Chapter Summaries

Song Ren and Zhang Yi toured the spectacular Stormwind City VR theme, where players discovered weapon attributes and NPCs that hinted at future content. During the New Year Sale, Nebula Games set new sales records, players debated the VR themes, and Chen Xu delegated overseas awards while preparing to attend the domestic Annual Game Awards.

• Song Ren and Zhang Yi flew through Stormwind City in sightseeing mode and marveled at its districts, NPCs, and detailed Warcraft-inspired architecture.
• Players noticed attributes on Stormwind City's weapons and armor and found several unusual NPCs, including Solar of Andorhal, Link, and Alice.
• Players celebrated the New Year Sale and discussed the VR themes, including whether Stormwind City hinted at a future Warcraft action RPG and how to remove the Outlast theme.
• Chen Xu arranged for Nebula Games employees to accept overseas awards instead of attending himself.
• Chen Xu planned to appear at the domestic Annual Game Awards hosted by the Game Department.

Chen Xu attended the Annual Game Awards Ceremony, where Red Dead Redemption 2 swept the awards and won Game of the Year. Afterward, he caught up with Meng Zuo and invited him to consider joining Nebula Games while probing his thoughts on handheld consoles.

• Chen Xu arrived at the ceremony, greeted industry designers, and took a seat beside Meng Zuo.
• Red Dead Redemption 2, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and Rainbow Six: Siege won numerous awards, with Meng Zuo repeatedly helping Chen Xu carry trophies.
• Chen Xu accepted the Game of the Year award for Red Dead Redemption 2 as the ceremony ended.
• Chen Xu had dinner with Meng Zuo, learned that Meng Zuo had left NetDragon, and invited him to consider joining Nebula Games.
• Chen Xu asked Meng Zuo about handheld consoles and kept his own plans for them secret.

Chen Xu considered why handheld consoles in this world were declining and concluded that their manufacturers had sacrificed portability and distinctive gameplay to chase powerful hardware. He saw an opportunity for Nebula Games to revive the market by building a handheld around unique features and games, and considered making it a distinct hardware platform.

• Chen Xu compared handheld consoles with PCs and consoles, concluding that phones could squeeze the handheld market but could not replace its unique gaming experience.
• Chen Xu blamed the decline of handheld manufacturers on expensive, bulky devices designed to run games like "Monster Hunter: World" and "Dark Souls" instead of prioritizing games and portability.
• Chen Xu argued that successful consoles depended on compelling games and irreplaceable features, citing Sony's exclusives and the Switch's motion controls, portability, and sharing.
• Chen Xu noted that this world's handheld makers were hardware-focused and lacked the software perspective that had helped Atari and Nintendo succeed.
• Chen Xu saw substantial potential in the handheld market and believed Nebula Games could fill the gap by creating a distinctive device and turning it into a hardware platform.

After acquiring Shenyou, Chen Xu laid out Nebula Games’ plan to develop the Switch, a handheld that could also function as a home console. He left Yan Xiong stunned with a low-cost design and a pricing target that only required each unit to break even.

• Meng Zuo joined Nebula Games with a small group of technical staff after leaving NetDragon.
• Chen Xu told Meng Zuo that Nebula Games would port partner games and suitable older titles to its handheld.
• Players confirmed Nebula Games had acquired Shenyou and debated whether handhelds still had a future.
• Chen Xu ordered Yan Xiong to shut down Shenyou’s existing handheld production lines and develop a new device called the Switch.
• Chen Xu specified the Switch’s display targets, portability priorities, and a price of 1,199 yuan, then said each unit only needed to avoid a loss.

Chen Xu outlined Nebula Games’ new handheld console and assigned teams to develop exclusive launch games and port older titles. He announced Super Mario Odyssey and Animal Crossing as key projects, leaving the company preparing for a demanding shift into handheld development.

• Chen Xu and Yan Xiong discussed the Switch’s hardware, vibration features, and business strategy before ending their meeting.
• Chen Xu told Qin Yi, Ruan Ningxue, Yang Xin, and the others that Nebula Games was making a handheld console and that some games would be exclusive to it.
• At a company meeting, Chen Xu announced that the handheld needed new games and asked Lin Tao and Meng Zuo to handle ports and optimization once a prototype was ready.
• Chen Xu revealed Super Mario Odyssey and Animal Crossing as projects for the new handheld, prompting astonishment from the staff.

Chen Xu explained the design philosophies of Animal Crossing and Super Mario Odyssey, highlighting their contrasting gameplay and how both could showcase the Switch. His descriptions excited the listeners about the games’ potential.

• Chen Xu described Animal Crossing as a slow-paced island life simulation focused on befriending vivid animal residents and earning emotional rewards over time.
• Chen Xu explained that Animal Crossing’s design relied on careful numerical balancing and detailed character interactions rather than levels or a story.
• Chen Xu outlined Super Mario Odyssey’s sandbox-style levels, motion controls, and hat possession system, which let players use enemies’ abilities to explore.
• Chen Xu described Odyssey’s collectibles, checkpoints, and varied hidden challenges as the core of its difficulty curve and replay value.
• The listeners became excited by Chen Xu’s descriptions and recognized that both games followed design philosophies unlike mainstream games.

Chen Xu outlined the design principles for Animal Crossing and Super Mario Odyssey, then drafted their concepts and planned additional classic games and a membership service for the Switch. Super Mario Odyssey’s detailed level design remained the biggest challenge, while the Switch’s broader plans took shape around accessible games and a library of retro titles.

• Chen Xu told the team that Super Mario Odyssey should be fun, easy to pick up, and rewarding for both casual players and those seeking mastery.
• Chen Xu decided not to include Happy Home Paradise in Animal Crossing’s initial release because the base game already offered ample content.
• Chen Xu began drafting the games’ concepts and identified Super Mario Odyssey’s 880 moons and carefully designed levels as major development challenges.
• Chen Xu planned to outsource classic Famicom and arcade games for the Switch, including Mario, Contra, and Metal Gear.
• Chen Xu planned a Switch membership service that would include cloud saves and access to the classic game library, with monthly, annual, and family plans.

Chen Xu reviewed the Switch prototype, refined its hardware and accessory plans, and prepared for Nebula Games to enter the handheld market. As May approached, news spread that Nebula Games would reveal its new console and games at the annual Gameplay Exhibition.

• NetDragon and Tenghua promoted rival open-world games as Nebula Games stayed out of the VR market.
• Chen Xu inspected the completed Switch prototype and approved its overall design while calling for further adjustments.
• Yan Xiong showed Chen Xu cartridge samples, and Chen Xu told him to plan for accessories such as screen protectors, cases, controllers, and carrying bags.
• As May approached, word spread that Nebula Games would attend the Gameplay Exhibition with a new handheld console and new games.

Nebula Games prepared to attend the Gameplay Exhibition with the Switch and several games, while Chen Xu tested the Switch version of It Takes Two and joked about the company’s reputation for empty promises. The exhibition setup featured a large independent area centered on Switch games and familiar mascots.

• Players speculated online that Nebula Games might bring a handheld console and new game announcements to the Gameplay Exhibition.
• Chen Xu and Ruan Ningxue tested the Switch version of It Takes Two, checking its split-screen camera and motion controls.
• Chen Xu said Nebula Games would bring real content to the exhibition, while Ruan Ningxue pointed out that its promises could still disappoint players.
• Chen Xu told the team to test the game builds further and arrange the exhibition venue as Super Mario Odyssey, Animal Crossing, and other games neared completion.
• Nebula Games prepared an independent exhibition area in Magic City featuring Switch promotions and mascots including Mario, Bowser, Princess Peach, Tom Nook, Timmy, Lili, and Isabelle.

At the Gameplay Exhibition, Chen Xu revealed Nebula Games’ new Switch handheld and demonstrated its detachable controllers and motion features. He began discussing the games planned for the device, leaving the announcement unfinished.

• Players gathered at Nebula Games’ exhibition area, which was decorated with plushies and played music from Animal Crossing.
• Chen Xu announced that Nebula Games would present a new handheld and new games.
• Chen Xu unveiled the red-and-blue Switch prototype and introduced its touchscreen and detachable controllers.
• Chen Xu demonstrated motion controls with a scene from It Takes Two and showed the Switch connecting to a monitor through its dock.
• Chen Xu described the Switch’s construction and began introducing its games.

Chen Xu unveiled classic ports and Switch-exclusive games, including Animal Crossing and Super Mario Odyssey, then announced that attendees could try them at the exhibition. The crowd rushed to line up for the long-awaited hands-on demos.

• Chen Xu showed footage of classic games and announced that the Switch would also receive new exclusive titles.
• Chen Xu introduced Animal Crossing as a “Must-Play for Manly Men,” and its cozy island-life footage delighted female players and puzzled many male players.
• Chen Xu presented Super Mario Odyssey footage featuring Bowser, Mario, Princess Peach, and several themed kingdoms.
• Chen Xu announced that attendees could try the Switch games at the venue.
• Nebula Games fans celebrated the return of hands-on demos and hurried to join the lines.

At the game expo, Song Ren tried Animal Crossing on a Switch and explored its deserted-island gameplay. The demo left him gathering materials and helping his new animal neighbors settle in, while he remained unconvinced by its “Must-Play for Manly Men” label.

• Zhang Yi, Song Ren, Wang Yifan, Qiao Yi, and Wang Han waited for a Switch and discussed how light and portable it felt.
• Song Ren chose the full version of Animal Crossing from the available games and created a character before traveling to an island.
• Song Ren arrived on an empty island, met Timmy and Lili, and received a tent from Tom Nook.
• Song Ren helped Ran-jie and A-zu choose tent locations and noticed that the two animal residents had distinct personalities and dialogue.
• Song Ren gathered branches, pears, and weeds while exploring the accessible part of the island, and he wondered how the relaxing game fit its “Must-Play for Manly Men” description.

Song Ren played Animal Crossing, learned that its time followed the real world, and discovered that Tom Nook had charged him for his island relocation. Zhang Yi joked that the debt and hard labor made it a game for manly men.

• Song Ren named the island and spoke with the friendly villagers at the Bonfire Party.
• Song Ren slept in his tent, met K.K. in a dream, and learned that game time followed real time.
• Tom Nook gave Song Ren a phone and presented him with a 49,000-Bell relocation bill, offering Nook Miles as payment instead.
• Song Ren realized the Nook family controlled the island's shops and buying and selling.
• Zhang Yi called Animal Crossing a game for manly men because players had to endure debt and work to repay it.

Song Ren, Zhang Yi, Wang Han, and the other players tried Animal Crossing and discovered that its real-time progression limited how much they could grind. The chapter explained that the game’s appeal came from shaping everyday life and building relationships over time, leaving players eager to return as more content unlocked.

• Song Ren let Zhang Yi and Wang Han try Animal Crossing, and they praised its island life, distinct animal personalities, and day-by-day progression.
• Song Ren and Zhang Yi joked about paying off Tom Nook’s mortgage, noting that he charged no interest and set no repayment deadline.
• Song Ren, Zhang Yi, and the others crafted tools, fished, gathered items, and helped Fū Da set up his tent.
• Players at the exhibition found that early objectives quickly ran out and that new buildings and flowers required real time to develop.
• The chapter described how Animal Crossing limited grinding and centered on everyday routines, personal goals, and relationships with the island animals.

Song Ren, Zhang Yi, and Wang Han discovered that Animal Crossing’s real-time progression made its generous expo trial feel like an empty promise, then tried Super Mario Odyssey together. Song Ren and Zhang Yi’s cooperative play turned into a petty fight that left their friendship metaphorically full of holes.

• Players realized that Animal Crossing’s later content depended on real-world time, and the expo Switches prevented them from changing the clock.
• Chen Xu had also planned minor restrictions for players who altered time, such as limiting item sharing and excluding altered days from time records.
• Song Ren and Zhang Yi started Super Mario Odyssey in two-player mode, with one controlling Mario and the other controlling Cappy.
• Song Ren and Zhang Yi argued over where to investigate, then Zhang Yi used Cappy to bounce Mario repeatedly while Song Ren retaliated by jumping off a cliff.

Players tried Super Mario Odyssey at the exhibition and were amazed by its exploration, possession mechanics, and hidden Power Moons. As the four-day event continued, videos and discussion spread online, leaving players eager to learn the Switch’s price and release details.

• Players controlled Mario and his hat together, tested the two demo kingdoms, and discovered surprises throughout their maps.
• The Super Mario Odyssey sessions ended with players wanting to keep exploring, while some Animal Crossing players found that real-world time limited their progress.
• Exhibition attendees posted videos of Animal Crossing, Super Mario Odyssey, and the Switch, drawing widespread attention online.
• Players praised the Switch’s distinctive games and features, discussed playing other co-op games on it, and wondered how much the handheld would cost.
• As the Gameplay Exhibition ended, online players discussed the Switch alongside games from NetDragon and Tenghua.

Nebula Games promoted the Switch handheld, revealing its low price, modest specifications, launch games, and online membership plans. Players debated whether the device could succeed and doubted Chen Xu’s promise of a future open-world game as the story left the Switch awaiting its launch and dedicated Direct Conference.

• Nebula Games released a Switch promotional video showing a girl and her friends playing games at home, on the subway, and together in a park.
• Nebula Games revealed Switch’s modest specifications and its 1,299-yuan price, surprising players and industry figures.
• Chen Xu announced that Switch would launch on June 1 with digital and physical games, membership services, and launch titles including Animal Crossing and Super Mario Odyssey.
• Chen Xu promised years of Switch support and an unprecedented open-world game for the second half of the year, while Nebula Games planned a dedicated Direct Conference.
• Players argued over Switch’s price, hardware, games, and open-world promise, with many doubting that the handheld could handle such a game.

The Switch launch sold out almost immediately, frustrating players who could not secure a console. Chen Xu confirmed the stock was genuine and said more units would arrive next week, while overseas sales would take about two months to launch.

• Zhang Yi bought a Switch at launch, but Wang Han, Qiao Yi, and Wang Yifan failed to get one; Song Ren planned to buy through an offline store.
• Players complained online that the Switch, controllers, adapters, and game cartridges had sold out, and Chen Xu announced the launch stock and confirmed a new batch was in production.
• Chen Xu told Meng Zuo that only 150,000 consoles were planned for the next batch and that shortages would likely continue through June.
• Meng Zuo showed Chen Xu overseas players' requests for the Switch, and Chen Xu explained that overseas sales required reviews and distribution arrangements and would take about two months.

Players became curious about the bitter coating on Switch cartridges, and Zhang Yi and Wang Han tested one after unboxing their console. Zhang Yi called it sweet, but Wang Han tasted a lingering sour bitterness, while Zhang Yi calmly won the dishwashing bet and wondered whether his friend had licked the cartridge first.

• Players discussed the Switch cartridges’ denatonium benzoate coating and joked about licking them.
• Zhang Yi and Wang Han unboxed their Switch bundle, which included Animal Crossing and Super Mario Odyssey.
• Wang Han bet she would do the dishes if Zhang Yi tested the cartridge, and Zhang Yi licked it twice before calling it sweet.
• Wang Han tried the cartridge herself and tasted a lingering sour bitterness, then agreed to do the dishes.
• Zhang Yi took out gum and wondered whether his friend had licked the cartridge before borrowing it.

Zhang Yi and Wang Han played Super Mario Odyssey at home, exploring its kingdoms and discovering its varied challenges. After a Tyrannosaurus Rex repeatedly defeated Wang Han in Forest Kingdom, she activated Assist Mode and handed Zhang Yi control of Mario.

• Zhang Yi and Wang Han played together in Waterfall Kingdom and searched for a hidden Power Moon beneath a canvas-like object.
• They explored Sand Kingdom, where Bowser had stolen the kingdom's Ring, and encountered new possessions, quests, and nighttime activities.
• In Forest Kingdom, Wang Han entered a hidden underground area and was chased by a living Tyrannosaurus Rex.
• After the Tyrannosaurus Rex reduced Mario's health to one segment, Wang Han activated Assist Mode, increasing his health and enabling other protections.
• Wang Han handed Zhang Yi the Mario controller and told him to find the way.