends regularly mock his poor acting and stick-figure-level drawing ability. 60 78 251 He is also generous toward people he trusts, sharing early earnings with his friends and rewarding Jiang Wanning with a villa for her work. 10 430 431

Though usually composed under pressure, Akiyama Kazuo’s decline and death leave Wu Wei visibly shaken. He takes time away from work to grieve, then resolves to continue living and fulfill his promise to his late friend. 510 513 516 517

Abilities & Skills

Game Design

Wu Wei’s defining talent is turning simple concepts into engaging, punishing game experiences. He views games as a means of “spiritual communication” with players, even when that communication consists of defeating them through difficult design. 20

• Designs game concepts, systems, levels, characters, and balance frameworks. 58 445
• Creates detailed hero concepts, but relies on Shen Yunshi to transform his rough sketches into finished art. 61
• Maintains high design standards even on externally owned projects, treating them with the same care as Platinum’s own games. 466
• Refuses projects he finds uninteresting or incapable of handling well. 466
• His system level is at one point insufficient to create Sekiro, forcing him to treat its proposal as an incomplete framework. 117

Negotiation & Business Strategy

Wu Wei combines professional restraint with sharp leverage management. He is known for extracting favorable terms from larger companies while maintaining a polite outward manner. 19 62 133

• Uses his independence and fan support to negotiate with Tencent over League of Legends collaboration terms. 62 64 65
• Secures an 83% share in a console-related agreement after exploiting a market opening. 133
• Diversifies Platinum’s server reliance between Ubisoft and Chinese national servers to reduce Sony’s leverage. 325
• Plans to counter the influence of silver merchant capital while protecting Sony’s interests. 340 512
• Is notably frugal in external profit-sharing talks, but generous toward trusted employees and associates. 430 515

Leadership & Project Management

Wu Wei’s past corporate experience allows him to structure production teams and development pipelines with the competence of a seasoned executive. New hires quickly come to recognize his ability and begin calling him “Boss Wu.” 58

• Assigns specialized roles across planning, level design, scenes, animation, and character design. 58
• Retains all thirty members of a development team after Hollow Knight succeeds. 115
• Entrusts critical assignments to longtime partners, including international negotiations and company stabilization. 325 326 441
• Gives Jiang Wanning clear instructions while allowing her discretion in execution. 283
• Becomes Sony’s highest director and CEO, taking legal and practical control of the company. 515

Competitive Gaming & Tactical Analysis

Wu Wei is an accomplished player whose game sense centers on deception, prediction, and psychological pressure. 73 79

• Uses Jester/Shaco’s invisibility and Fear Boxes to outmaneuver opponents. 73
• Defeats Yu Xiaoxi in a 1v1 by predicting and countering his decisions. 79
• Teaches tactical concepts, positioning, and vertical offense to competitive players through daily sessions. 473
• Quickly identifies key details in a major jewelry-heist report, including evidence of repeated scouting. 481
• Demonstrates the gameplay of Harvest Day with speed and precision during a livestream. 503

Equipment & Items

• Kawasaki H2 street bike — Used to pick up Shen Yunshi from Binhai Academy. 86 87
• Bright pink duck helmet — Worn while riding the Kawasaki H2. 87
• Binjiang villa — Purchased jointly with Shen Yunshi; valued at 96 million yuan. 258
• Old villa — Given to Jiang Wanning as a year-end reward and recognition of her importance to Platinum. 430 431

Relationships

• Shen Yunshi — Platinum’s Chief Artist and Wu Wei’s wife. Their relationship begins through an illustration commission for Dance of Ice and Fire, develops through professional trust, and becomes romantic after her confession. 13 20 83 84 205
• Zhang Zhiyuan / Old Zhang — Close friend, founding member of Platinum, and frequent teasing partner. Old Zhang supports Wu Wei during his grief over Akiyama Kazuo. 55 111 516
• Liu He / Old Second — Friend and Platinum core member; Wu Wei considers him a dependable “anchor” for the team. 24 326
• Lu Bian / Old Third — Friend who introduces Wu Wei to Shen Yunshi through Fang Jin; later assists with Platinum’s international business. 13 325
• Jiang Wanning — Head secretary and trusted core member of Platinum. Wu Wei values their friendship and rewards her with a villa. 283 430 431
• Huang Yu — League of Legends chief planner and recurring business partner. Their initially tense negotiations develop into mutual professional respect after Jester’s success. 62 65 79
• Akiyama Kazuo — Respected industry senior, mentor, and Wu Wei’s closest confidant. Wu Wei promises to protect Sony and Yukina before Akiyama’s death. 172 512 513
• Akiyama Yukina — Akiyama Kazuo’s daughter and a trusted friend. Wu Wei repeatedly supports her and responds immediately when she calls for help during her father’s final illness. 336 508 509
• Xiang Tianming — Rival who attempts to suppress Wu Wei through underhanded tactics. Wu Wei exposes and outmaneuvers him, ultimately contributing to his expulsion. 19 43 55

Story Role / Major Arcs

Founding Platinum and *Dance of Ice and Fire*

Wu Wei starts building a game-development team with his friends, shares his first major earnings, and commissions Shen Yunshi for fifteen landscape illustrations for Dance of Ice and Fire. His businesslike approach initially intimidates her, but their extended discussion establishes mutual respect and a productive partnership. 10 13 19 20 22

Conflict with Xiang Tianming

After Xiang Tianming uses manipulation and outside pressure against him, Wu Wei responds through public-opinion tactics rather than direct retaliation. He uses alternate accounts to expose the suppression of Dance of Ice and Fire, confronts Dean Song over fairness, and helps bring about Xiang Tianming’s expulsion. 43 55

Platinum’s Rise and the League of Legends Collaboration

As Platinum’s CEO and lead designer, Wu Wei organizes the studio’s growth and oversees Hollow Knight. He then negotiates a fan-voted collaboration with Tencent, designs Jester/Shaco, and proves the character’s appeal in exhibition matches. Jester’s official debut boosts League of Legends activity and revenue. 58 62 73 79 111

Relationship with Shen Yunshi

Wu Wei and Shen Yunshi’s professional partnership gradually becomes romantic. After Shen Yunshi confesses, Wu Wei accepts her feelings publicly and commits to a lifetime relationship with her. They later marry. 82 83 84 205

International Expansion

Wu Wei expands Platinum’s global presence through Sony, Capcom, Tencent, Ubisoft, and other industry partners. He becomes Sony’s chief collaborative game developer for the Tokyo Game Show, consults on Devil May Cry 5, and later accepts leadership of Sony itself. 200 258 515

Conflict with Sony and Silver Merchant Capital

When Sony’s actions threaten Platinum’s interests, Wu Wei builds contingencies through server diversification and seeks to prevent silver merchant capital from controlling Sony. He treats the conflict as both a commercial crisis and a personal matter because of his bond with Akiyama Kazuo and Yukina. 325 340 348 512

Akiyama Kazuo’s Death

Wu Wei travels urgently to San Francisco with Shen Yunshi after learning of Akiyama Kazuo’s critical condition. He reaches Akiyama in time for a final conversation, promises to protect Sony and Yukina, and attends the funeral as someone Akiyama regarded as family. 508 512 514 Akiyama’s death leaves him in a prolonged emotional slump, from which he begins recovering during a weeklong vacation with Shen Yunshi. 516 517

*Harvest Day* Development

Seeking a new project that is exciting, accessible, and still carries his signature challenge, Wu Wei becomes interested in a high-value jewelry heist and begins studying real cases. He takes Platinum’s core members around the world to consult police records and recruits international musicians for the project’s music. 480 481 484 He later showcases his gameplay skill in Harvest Day during a livestream. 503

Notable Quotes

“I’m here to do business, not to be a simp.” 14

“If you don't provoke me, we'll get along peacefully… But if you use underhanded tactics against me, then I'm sorry, don't blame me for using some less-than-human methods.” 43

“The moment I turned and walked over here, it meant I was ready—ready to be in a relationship with you for a lifetime.” 84

“As long as I am alive, Sony will not fall, and Yukina will not be left homeless.” 512

Trivia

• Wu Wei’s drawing ability is repeatedly described as being at a childlike stick-figure level. 61 251
• He speaks English with a standard British accent, aided by experience from his prior life and continued practice. 390
• Players affectionately call him “Old Thief,” even while blaming him for designing exceptionally punishing games. 126 320
• He declined an official-media interview after To the Moon received government praise because he felt his contributions did not justify one. 325