This is actually quite strange.
Whether it's SimCity or The Populous, Gamenova has provided ample promotional resources.
However, their initial releases didn't have the explosive success of " Theme Hospital ".
Is it due to the influence of Gamenova?
However, the developer listed for this work is still Bullfrog Studio.
In the GAMENOVA office.
This place is unusually lively today.
Not only Will, Caneghem, and Magic Bull, who are directly involved in this matter, but even the usually laid-back Sid came over.
For no other reason than to see the data in this report.
"So tall??"
Upon seeing the data Sam pulled up, Sid exclaimed in surprise, looking at the others in disbelief.
Although Lin Lixin oversaw the entire project, this alone is enough to prove its exceptional quality.
110,000 sets!
Yes, this number is indeed not high, and it's not even as good as the initial launch numbers for SimCity.
Selling 110,000 copies in a week—if this were a console game, Gamenova might as well disband and go their separate ways.
But—this Marc a PC game!
"Are you sure the data is accurate? There aren't that many NeXT-STEP systems actually installed right now, are there?"
Sid's first reaction was that the data was calculated incorrectly.
Unlike the other developers present, Sid has been in the gaming industry for much longer.
Before joining GAMENOVA, he was already a successful independent game developer.
He was perfectly clear about the sales figures that should be displayed on each platform and their corresponding significance.
110,000 sets----
To meet the deadline and also to promote the newly released Hermes laptop, Theme Hospital is currently only available for the NeXT-STEP system.
This game is completely unplayable on MS-DOS and Windows, and Apple's Macintosh and Appletl are not even powerful enough.
As for Amiga from Commodore and ST from Atari, it's even less likely that they would be used for transplantation and adaptation on their own.
In other words, the actual effective market for this game was only Jobs ' workstation and the recently released Hermes.
It doesn't represent the complete PC gaming market; rather, it represents only the tip of the iceberg of the gaming market.
Admittedly, the emergence of World Wide Web has helped NeXT reach Volkswagen to some extent.
But compared to the widespread availability of IBM compatibles, it can only be considered a luxury toy for a niche group.
Needless to say Hermes, a high-end device that costs nearly two thousand dollars, is even more expensive.
What is the total number of installed systems in the entire United States?
Hermes' weekly production capacity is less than 10,000 units.
"The data is correct; I've compiled and compared data from several different sources."
Sam shook his head.
Although he also felt the numbers were outrageous, he had compiled them himself and was well aware of their authenticity.
After repeatedly comparing data from GAMENOVA's first-party sales channels, Dell's direct sales channels, major partner stores, and magazine media statistics, the minimum value was finally taken, which is this 110,000 sets.
"My God----"
Sid slapped his forehead; his worldview had been completely reshaped.
The current number of NeXT-STEP system installations is difficult to quantify due to the large and disorganized data, but it is estimated to be no more than 500,000.
Keep in mind that the vast majority of people who bought this are there because of its website building function.
Will stared silently at the number 110,000, his expression complex, unsure whether he was satisfied or not.
As for Bullfrog Studio's Magic Bull ----
He's completely hyped.
If he weren't currently in Gamenova and needed to maintain his composure, he would have gone completely insane right now.
"What's going on? Why is everyone stuck here?"
Lin Lixin pushed open the door and walked in, immediately noticing the cramped state of the room.
"Lin, it's a bestseller! Theme Hospital sold 110,000 copies last week!"
Sam offered an explanation.
Judging from everyone's expressions, Lin Lixin understood roughly what was going on.
He laughed heartily.
"This is just the beginning. Buckle up! Our goal is 5 million units. The current number is still affected by the installed capacity; otherwise, we could easily reach 1 million units."
Lin Lixin was holding a newly published copy of "Electronic Games," which had just been delivered to his door.
Unlike authoritative media outlets that tend to have conservative ratings, Electronic Games, after all, is a protégé of Gamenova and has never lacked prestige.
After the early incident where arrogance led to a collective backlash from readers, the Electronic Games editorial team has long since learned its lesson.
Stay calm and patient. Even if it seems unclear at first glance, you should still work through it thoroughly before making any decisions.
[ElectronicGames Monthly]
[Work: Theme Hospital ]
[Developer: Bullfrog Studio & Gamenova]
[Publisher: GAMENOVA]
[OVERALL: 9.5/10]
[The absolute king of simulation games!]
[Edit S][10/10]:
Theme Hospital has successfully transformed an extremely boring and even depressing subject into this year's most addictive computer game!
[Editor J][9/10]:
[Please, don't let patients die in the hallway! These damn corpses are preventing me from making money! Cough cough—okay, I have to admit, this is the most interesting simulation management game I've ever seen. The only downside might be that it starts to get a bit repetitive in the mid-to-late game.]
[Edit C][10/10]:
[GAMENOVA proves that simulation games don't have to be serious. They cleverly combine resource management, spatial planning, and a unique British humor, making it lighthearted yet not frivolous—a stroke of genius!]
[Editor W][8/10]:
[The game boasts a rich amount of content, yet its tutorial curve is excellent, with virtually no learning curve. However, as the game progresses, the level of confusion increases, which somewhat diminishes its strategic depth. Nevertheless, it remains one of the best simulation management games in recent years.]
A high score, as expected.
The increased difficulty and repetition in the later stages did lead to some criticism and point deductions, but overall, the merits outweigh the flaws.
Even Lin Lixin could see through their comments the vomiting patients or infectious diseases vomiting in the hospital corridors.
"This is the effect we wanted; it's a breakthrough."
Lin Lixin smiled and tossed the magazine aside.
If a game is limited to its own small audience, it will be very difficult to generate a large enough volume of traffic.
Those potential players hidden outside the market are also customers that need to be won over.
" Will, what do you think are the differences between this game and SimCity?"
"Hmm—the clever choice of subject matter, the unique comedic effect of dark humor?"
Will thought for a moment and gave his answer.
SimCity has absolutely no such design; from the very beginning, it was designed to be realistic.
It's not a particularly easy game; a slight mistake can cause your painstakingly built city to collapse.
"That's true, but more importantly— Theme Hospital isn't actually a simulation management game in the strictest sense."
"It's a light-hearted management game." The core of the game is actually a dark comedy, where failure doesn't have negative consequences; in fact, it's part of the fun.
Will pondered for a few moments.
He followed the project's progress throughout, so he clearly understood what Lin Lixin meant.
These seemingly random numbers are actually the result of their hard work and dedication over several days.
The goal is to allow players to maintain strategic depth without being overwhelmed by pressure, leading to intense fatigue and frustration.
Contrary to intuition, this game is actually more fun the worse it is managed.
Seeing patients vomiting in a chain reaction throughout the hospital was strangely funny.
In particular, after the patient dies, a Grim Reaper with a scythe will emerge from underground and take him away.
Some dead people even become ghosts, wandering around the hospital and ruining business.
There were no failures, it was all for the sake of the show!
In this era where hardcore and cool games are the main themes, most manufacturers don't dare to actually make a funny game.
Theme Hospital pioneered this approach.
This striking contrast, coupled with its meticulously designed ease of use, is the real reason why " Theme Hospital " has become such a hit.
There are no short videos, no live streaming platforms, and not even social media.
In this era of limited information and a slow pace of entertainment, a hilarious game full of entertainment value can achieve phenomenal viral spread through word of mouth.
There's no need for words; a single picture suffices.
In the psychiatric ward, there's a Michael Jackson imitator tilting at a 45-degree angle against gravity, a patient with swelling disorder whose head was punctured, and a patient with glossopharyngeal syndrome whose tongue resembles Lickitung from Pokémon.
"To put it simply, it's actually a spectator game; even without playing it, it's fun just to watch."
This design is frequently seen in later games such as Planet Coaster, Planet Zoo, and of course, the Sims.
Even if the player does nothing, the little character will move around in the environment you have created according to its own AI settings.
Will pondered Lin Lixin's words carefully and nodded slightly.
Just as the Bullfrog learned a lot from Will, this project also taught Will many valuable lessons.
"Hehe, summarize your project experience carefully. Next year is a big year for PC games, and I have a lot of simulation game projects ready for you."
Lin Lixin patted Will on the shoulder.
Hermes extend far beyond simply seizing the PC market.
It contains a genuine 32-bit processor chip and a 32-bit display chip.
This is forcing the Wintel camp to follow suit across the board.
When configurations evolve to this level, developing games on PCs is no longer a difficult task.
After removing the overhead of the operating system, various miscellaneous expenses, and architectural differences, Hermes is comparable to, or even slightly better than, 16-bit NX.
Some projects that were unsuitable in the past, or whose configurations were simply insufficient, can now be gradually brought out.
"Lin, I have something to say."
It wasn't Will who spoke, but Sid who had been waiting nearby.
"Hey, what a coincidence! I also need to talk to you about something."