Chapter 586: Players Have Psychological Trauma (Requesting Subscriptions, Monthly Passes)

Nearly a week after the launch of Resident Evil Village, scores from major gaming media outlets, both domestic and international, were largely in.

With an aggregate media score of 8.7, it was already considered a very high mark.

However, in terms of its impact on the gaming industry, its score was clearly not the most important factor; rather, it was its sales volume.

Compared to ARPGs like The Witcher: Wild Hunt, which appealed to a wider audience, Resident Evil Village naturally couldn't compete.

But in the realm of horror games, 4.1 million sales directly broke the current first-week sales record for horror titles. And this was on the Huanyu VR Platform, which, despite having the endorsement of Nebula Games and Chen Xu's reputation, was primarily driven by the game's inherent content.

While media and game designers focused on Resident Evil Village's various design directions and concepts, the player community was much simpler: they were simply 'campaigning' against Chen Xu.

One could say that in the hearts of players, Chen Xu embodied many personas.

Back when Outlast and Silent Hill PT were released, many players jokingly remarked that Chen Xu's games were incredibly 'down to earth' (or 'hellish') and gave him a vivid nickname: the Grim Reaper. After all, how could one create such 'hellish' games without twenty years of experience working in the Underworld?

Then there was the so-called 'Firelinker,' with a series of high-difficulty games like Dark Souls and Getting Over It directly unleashing a wave of masochism.

Besides these, there was the most widely known, 'Warrior of Love.'

Games developed by Chen Xu could be atmospheric and grim, such as the SAN-draining monster designs in Bloodborne, or the environmental designs in Outlast and Silent Hill PT.

They could also be high-difficulty games designed to make you suffer, such as Dark Souls and Getting Over It.

There were also some games that seemed cheerful, like Party Animals and Human: Fall Flat.

But more often than not, he was 'giving out knives' (tragic plotlines).

Without a word, it was always a white blade in, red blade out. Who could endure that?

Even his debut work, which many players jokingly called Chen Xu's dark history, and the one that fired the first shot in the adult game revolution, Mirror (Game), a Match-3 game, was not without its 'stabbing' content.

And now, at this very moment, it was just like in the old days.

After several consecutive cheerful games, a horror game once again made countless players feel what it was like to have an upset stomach.

Coupled with the various, obviously deliberate, 'pitfalls' in Resident Evil Village,

The players instantly became very agitated.

Especially in the meme sections of various video platforms, Chen Xu's previously leaked interview and award ceremony footage were all turned into meme videos.

That one line, 'a heartwarming work,' was once again dragged out by players for repeated mocking.

And as Chen Xu's reputation grew, the target of this 'crusade' expanded from a domestic player carnival to an international one.

Some domestic players reposted threads from foreign forums and user-created memes from video websites.

Similarly, foreign players also reposted various resources created by domestic players.

………………

"Mr. Chen, you're still smiling so happily!"

In the Nebula Games lounge, Yang Xin couldn't help but complain to Chen Xu.

One had to understand that this wasn't an emotion accumulated from just one Resident Evil Village release, but a resentment built up over many years.

Not only Chen Xu, but even the official Weibo accounts of their core development team members were targeted by many players.

It was a truly indiscriminate attack.

"Just relax, it's not the first time," Chen Xu said, completely unperturbed.

Just think back to the launch of the Modern Warfare Trilogy; that scene was truly spectacular.

As for now? It was just a trifle.

Hearing this, Yang Xin and Ruan Ningxue, who had just arrived, were both speechless for a moment.

But upon second thought, it seemed there was indeed a point to it!

"However, we really can't let it continue like this. After all, we are essentially a very cheerful game company," Chen Xu said, stretching.

A very cheerful game company?

Fine, whatever you say, Mr. Chen.

Yang Xin and Ruan Ningxue exchanged glances, wanting to speak but holding back.

"So, Mr. Chen, should we develop a cheerful mini-game?" Qin Yi asked curiously.

After all these years, he roughly understood some of Chen Xu's thoughts.

A flick on the head followed by a piece of candy – players were crying because of the game, right?

Hurry up and give them some candy to appease them.

Then, once the players' wounds healed, hit them hard again.

"Don't we have existing content? 'Blood and Wine' and 'Hearts of Stone' – content that was promised to players during the direct showcase," Chen Xu said, pulling out his phone.

Logging into his official Weibo account, Chen Xu glanced at it.

The comment section of the most recent post about Resident Evil Village was filled with fervent 'concern' from players; just by reading, he could feel the emotions players poured into those words.

………………

Players, still in the midst of their various 'campaigns' against Chen Xu, soon discovered his latest official Weibo update.

A very simple message, accompanied by a concept art image of Toussaint previously revealed at the Carnival showcase.

"[Hearts of Stone] and [Blood and Wine] will be launched on December 20th. Geralt of Rivia will make his final curtain call in Toussaint."

Seeing these words, many players felt a jolt in their hearts; they truly had developed a psychological trauma.

After all, Ethan Winters had just made his curtain call, and now The Witcher: Wild Hunt's DLC was also going to see the White Wolf's curtain call?

Another 'knife' after the previous one?

Suddenly, players were no longer calm.

'Holy crap! No way? Seeing those two words, 'curtain call,' my heart just twitched. Geralt isn't going to die, is he?'

'If it were any other game company or designer, I'd say you're overthinking it, but this is Chen Xu! So many characters have already been killed off!'

'Remember the conversation with the old man in Kaer Morhen? A Witcher doesn't die peacefully in bed. It's been foreshadowed all along!'

'Damn it, don't be like that! I don't want Geralt to die!'

The more players discussed, the more pessimistic they became. Various hints, combined with Chen Xu's self-proclaimed 'Warrior of Love' persona, even led many players to believe Geralt was already a dead man, and they began speculating on how he would die.

Some thought he might die protecting his daughter Ciri, similar to Ethan Winters.

Others believed he might die protecting Yennefer.

Still others suggested that the main story of the DLC might follow the ending where Ciri becomes a Witcher, with the Northern Kingdoms and the Southern Empire still at war, and the White Wolf dies after getting entangled in the conflict between the two nations.

Some even analyzed it based on the DLC titles: Hearts of Stone referred to a heart turned to stone, devoid of emotion. And whose emotions were central to Geralt? Ciri and Yennefer. In the previous game, if Ciri died, Geralt's ending was also the 'dead wolf' ending.

So, Hearts of Stone might refer to Ciri's death turning Geralt's heart into cold stone.

Opinions varied wildly, covering everything from grand theories to minute details, enough to compile a book titled '100 Ways the White Wolf Could Die.'

………………

Inside Nebula Games, Chen Xu looked at the players' online speculations and couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "They really have no trust left, do they? Just announcing a DLC, without even a promotional video, and players are already this pessimistic?"

So how did trust disappear? Yang Xin and Ruan Ningxue rolled their eyes. "So, Mr. Chen, should we say something?"

"No need. If we respond now, wouldn't that spoil it for the players? Let them experience the surprise for themselves," Chen Xu said with a smile, shaking his head. He then added, "Besides, the more pessimistic they are now, the greater the surprise will be later. And the more they 'campaign' against me now, the deeper their guilt will be later!"

"So, Mr. Chen, will our next work also be primarily a tragedy?" Qin Yi interjected.

"Yes, but not entirely," Chen Xu said after a moment's thought.

"Mr. Chen, you have an idea for a new project!?" Qin Yi's eyes widened. He had only asked casually, but it seemed Chen Xu indeed had plans for a new project.

"You'll find out when the time comes," Chen Xu said, stretching, without explaining further.

He already had some considerations in mind for the new work.

What was the most regrettable aspect for players in Resident Evil Village?

It was that only Rose was saved in the end, and Ethan was gone forever.

So, in the upcoming new game, Chen Xu was also prepared to bring players a different kind of story, a work that could offer them some solace.

Of course, considering the time factor, the new project would likely have to wait until early next year.

(End of Chapter) <>