Chapter 399: Hmm… This game cartridge, is it sweet? (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Passes)

Chapter 399: Hmm… This game cartridge, is it sweet? (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Passes)

The sales and popularity of the Switch caught the eye of many game designers in the gaming industry.

Although compared to Nebula Games' previous titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Red Dead Redemption, the Switch's first-day sell-out of 500,000 units was not particularly impressive.

But it's important to remember, this was a handheld console, not a game.

In the gaming field, Nebula Games had been deeply involved for several years, building its reputation with one high-quality game after another.

The Switch, however, was just a handheld console, and to achieve such sales figures was already quite exaggerated.

Such a performance in the handheld console market was already explosive.

However, the one thing that many game designers and developers were focused on was whether Nebula Games could truly establish the handheld console as a viable platform.

No one was foolish about this aspect.

The Switch's price of 1299 Yuan could be said to be purely at cost, perhaps even operating at a loss when considering promotional expenses.

Furthermore, two exclusive new titles were developed specifically for the handheld, and significant effort was put into porting various classic games.

Clearly, this wasn't charity; it was highly probable that Nebula Games aimed to build the handheld console into a medium similar to a game platform, then profit through commission.

But the question was, could the Switch handheld truly succeed with these so-called exclusive games?

And what about the grand promises Chen Xu made on the official Weibo account?

An open-world game on a handheld? The thought alone seemed unreliable.

………………

However, compared to the industry designers and developers who were focused on Nebula Games' development.

Ordinary players' attention was clearly not on this aspect at all.

Why did Nebula Games develop the Switch?

Who cared about all that? They weren't Nebula Games' competitors or shareholders.

As long as the console and games were fun, that was enough.

Players who managed to snatch a Switch on launch day quickly began unboxing their new consoles online.

There were also corresponding console live streams.

Many players who missed out also learned about this special console through these channels.

However, besides the console and the two games, Super Mario Odyssey and Animal Forest, another topic directly climbed to the top of the trending search list.

And the protagonist of this topic was the game cartridge.

Game cartridges, for most new-generation players, were quite unfamiliar.

Because they were more familiar with digital games, which were downloaded directly after being purchased online.

For some older, more seasoned players, cartridges and optical discs were not unfamiliar.

The Switch having physical cartridges also gave many older players a sense of nostalgia.

Moreover, Chen Xu had specifically mentioned at the official Weibo and Nebula Games press conference that the cartridges were coated with something called denatonium benzoate, stating it was added to prevent pets and children from accidentally ingesting it.

This sparked intense curiosity among many players. Through online research, many also learned that this substance was a bittering agent, and the bitterest substance in the world.

But just how bitter was it? This piqued everyone's curiosity.

“I’m in a small city, and there are no offline game stores here. My Switch and game cartridges won’t arrive for several more days. Is it true that the cartridges are very bitter?”

“Fake news, don't listen to Mr. Chen Xu bragging. It’s sweet and sour, tastes just like plum juice.”

“Damn it, liar! I just made my girlfriend lick the cartridge, and now I’m single!”

“Hahahaha, well then, you two bros upstairs, go have some 'fencing.' By the way, I licked it too, and the taste is indescribable!”

“+1, that taste is truly strange with a bit of excitement, but after the excitement, it leaves a lingering aftertaste.”

“! You guys can drive on this broken road?”

“By the way, I heard we can buy used cartridges later, right? Everyone who gets a cartridge will lick it, so if I buy a cartridge licked by a young lady, wouldn't that be indirectly… you know?”

“Holy crap, you're disgusting! But have you ever considered that the one who licked it might not be a young lady, but some crude, foot-picking guy!”

“Ugh! The imagery is too strong!”

Players who had already received their cartridges were discussing it animatedly online.

This also attracted many players who hadn't gotten their hands on a Switch yet. Licking the cartridge seemed to have become a must-do for every Switch player.

………………

In an Imperial Capital residential complex, Zhang Yi and Wang Han sat on the floor. It was June, and the Imperial Capital was starting to get hot.

A not-too-large rectangular cardboard box, red and blue in color, with a Switch logo on the front.

“A pair of Joy-Con controllers, a converter, a charger, two game cartridges, and a manual,” Zhang Yi took everything out of the box, checking to make sure nothing was missing.

He hadn't bought the single version, but the combo version.

Compared to the standard version, it came with two extra games.

Of course, buying them individually would cost the same, but this way was more convenient.

Animal Forest and Super Mario Odyssey both retailed for 289 Yuan.

The pricing was significantly cheaper than in his previous life, mainly because the cost of the cartridges wasn't as high.

Also, compared to overseas, Chen Xu had always kept the pricing for the domestic market relatively low.

Although he knew that playing digital versions would definitely be more convenient, without the need to insert and remove cartridges.

But cartridges still had their advantages.

Namely, they could be cherished and collected.

Zhang Yi had bought collector's editions of many classic Nebula Games titles.

For example, Warcraft, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and Red Dead Redemption.

“I heard this cartridge is really bitter! Want to try it?” Wang Han's eyes darted towards Zhang Yi, who was sitting next to her, looking at the cartridges.

“No, I won't. Knowing it's bitter and still licking it? That's just being an idiot, isn't it?” Zhang Yi flatly refused.

“Aren't you curious how bitter it really is? Some online say it's not bitter, some say it's unbearably bitter, and there are all sorts of exaggerated expressions in unboxing videos.” Wang Han was genuinely curious.

She had watched many unboxing videos, and many video creators would lick them.

But those exaggerated, expressive faces always felt fake.

This, instead, made her doubt.

“Then you try it. I’m not curious,” Zhang Yi stated, firmly refusing to fall for the trick.

“Okay! I’ll wash the dishes today!” Wang Han thought for a moment and said.

“You wash them for the whole week,” Zhang Yi counter-offered.

“Deal!” In the end, curiosity won over dishwashing, and Wang Han nodded decisively.

“Let me see, is it as mystical as the internet says?” Zhang Yi tore open the film on the cartridge box, then opened it to take out the cartridge, and stuck out his tongue to lick it.

Under Wang Han's gaze, Zhang Yi's brow furrowed slightly.

“How is it? Very bitter?” Wang Han asked curiously.

“I think I got it wrong, wait a moment.” Shaking his head, Zhang Yi said, then placed the entire cartridge on his tongue and licked it again.

“Hmm… the cartridge is sweet?” Zhang Yi showed a very surprised expression.

“Sweet?” Hearing Zhang Yi’s words, Wang Han was taken aback.

She instinctively took the cartridge from Zhang Yi's hand and licked it.

The next second, her expression twisted.

How should she describe it!?

There wasn't a strong sensation when it first entered her mouth, but after a second or two, that strange bitter and slightly sour taste emerged.

And the key was, the aftertaste was incredibly strong!

She spat a few times, but the taste still lingered on her tongue.

“Stop talking! I’ll wash the dishes!” Zhang Yi watched Wang Han quickly rinse her mouth with a glass of water, then unhurriedly took out chewing gum and put it in his mouth.

It was just washing dishes; he had been doing it for years.

To recreate the experience, I licked the cartridge and felt a sour and bitter sensation… but after licking it, I suddenly remembered that I had lent this cartridge to a friend to play with, and I don't know if it's been licked before…

(End of Chapter) <>