Chapter 83: Players at the Exhibition

At the entrances of various booths, numerous players were already engaged in discussions.

‘NetDragon and TengHua are really going all out this year!’

‘Damn it! They just launched a VR blockbuster during the Lunar New Year—now another new work already?’

‘Don’t get your hopes too high. It’s probably just a demo, right? Wasn’t it the same every previous year?’

‘Still exciting though! No more talk—I’m off to queue!’

‘Exactly! I’ve got to experience it properly. After all, it’s the latest VR blockbuster from NetDragon and TengHua.’

‘But there are way too many people here!’

‘It’ll only get longer later.’

‘Forget it, I’ll just check out other booths instead.’

The first choice for many players was undoubtedly the booths of TengHua and NetDragon.

And their intentions were crystal clear—to experience the latest VR blockbuster jointly presented by NetDragon and TengHua.

It was simply too attractive.

Of course, quite a few players were intimidated by the seemingly endless queues.

They were just too long.

Although skipping the queue meant missing out on gameplay, there were still other things worth watching.

For instance, the showgirls’ long, bare legs at each booth.

‘Holy smokes! Those legs are huge… wait, I mean super long!’

‘Now that’s what I call “legs that play for years”!’

‘You guys are so fickle. I’m different—I can play with them for two whole years.’

‘So we’re all old lecherous men, huh!’

‘Don’t say that! We’re not lecherous—we just appreciate the beautiful things in life!’

‘Exactly!’

Of course, not every player’s gaze lingered on bare legs.

There were still exceptions.

‘Stop staring, your eyeballs are about to pop out,’ Wang Han rolled her eyes and snapped at Zhang Yi beside her.

‘Cough, cough—don’t say that! I wasn’t looking. I’m not interested in that sort of thing,’ Zhang Yi replied awkwardly, quickly changing the subject. ‘Anyway, where should we go next? How about NetDragon’s booth?’

‘Sure, I’m actually quite curious about their new work,’ nodded a heavily built youth—Song Ren, who had been utterly terrified while playing Outlast earlier.

Besides him were another young man and a girl. They were all real-world friends who had planned to visit the gameplay Expo together.

‘I think we should forget it. There are way too many people! You wait in line for two or three hours, then get only a few minutes of gameplay. The gaming pod won’t even warm up!’ Wang Han said.

Honestly, she was quite interested in the VR blockbusters from NetDragon and TengHua.

But after seeing the massive queue, she immediately gave up on the idea.

‘Oh, wait—Nebula Games also participated in this exhibition. Let’s go check out their booth. Maybe they’ve got a new release!’ Wang Han suddenly remembered.

She had a very favorable impression of this game developer.

To the Moon, Undertale, and Overcooked were all games she deeply loved.

‘That’s right! Let’s go see Nebula Games’ exhibition area. I wonder if they’ll have any new titles this time,’ agreed Qiao Yi, a female voice.

‘I’m fine with it,’ said Wang Yifan, another young man, shrugging his shoulders.

Zhang Yi and Song Ren, however, stared wide-eyed upon hearing this.

Even now, Zhang Yi couldn’t forget how he’d ended up washing dishes at home every day.

Likewise, Song Ren still vividly remembered how Outlast had nearly scared him into wetting his pants.

Still, they ultimately decided to first take a look at Nebula Games’ booth. After all, the sight of those intimidatingly long queues at NetDragon and TengHua’s booths was enough to scare anyone off.

And they weren’t the only ones heading toward Nebula Games’ booth.

Quite a few other players were doing the same.

After all, Nebula Games and Chen Xu had gained significant recognition in the independent gaming community and among niche player groups due to their consecutive string of quality titles.

Thus, quite a few players had specifically come to see Nebula Games—and Chen Xu.

Moreover, some industry gaming media and streamers attending the exhibition were also heading toward third- and fourth-tier developers, as well as well-known independent studios.

Why?

NetDragon and TengHua, of course, were the darlings of mainstream media coverage.

But with so much coverage already, how could smaller outlets compete for traffic?

It was smarter to focus on developers with some fame, yet less fierce mainstream competition.

Nebula Games naturally fit that category.

However, when players arrived at Nebula Games’ booth, many were momentarily confused.

The vibe here was completely different!

Look at the other booths—even within the independent game section.

Flashy girls and eye-catching bare legs were everywhere.

Yet Nebula Games was like a breath of fresh air!

There were still girls, sure—three or four of them. But most people here wore mascot costumes.

On a designated stage, they tugged and bounced around each other, looking utterly comical.

‘What’s going on? Why is Nebula Games’ showgirl display like this!’

‘Dude, those aren’t showgirls. Look closely—excluding employees, there are only three female cosers.’

‘Haha, but admit it—this is actually pretty fun to watch.’

‘Check the sign—it says this is Chen Xu’s new game!’

‘Sanguosha? Fall Guys? Never heard of them. Did Chen Xu secretly prepare an ultimate ability just for this exhibition?’

Players arriving at Nebula Games’ booth wore expressions of pure curiosity.

They began discussing animatedly.

After all, compared to other booths, this one was truly extraordinary.

‘Honestly, those colorful toy-like characters do resemble candy beans. Super hilarious!’

‘Exactly! At least in terms of presentation, Nebula Games is truly one-of-a-kind!’

‘But wait—Nebula Games brought new games, yet why are there so few demo units?’

‘Right? Fall Guys takes up such a huge space, yet they only set up fifteen computers?’

‘And Sanguosha? Only five computers? Besides that, it’s just a bunch of chairs and tables—what’s that about?’

‘Could it be that this is Nebula Games’ and Chen Xu’s first time exhibiting, so they lack experience?’

‘That shouldn’t be it. They’ve had plenty of time to prepare.’

Players gathered around Nebula Games’ booth began whispering among themselves.

What puzzled them most was why there were so few playable devices at Nebula Games’ booth.

But soon, their questions were answered.

Nebula Games’ booth was divided into three zones, with a stage left open in the center.

At the stage’s center stood showgirls dressed as sugar beans. Though wearing mascot costumes made it hard to tell their gender.

Soon, the sugar beans bounced apart, creating space as Chen Xu stepped onto the stage, taking on the role of presenter for Nebula Games’ booth.

With Chen Xu’s appearance, fans of Nebula Games who recognized him immediately waved and shouted excitedly.

Though the words they shouted were hilariously amusing.

‘Chen Xu, give me back my girlfriend!’

‘Yeah, Chen Xu, return my girlfriend!’

‘You promised us you’d be a Warrior of Love!’

Facing the impassioned crowd, Chen Xu could only smile awkwardly.

He gestured for silence. ‘Everyone, please calm down. I see you’re all very passionate!’

‘Though honestly, you’ve slightly misunderstood me.’

‘But that’s okay—because the games we’ve brought to this exhibition will erase your biases. It’s time to prove myself once again!’

‘No more words. Fall Guys—a lighthearted, harmonious and heartwarming multiplayer variety show obstacle course game that brings players endless joy. Sanguosha—a multiplayer strategic battle board game.’

Behind him, the large screen displayed promotional artwork for Fall Guys and Sanguosha.

As Chen Xu introduced the games, the previously quiet crowd burst into simultaneous laughter upon hearing the phrase “lighthearted, harmonious and heartwarming.”

The expression felt eerily familiar!

But before they could react further, Chen Xu’s next words filled them with surprise and excitement.

‘I’m sure you’ve noticed our on-site demo units are very limited. As for the reason—’

‘You can scan the corresponding QR codes to directly download the mobile versions and experience the fun of both games ahead of time during the exhibition.’

‘Also, on the final day of the exhibition, we’ll have a grand finale event to present to you all.’

(Daily plea for recommendation votes and Monthly Pass—Bang bang bang! Finally, let me handle the grumbling: [You’re too short!] [This excitement will last all day!] [Read it, but also feel like I didn’t~])

(End of Chapter) <>