Chapter 211: Promotional Warm-Up (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Pass)

Chapter 211: Promotional Warm-Up (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Pass)

Days passed, and Nebula Games began the promotional warm-up for Minecraft.

While players and industry designers were still discussing the recent wave of sandbox games,

Chen Xu's post on the official Weibo account instantly attracted countless players and industry designers' attention.

Chen Xu's Weibo post was extremely simple—just three words: New Game.

Following that was a video link.

However, once clicked, players who had approached with anticipation and curiosity were instantly taken aback.

Because it was simply too unexpected.

With a soothing background music, the game graphics appeared.

Blue sky, white clouds, ocean, trees, and sandy beaches—under the distant sunset, a small character riding a pink pig ran toward the screen.

'Let us go to a world made of blocks.'

With the narration, countless blocks formed a slide, allowing the block character and the pink piggy to glide down.

'The only limit is your imagination.'

In the next moment, the middle of the slide collapsed, blocks scattering, but behind the block character, red wings resembling a cape unfolded. It soared through forests and over mountains.

'Let us go anywhere you wish—climb the highest peaks, dig the deepest burrows.'

On the beach, the block character held a cube, placing it carefully.

'Build anything you want—whether in daytime or night, rain or sunshine.'

Gazing into the distance across the desert.

'This will be the most meaningful sandbox game you've ever experienced.'

The next scene showed a massive castle.

'Build a grand castle.'

Inside a mine lit with torches, a winding railway track.

'Research the most advanced machines, take a ride on a roller coaster.'

In the forest, several block characters continuously chopped down trees with axes.

'You can play with your friends, build your own community, and craft the strongest armor to protect yourselves.'

At night, facing monsters emerging in the forest, the block characters donned armor and charged forward with swords in hand.

'Fight monsters in the night—no one can limit your actions.'

Digging deeper and deeper into the earth, lava poured up from below.

Creating a dark, mysterious portal—behind it lay an eerie world.

'There are no rules to follow—this time, the adventure is yours to decide.'

As the narration continued, the camera slowly moved across a deep blue ocean. Suddenly, a whale made of blocks surfaced.

Countless blocks formed the game's Logo and title: MINECRAFT.

[Testing Begins January 3 | Full Online Launch February 1]

[Game Selling Price: 68 Yuan]

As this promotional trailer video was released, many players and game industry designers were left bewildered.

Because no one had ever imagined that Chen Xu would make a pixel-style game.

'No way—this is actually a pixel game? And it kind of looks like building with blocks?'

'What is Chen Xu thinking? Suddenly making a pixel game with block-building gameplay?'

'I'm also confused—Is this meant for children?'

'I'm completely stunned. Forget about games like Dark Souls or It Takes Two, at least give us something like Don't Starve! Or even better, just hand us Silent Hill PT. But instead, we get a block-building game?'

'Don't rush to criticize. I actually feel like it might be pretty fun. It looks extremely free, right? Especially the part about no rules—don't you think that's exciting?'

'Honestly speaking, although it's a pixel game, it's definitely not crude and shoddy. Haven't you noticed how beautiful the pixels are? The textures are very detailed. When blocks are destroyed, the materials show dynamic changes. And despite being a pixel game, it even has excellent lighting and shadows!'

'But that's exactly why I'm even more confused! The production cost must be extremely high. That means Chen Xu isn't doing this to save money—so why go with a pixel style!?'

Not only players, but the gaming industry itself was also left with questions about Chen Xu and this game called Minecraft.

After all, it was simply too baffling.

From the promotional trailer, only three characteristics could be summarized.

The first characteristic: it's a pixel-style game.

The second: the gameplay involves monster-fighting combat similar to Don't Starve, and resource collection, but the core gameplay mode revolves around block-building.

The third: like Don't Starve, this game called Minecraft also supports multiplayer mode.

As for more detailed content, nothing else was known.

But the real question was—what was the game's selling point?

Survival?

Don't Starve already has that.

Fighting monsters, collecting resources, and building structures? Don't Starve has that too.

Multiplayer? Again, Don't Starve already covers it.

And with the pixel graphics—aside from the operating perspective, there didn't seem to be any major innovations!

For a moment, many game designers were deeply puzzled.

Based on these characteristics, they were tempted to outright reject Minecraft. But the developer wasn't some unknown junior designer—it was Chen Xu.

The same Chen Xu who had just created Don't Starve and sparked a wave of interest in sandbox games. Could he possibly not know this?

At NetDragon, in the game studio working on Wasteland, Meng Zuo was also completely baffled.

After Star God's Game of the Year Waterloo last year, he had participated in several projects this year.

Though none as a lead creator. Even his involvement in the Game Department's VR testing project had yielded many insights.

Earlier, inspired by Chen Xu's Don't Starve, he decided to develop a sandbox game.

Thus, the Wasteland project was approved.

But he never expected that at this critical moment, Chen Xu would launch another project—and one that left him utterly confused.

Like most industry designers, he felt that Minecraft seemed to have no appeal at all. Yet the developer was Chen Xu.

Considering Chen Xu's track record over the past two years, and his personal understanding of him, Meng Zuo felt that there must be something off about this game called Minecraft.

At that moment, his assistant knocked and entered.

'Teacher Meng, the promotional plan for Wasteland has been finalized, and the launch date is set.'

Meng Zuo took the document from his assistant and glanced over it. But upon seeing the date, he hesitated slightly.

'About the timing...' Meng Zuo frowned.

Because the promotional and launch dates for Wasteland seemed to clash directly with Minecraft's—only a few days apart.

'Hold off on promotion for now,' Meng Zuo said after a moment of thought.

Upon hearing this, the assistant was taken aback and quickly replied, 'Teacher Meng, if we delay now, the promotional resources allocated to us later won't be as abundant as they are now.'

The reason Wasteland was receiving so many resources this time was mainly because it coincided perfectly with TengHua's schedule.

But if they pulled back now, it wouldn't be a major issue—after all, the Wasteland project wasn't specifically targeting TengHua. Though outsiders were making it sound mystical, Meng Zuo, as a designer under NetDragon, knew it was just a coincidence.

And for the company, ensuring the game's sales was what truly mattered.

But now, Meng Zuo was uncertain—not worried about TengHua's new work, but unsure about Chen Xu's Minecraft.

'Don't rush... We still have time. I'll test the waters. Help me see if you can book a meeting this week.' Meng Zuo told his assistant a store name, then opened his phone and found Chen Xu in his contacts.

He was about to make connections—but no, it should be called a professional exchange among game designers. And perhaps, he could test the waters to learn the truth about this game called Minecraft.

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