Building a Company

Then he would get another one million from the bank—an interest-free loan.

Once he scraped together three million in startup capital, he could develop a new game.

"Brother Chuan, you're awesome!! I won't say anything else—it's all in the drink. Here's to Brother Chuan's new game becoming a massive hit~~"

Xiao Ming poured drinks for both of them and said with a grin.

"By the way, Brother Chuan, if you're setting up a studio, will you be hiring people in the early stages?"

Xiao Ming fell silent for a moment before suddenly asking.

Though he had phrased it tactfully, the meaning was already obvious.

And Wang Chuan could hear it too.

"In the early stages, there won't be that much work for the studio. I can handle part of it myself and outsource some of it. There won't be any problem."

Wang Chuan smiled and declined just as tactfully.

He had spent a few days with Xiao Ming and knew what he was capable of.

He had the foundation and was quite smart, but he lacked patience.

Just a few days ago, he had said that after graduation, he would go home and inherit his father's fortune~~

Asking today was most likely just a spur-of-the-moment idea.

By tomorrow, he might not want to do it anymore.

So, to avoid making things awkward, Wang Chuan simply turned him down.

Sure enough, after hearing Wang Chuan's words, Xiao Ming was not disappointed.

He merely nodded carelessly, as if he had only asked in passing.

"By the way, Brother Chuan, have you heard the news about Three Factories? It seems they're targeting you."

After the two had eaten and drunk their fill, they reclined comfortably in their chairs and began chatting.

Suddenly, as though remembering something, Xiao Ming spoke with indignation.

"Oh? What is it? I haven't been paying attention to outside news lately."

Wang Chuan popped a peanut into his mouth and asked casually.

"What else could it be? You turned down Three Factories, so they all announced that they're making Meta Games now~~~"

"Oh, I thought it was something serious. Their hands are their own; if they want to make them, let them."

"Besides, I'm not planning to make a Meta Game for my next title."

Wang Chuan was not surprised in the slightest as he spoke calmly.

He had guessed as much. After all, The Stanley Parable had exploded in popularity. How could Three Factories possibly let such a lucrative opportunity pass?

"Huh???"

"Brother Chuan, you're not joking, are you? The Stanley Parable took off and made Meta Games incredibly popular."

"And players have even called you the father of Meta Games, yet you're not going to seize the chance to release another similar game?"

Xiao Ming was stunned by Wang Chuan's words and hurriedly tried to persuade him.

Good lord, this was such a rare opportunity.

If it were him, he would definitely release a sequel while the iron was hot. It would make a fortune.

"The situation is different now! Before, I made a Meta Game because I wanted to earn the title of Game Producer. But if you look closely, Meta Games only have so much content."

"And they tend to be more artistic, so they're not really suited to me anymore~~~"

Since Xiao Ming had asked, Wang Chuan gave him a serious explanation.

When it came to Meta Games, no one in this world understood them better than he did.

Before he transmigrated, Meta Games could practically be found everywhere.

Icey, Undertale, Pony Island, and so on were all relatively famous Meta Games.

It could be said that Meta Games were the representatives of low-budget indie games.

Because in a Meta Game, the most important thing was avoiding any sense of disconnection.

With a low-budget production, the game's length would definitely not exceed six hours.

That amount of time, combined with a fairly good story and that feeling of breaking the fourth wall,

was enough to satisfy players.

But if a 3A blockbuster followed that same formula, it would be absolutely impossible.

Because the cost of a major production meant that the game would be much longer.

If it were made in the style of a Meta Game, players would have no way to experience the story smoothly, nor would they be able to feel the shock of breaking the fourth wall.

In that case, it would not qualify as either a blockbuster or a Meta Game.

The whole thing would collapse~~

Therefore, 3A blockbusters generally presented Meta Game elements through individual levels.

Like the ending of NieR: Automata, where players sacrificed their save files to save others.

But that was more like an Easter egg, merely a display of Meta Game characteristics.

Of course, the most important thing was the immense popularity of his The Stanley Parable online.

It would definitely cause major companies and media outlets to hype up the concept of "Meta Games."

When that time came, whether it was Three Factories, smaller companies, or indie game developers, all of them would follow the trend.

Wang Chuan could practically see the scene already.

In a certain month's new releases, more than eighty percent would be Meta Games.

Players would definitely have their fill all at once, while game companies would surely suffer miserably.

Too many similar games would bring endless competition.

With profits at stake, no one could afford to back down.

It would definitely be quite a spectacle!!

Wang Chuan did not share his speculation with Xiao Ming.

He simply continued chatting with Xiao Ming about other matters. Before long, the two went their separate ways.

This also meant that Wang Chuan was about to graduate!

Because he had given a speech at the graduation ceremony and gained the school's support,

he had also asked the school to help find a location for his studio.

After all, not using connections when you had them was no different from being an idiot.

Soon, news came from the school.

The studio's address was in the suburbs near the school, and the monthly rent was not expensive.

It was only around one hundred thousand yuan.

It could actually have been even cheaper, since the office buildings nearby cost less.

But after thinking it over, Wang Chuan still rented this place.

Because it was a villa!!

It covered more than seven hundred square meters and was incredibly spacious.

When had Wang Chuan ever lived in a villa before? This was the perfect chance to experience it.

Wasn't it just one hundred thousand yuan? He rented it. Since when had Wang Chuan ever been short of money?

Well, mainly because the money from the game was about to come in.

Before long, Wang Chuan took a car to the villa.

"It really is pretty big~~~"

Although he knew its exact size, he still could not help being shocked when he saw it in person.

Was this how rich people lived?

The villa had three floors in total: two above ground and one underground, all connected by an elevator.

There was a dedicated swimming pool outside.

The underground floor had exercise equipment and was probably meant to be a gym.

The first floor was for receiving guests or working.

The second floor was for resting or playing games.

"Not bad, not bad. Renting this place was absolutely worth it."

After taking a rough look around, Wang Chuan was satisfied beyond belief.

Compared with working in an office building, the environment in this villa was far better.

The scenery was beautiful, and the atmosphere was leisurely and comfortable.

Well, Wang Chuan moved in the very day he viewed it. No one could stop him~~