A Professional Gamer's Judgment

Days passed one after another.

Finishing the final CG illustration and completing the corresponding audio and subtitle edits, Chen Xu stared at the game source file generated on his computer, an excited expression spreading across his face: "All done!"

"So now we look for a game publishing company?" Ruan Ningxue beside him was also somewhat excited.

After all, this was a project she had poured a month of effort into completing.

Granted, she hadn't received a single cent of wages from Chen Xu.

"No." Hearing Ruan Ningxue's words, Chen Xu gently shook his head.

"Huh?" Ruan Ningxue was a bit surprised.

Though she didn't understand games well, she knew that Chen Xu was essentially an indie game developer now.

Like drawing comics or making movies, shouldn't he find a publisher or a film distribution company?

"Games are a bit different. Besides, this game isn't going through domestic platforms—it's heading to the overseas Official Game Platform."

"It can be accessed directly from home too..."

"After all, there's no other way. It's like selling doujinshi—basically goes through overseas platforms. 'Magic Mirror' is a full-on 18R game, and that genre is in an awkward spot." Chen Xu explained to Ruan Ningxue.

"Then why did you still make this type, Chen Xu?"

Ruan Ningxue was puzzled. According to what he said, it felt like the game might be stillborn before it even launched.

Though if that really happened, it meant Chen Xu could continue having her as his assistant.

But honestly, Ruan Ningxue's thinking had shifted a bit from the start. After spending this month with Chen Xu, she had changed her view of him significantly, and she'd also gained some simple understanding of the game industry—it seemed pretty interesting.

Plus, this project had her own effort in it, so she genuinely hoped it would succeed.

"You have to eat your meal bite by bite. I've got full preparations for 'Magic Mirror's' follow-up. Senior, just wait for my good news—I'll definitely give you a big red envelope then!" Chen Xu smiled slightly.

"Alright, then I'll be waiting." Ruan Ningxue looked at Chen Xu's confident face, still puzzled inside, but nodded along.

In some neighborhood in Modu.

A woman in a white shirt and jeans was lounging in Ruan Ningxue's home.

"Xiaoxue, are you really not considering coming to help me? Your art skills combined with my game design ability—we'd definitely make a big name in the gaming industry!"

Looking at the enthusiastic Yang Xin in front of her, Ruan Ningxue set her juice down on the coffee table. At that moment, she felt she could understand Chen Xu's feelings.

"Sister Xin, I'm not trying to rain on your parade, but you've developed three games already, and they all lost money, right?" Ruan Ningxue rolled her eyes.

Before, she didn't know much about games, but after following Chen Xu for a month making one, even though her job was still just drawing—same as when she did doujinshi—

she'd learned a bit about games. And then she realized that Yang Xin, who had always bragged to her, had never made a single game that broke even.

"Next time, it'll definitely sell big! As long as you come help me, Xiaoxue!" Yang Xin said with full confidence.

"Come on, didn't Uncle Yang make a deal with you, Sister Xin? Once the startup funds run out, he won't invest anymore, right? So, Sister Xin?" Sitting on the couch, Ruan Ningxue looked at Yang Xin's confident face with suspicion.

"Cough cough, by the way, Xiaoxue, how's that junior of yours' game going? Found a publisher yet? Want me to introduce one?" Yang Xin cleared her throat lightly, changing the subject.

"No need. Chen Xu said he's going straight to the official platform, no publisher." Remembering what Chen Xu had told her, Ruan Ningxue shook her head.

"No publisher? That's a big disadvantage. Without third-party platform promotion, relying solely on the official platform's new-release recommendations, unless the quality is explosive, it's hard to stand out." Yang Xin spoke like a veteran.

"Sister Xin, Chen Xu said the game won't even get a new-release recommendation, and he's uploading it to the overseas platform." Ruan Ningxue recalled some of what she'd discussed with Chen Xu yesterday.

"No new-release recommendation? Overseas platform? An 18R game!? No wonder he found you, Xiaoxue. But this junior of yours is being naive—a pure fanservice game is hard to make popular." Yang Xin, fairly knowledgeable about the game industry, immediately understood the game type from Ruan Ningxue's words.

Even some bloody, violent games, as long as they weren't too extreme, could still get new-release recommendations on the official platform.

But not logging onto the domestic platform, choosing the overseas one, and not getting a new-release recommendation—

only 18R games got that treatment.

"No way? Chen Xu must have his own plan, right? And 'Magic Mirror' isn't just a pure 18R game—it has a pretty rich storyline." Ruan Ningxue thought of Chen Xu's confident demeanor and sounded a bit uncertain.

"Do you think I don't get it? From what you said, your junior's art skill isn't worse than yours, right? He found you to use art as a selling point. But games don't succeed on art alone. And content? What content can an 18R game have?"

"This is a judgment from a professional game developer! Plus, no new-release recommendation, no third-party publisher—unless he does a massive ad campaign himself, it probably won't even make a ripple." Yang Xin boldly delivered her verdict.

"Then, Sister Xin, do you think the game's sales could reach 50,000?" Ruan Ningxue looked at Yang Xin's confident face.

"Impossible!"

Even though she hadn't seen the game Ruan Ningxue worked on, Yang Xin confidently handed down a death sentence.

After all, based on the info she had—low-budget indie game, no publisher, 18R, only two people involved, and the other guy used to be a comic artist who did some outsourcing for games—

18R games always had a lot of potential users.

After all, who isn't an LSP?

But the competition in this genre was also enormous.

So how could a combination like this possibly create a successful game?

After all, she had already developed three failed games and knew full well how tough this industry was.

"Although 50,000 is impossible, 18R games are generally priced lower, and with your artistic skill, Ningxue, there'll be a Very High quality bonus. If the quality isn't bad, maybe we can hope for 10,000 sales—at least we won't lose money."

"From a risk perspective, 18R games really are the safer bet." Yang Xin looked at Ruan Ningxue and offered some reassurance.

"This is the judgment of a professional game developer!" After a moment's thought, Yang Xin added another sentence.

"I see." Ruan Ningxue, who still only had a partial understanding of the game industry, showed some worry on her face.