Chapter 61
“The god of game marketing has appeared.”
This was the Community Users' evaluation regarding Reverse Arcadia's pre-Korean Server Launch activities, and Hojin, once again, proved the Users' evaluation correct with his results.
It was the only domestic mobile game to surpass 800,000 pre-registrants.
As if to prove this number wasn't inflated, it immediately achieved Number 1 in the Real-time Downloads and Sales Rankings on Both Major Markets on the day of its launch.
Of course, there were controversies, such as the variable external factor of Ishida Kei and the marketing strategies only possible for a Large Corporation... but results were results.
For the first time ever, it was Number 1 in Combined Sales in Both Major Markets in Both Korea and Japan.
Reporters began to churn out countless articles, which were truly mouth-watering topics.
<F1>[Reverse Arcadia Achieves First-Ever Number 1 Sales Ranking in Both Korea and Japan]</F1><F1>(Reporter Kim Jaeseop)</F1>
<F1>EnsonGT's new Subculture Game, “Reverse Arcadia,” boasted exceptional popularity today, claiming the Number 1 spot in the Real-time Sales Ranking on the Domestic Play Store and App Store on its launch day.</F1>
<F1>Furthermore, by securing the Number 1 position in Sales Ranking in both major markets in Korea, it established a golden monument as Number 1 in Sales Ranking in both major markets in Korea and Japan.</F1>
<F1>Ji Hojin, PD and Director of EnsonGT's SM Division, stated, “I am deeply honored and grateful for achieving Number 1 in sales rankings in both major markets, Korea and Japan. I will continue to do my best to repay the Users' support.”</F1>
These articles were instantly spread by Clickbaiters, once again stirring up the Community.
With the Korean Server Launch being an unprecedented success, my schedule naturally began to get busier.
These range from Media Interviews and Collaboration Inquiries to requests for University lectures and various Workshop Lectures.
The lecture scheduled for today was also part of this increased workload.
It was a Mobile Game Workshop Lecture hosted by Enson Korea, and it felt rather peculiar.
I had to give a lecture on the discourse of moe and subculture in front of currently working professionals.
It wasn't particularly embarrassing, but still... it was a peculiar experience.
Just as I finished the lecture and was leaving the Enson Korea Headquarters Building, a call came in.
*Who is it?*
Thinking there might be a problem with the team, I checked the Caller and saw an unexpected name on my Smartphone Screen.
*Kim Taeyoon*
He was the Art Director from the neighboring team at ND Soft, whom I had been close with during my time there.
Before Regression, we were close enough that he even counseled me when I resigned...
But after my regression, we hadn't had a chance to meet since I changed jobs, so in the present, we'd only exchanged pleasantries.
*What could this hyung want all of a sudden?*
Suppressing my curiosity, I answered the call, and a familiar voice came from the Smartphone.
[Hojin, are you free to talk right now?]
“Of course. How have you been?”
Me? Always the same. How about you?
“I've been pretty busy lately. It's been a bit hectic.”
First of all, congratulations. I saw the articles. It looks like a complete success?
“Ah, it was just luck, really.”
Three consecutive successes aren't luck; they're skill. So, Hojin.
“Yeah?”
Could you spare some time tomorrow?
At Taeyun's question, I checked my schedule for a moment before speaking.
“I don't have any important appointments tomorrow, so I think I can. What time should we meet?”
You pick the time that works for you. I've taken annual leave until the day after tomorrow, so I'm free.
“How about the Cafe across from ND Soft at 11 AM? It's not too crowded there, and it's pretty good.”
Ah, Baekgeumdang, that's a good spot. Alright, I'll head there at 11 AM, and we can talk details when we meet tomorrow.
“Okay.”
After hanging up, I started to wonder why he wanted to meet.
His personality was such that he'd listen to others' worries, but he wasn't one to confide in others himself.
Well, I'll find out when I meet him tomorrow.
Since I had another schedule after this, I put thoughts of Taeyun aside for now and headed to the company.
***
*The next morning.*
I arrived at the Cafe earlier than the appointed time.
No matter what, I couldn't make hyung wait.
I went into the Cafe, ordered two Americanos, and waited. Soon, a familiar figure entered the Cafe.
“Hyung, over here!”
As if he heard my call, Taeyun immediately walked towards me.
He didn't look much different from when I last saw him.
Perhaps due to his dark circles, he looked gaunt and tired.
Taeyun also saw me, let out a hollow laugh, and sat down.
“It's been years, but you haven't changed at all. Your company must be treating you well?”
“Treating me well? I'm dying from overtime and external meetings.”
“Stop exaggerating. Anyway, did you order? What do you want to drink?”
“I already ordered two Americanos. You only drink an Americano anyway, hyung.”
At my words, Taeyun looked at me with a surprised expression.
“Even after meeting for years, you seem to know me better than my wife does.”
“We've known each other for years. By the way, how's your sister-in-law doing?”
“Same as always. She's managing the house, taking Outsourcing work, and occasionally helping out with Company work.”
“What? So, is your sister-in-law also making a return to active work soon?”
“Probably. Why? Are you that short-staffed?”
I nodded sincerely at Taeyun's question.
While there were many Junior-level Employees, Senior-level Employees who could be entrusted with tasks, at least to the level of Yerin or Yena, were always scarce.
“With your sister-in-law's skill level, any company would beg her to start the very next day...”
“Is it that bad?”
“Yeah, it's no joke over here right now. Whether it's development, planning, or art, once people gain experience, they either switch jobs or leave for other industries because of the low pay and tough work.”
“Honestly, nothing's changed since our time.”
“I know, right.”
As Taeyun and I were talking, our ordered drinks arrived.
“Thanks, I'll enjoy it.”
Perhaps thirsty, Taeyun took a sip of his Americano as soon as it arrived.
Then, he looked at me for a moment before quietly opening his mouth.
“By the way, Hojin. There's something I want to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“Could you tell me what it was like after you changed jobs?”
Taeyun's expression as he asked me was very serious.
*Come to think of it, was this hyung still working at ND Soft?*
Unlike during Before Regression, when he resigned in 2014 and started his own company, this time I hadn't heard anything, so I assumed he had quietly resigned again.
But it seems that wasn't the case.
“What exactly do you want to hear about?”
“Things like your mindset when you decided to resign, or what you felt afterward?”
“Why? Are you thinking of resigning from ND Soft too, hyung?”
At my question, Taeyun nodded.
It seemed something significant had definitely happened.
“My mindset when I decided to resign... well, it wasn't much. I just left to make the game I wanted to make.”
“Come to think of it, when you submitted your resignation, you told the Department Head you wanted to make a game full of Bishojo and then quit, didn't you?”
“How did you know that, hyung?”
When I asked with a surprised expression, Taeyun chuckled and replied.
“The Department Head was absolutely furious the day you resigned, and the rumor spread throughout the Company. You should have seen the Department Head's face that day.”
“*Sigh*... Anyway, where was I? Ah, what I felt after leaving the Company was that developers really should make the games they want to make.”
In my story, Taeyun's expression seemed even more troubled.
“Alright, now tell me your story, hyung.”
“My story?”
“Yeah. Why would someone who was doing perfectly fine at their Company suddenly contact me and ask about career paths after their resignation?”
At my question, Taeyun let out a deep sigh and began to recount what had happened.
“So... ND Soft saw my success and shifted its roadmap towards Mobile Games, and you joined that new project as an AD, but the project went to hell? Why?”
“The Higher-ups called it 'feedback,' but it was more like outright obstruction.”
“What kind of feedback was it, exactly?”
“The games you made are Subculture Mobile Games, right? They are full of Bishojo.”
“Right?”
“The New Project I joined was also a Subculture Mobile Game, although the genre was closer to an RPG.”
“ND Soft did that? Really?”
“At first, I thought it was a joke and checked the proposals multiple times. Anyway, the Project started somehow...”
“And?”
“There weren't any problems in the beginning. But about a year after the Project started, feedback started coming down from above.”
“What kind of feedback was it?”
“They told us to add PVP and siege warfare to the content and adjust the business model accordingly.”
“?”
Completely taken aback by the unexpected story, I asked again.
“PVP in a Subculture Mobile Game is one thing, but siege warfare? You're not kidding, really?”
“If I were kidding, I wouldn't be telling you this. You should have seen our General Director's face when that feedback first came down.”
“So, what was the result of the feedback? Did they actually accept it?”
“You know how it is. Directors at our Company have no authority. They just told us to do it, so we somehow reworked what was in Development. But the bigger problem was...”
Taeyun, about to continue, took a sip of his coffee, as if his heart was heavy.
“They said the Subculture genre had too much exposure, so we had to reduce it, and that there were too many Female Characters, so we needed to increase the proportion of Male Characters.”
I couldn't believe my ears at the absurd things that came out one after another.
Reduce exposure and increase male characters in a Subculture genre.
Is this a new method of game suicide?
As if Taeyun had read my thoughts, he continued with a bitter expression.
“In the end, the Project's atmosphere went to hell, and the staff was replaced a couple of times. Watching that happen, I felt it was right to escape.”
After I heard all of Taeyun's story, the first thing that came to mind was this one sentence.
“Hyung, let's escape?”