Game Director from Hell

Chapter 87: Results

The success surpasses the word “expansive.”

About 1.1 trillion won from the initial sales alone. Even after deducting taxes, development costs, and various expenses, at least 200 to 300 billion won will remain.

That’s just the result for the first week.

It may seem too little, but that’s a misconception.

This is not the total sales volume; it’s the initial sales volume.

“It’s only been a week. Considering the remaining period, it will probably end at around 5 million copies.”

After that, there will be a continuous influx of small-scale income.

In the end, a net profit of around 1 trillion won.

Ironically, at that moment, the first thought that came to my mind was:

“With this money, I can develop two more AAA-grade games.”

Reinvestment.

In other words, the thought that development funds had been secured came to mind first.

It’s ridiculous to complain even though it’s a substantial amount.

However, how can one not feel pure joy?

I simply indulged in delightful fantasies.

“Let’s expand the personnel of Team 2. We’ve just finished the planning phase and are entering full-scale development.”

The planning phase for Team 2 was unusually long.

It was because two individuals with polar opposite philosophies about the game had to reconcile their opinions.

It wasn’t a significant penalty.

So far, the personnel for Team 2 has been maintained at around ten people.

Now, however, is the crucial moment.

At this point, as the planning is concluding, we need to expand the actual development team for Team 2.

Let’s think back to my previous life; Demon’s Relic was a game created by about 40 people over five years with a budget of around 70 billion won.

Thinking about budget and scale.

“Reduce the time, increase the personnel.”

Roughly around 60 to 70 people should do.

Keep the total development cost around 600 billion.

As I contemplated, my head heated up.

Next, I need to think about my game…

“Sunbae! Sunbae!”

Han Seorim grabbed my collar and shook me.

“Ugh! Our 1 trillion, right!”

“Seorim, this… could you…”

“Kyaaah!”

Han Seorim screamed and hugged me tightly.

Jo Ayoon quietly approached and joined in.

“Hehe…”

My mind was all over the place.

At that moment.

“Me too!”

“Hey!”

“Oops!”

The lively duo dragged Myungkyu hyung over and piled on top of us.

With that, Yang Gilsang also hesitated for a moment, then approached and joined the group hug.

“Congratulations, everyone. You all did well.”

Well, it’s a touching moment, so it’s understandable.

I also decided to erase passing thoughts and enjoy this moment.

But there’s one thing.

“Hey, guys…”

I couldn’t breathe.

A little too much.

***

Another week has passed.

The evaluation of Hellic 3 has converged to a single score, collecting both praise and criticism.

User score: 82 points.

Still, it can be considered a work of art.

About this, Han Seorim exclaimed, “How is this not a 90?!”

After rejoining the community that she had left behind, Han Seorim occasionally comes to me to vent her frustration, unable to fully accept the criticisms of Hellic 3.

Even though I explain that not every game can be perfect for everyone and point out the flaws of Hellic 3, it seems challenging for her to understand.

Perhaps it’s because of disappointment.

The user score, while not an objective measure, is one that directly correlates with sales.

82 points is a reasonable result for a first AAA game.

No, it goes beyond being reasonable; it belongs to the category of capturing the public sentiment very well.

As mentioned earlier, Hellic 2’s user score still stands at 91 points, creating a noticeable gap.

“Relax. 82 is a high score, especially considering it’s a user rating.”

It’s understandable.

Even being a reviewer doesn’t make one immune to the regret that surges when the results are evaluated after creating something.

It’s a pondering related to the question, “Could I have done better?”

When creating the initial Hellic 3, there were considerations about whether to have one protagonist or four playable characters, whether to strengthen or weaken the connection with the previous instalment, and how to configure the game’s pacing and systems.

And this is the result.

The moments that have passed cannot be held onto.

Even for a regressor like me, it’s the same.

So, should we not accept it?

Fortunately, we had that opportunity.

“The evaluation score didn’t surpass Hellic 2, but the sales were sufficient. And considering this game is our first AAA title, it’s a more meaningful metric.”

Let’s think about the future.

This is within the expected range.

When you think about it, the development team itself had its first experience with AAA development.

It’s not because they hired young employees.

Even if they had hired experienced employees, it would have been inevitable.

“Korea lacks personnel who have experience developing AAA console games.”

They commonly call it development prowess.

The practical skills of the personnel needed for development, as well as their intuitive understanding of the final product, are the kinds of attributes that cannot be obtained even if you pour in money.

It’s because those attributes accumulate solely from the “experience” of the development team.

It’s one of the significant reasons why Korea is labelled as a barren land for AAA console game development.

From the perspective of large corporations, there’s no reason to embark on such an adventure, and small indie companies lack the foundation to do so.

Rewind has achieved that.

In this narrow peninsula, they became the only company with “experience completing a AAA console game.”

“Let’s do better next time.”

With these words, I reassured Han Seorim by patting her shoulder.

And then, I suddenly realized something.

I saw my fingertips trembling.

“Ah.”

I am more disappointed than I thought.

***

The year was coming to an end.

It meant more than just the end and beginning of a certain time.

Year-end, also known as the season of reckoning.

The gaming industry was no exception.

『(Chat)zZoneHanSu: Looks like award season is coming.

Who do you think will win the awards?

I think it might be Road to Harshin for me, at least for now.』

In communities around the world, the hottest topic was who would be the Game of the Year (GOTY) for the current year.

It was natural.

For gamers, GOTY didn’t just mean the most enjoyable game of the year; it went beyond the concept of simple rankings. It was a testament to a masterpiece that could be acknowledged even years later.

That was the perspective.

Gamers already had some expectations about the results.

『BangbaedongPee’sLord: I think it might be Road to Harshin for me too. It might sweep like Last of Us did last year.

┕Helic3Enjoyment: Just give Hellic a spot… I beg you…

┕ClearWithoutT: The competition seems tough.

┕zZoneHanSu: Clear, you haven’t been streaming again, have you…?

SweetBellMan42: Valhalla didn’t disappoint, right? ^^

S2PoppyS2: Soul 2 was also good! I hope it gets a spot too.』

This year belonged to Valhalla.

Road to Harshin, released early in the year, received praise both in terms of its narrative and gameplay, and hence Rewind fell short compared to Valhalla, as was often the case with Russo’s games.

That’s why Hellic 3’s first place had mostly sceptical reactions.

To summarize, it was something like, ‘It was fun, but not as incredible as Valhalla.’ It was an inevitable comparison, given the different levels of Valhalla and Rewind.

There was a related story.

『(Chat)FlowerJaeHeeApricotLips: Still, I think Hellic 3 is impressive.

For a first-time AAA developer to be considered a competitor to Valhalla is a big deal, even if they lose, they fought well.<Comment>

Helic3Enjoyment: Right, their growth is remarkably fast. Still, it would be nice if they won at least one award…

GooksinaNayo: If they release any game, I’ll buy it and play it. The money spent on the game wasn’t wasted at all. They’ve definitely gained trust as development studio.』

As Yeonho judged, Rewind succeeded in laying the foundation for the future.

• The money spent on the game wasn’t wasted.

At least, that was the praise applied to the gaming company.

In conclusion, according to the gamers’ judgment, this year’s GOTY was Road to Harshin.

It was the most mainstream opinion, and the discussion shifted to ‘How many awards will Harshin win?’.

The dice had already been rolled.

***

December came faster than I thought.

Perhaps it’s because of the holiday season.

After the release of Hellic 3 and fixing all the minor bugs discovered thereafter, I had quite a bit of leisure time.

Moreover, with the development team taking turns for their vacations, the company was relatively quiet, contributing to the sense of calm.

I spent time somewhat absentmindedly, and that led me to this point.

Award ceremonies.

The season to reflect on the year and the games released so far has arrived.

“Valhalla is truly overwhelming.”

Three award ceremonies have already passed.

So far, Russo’s Road to Harshin has won two awards, and From Software’s Dark Soul 2 has won one.

Reflecting on the past, it was a different life.

In 2014, Game of the Year went to Valhalla’s Road to Harshin four times, with Dark Soul 2 taking the remaining one.

The overwhelming difference between Russo and me was evident.

If I humbly accept, there’s a possibility I may not win a single award this time.

If I said that this that fact doesn’t disappoint me, it would be a lie.

Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean I’ll give up.

I kept telling myself, “This is just the beginning.”

It’s important for a director to have an objective perspective on their own game.

There’s no need to blame oneself out of competitiveness.

Hellic 3 was a well-made game, as evidenced by its sales and reviews.

Set realistic goals.

Just aiming for one of the five major game awards would be a victory, and more than that is a bonus.

As such, the fourth award ceremony was crucial for me.

The BAFTA, the British award ceremony, was the one.

Since The Game Awards, which is essentially the last in line, had already confirmed Road to Harshin as the winner, the real competition had to be here.

During the award ceremony.

The core members of Rewind, the seven, were present.

Russo was next to me.

“Hellic 3, you made it enjoyable.”

Russo said with a faint smile.

I replied, “I had fun too. Road to Harshin.”

“Of course, it was fun. It’s my game.”

The arrogant tone remained unchanged.

However, it’s a skill that cannot be dismissed as mere arrogance because it’s backed by real talent.

That’s why abilities are important.

I was caught up in such trivial thoughts.

“Next is the Game of the Year award!”

The amplified voice echoed through the speakers.

“It’s starting.”

“Yes, which game do you expect?”

“Well, either me or you. Dark Souls 2 is also there, but my intuition says otherwise.”

“Then I’ll bet on myself. You’ve already won two.”

Russo chuckled without saying anything.

I didn’t bother thinking about the meaning.

I just expressed my current feelings.

Despite sitting in a chair with a soft backrest, it felt like a thorny cushion.

“The Game of the Year is…”

The host’s voice resonated like a proclamation.

I closed my eyes.

I gripped my hands together, and Seorim next to me mumbled something.

It was that moment.

Tap—

A hand rested on my shoulder.

From the direction where Russo was.

I jerked my body, looking at Russo.

He raised the corner of his mouth and said, “Congratulations.”

I understood the meaning as the host’s voice that followed confirmed it.

“…Studio Rewind’s Hellic 3! Congratulations!”

Words fell like thunder.

My vision blurred.

The surrounding noise seemed to gradually fade away, yet the sensation remained.

Even though this was the second award ceremony, it was the same.

The moment you fervently wish for something to happen, the numbness precedes the exhilaration, and the exhilaration follows belatedly.

“Well, go up.”

Russo chuckled and pointed to the stage.

After a moment of hesitation, I cleared my throat and heard, “Sunbae! Why aren’t you standing up?!”

Seorim’s commotion allowed me to finally rise.

***

Russo thought to himself.

“Well, it looks like the 4 sweep plan is in trouble.”

He offered congratulations before the announcement, relying on intuition.

Having been in this position for decades, he had developed a keen sense in that direction over time.

Is he upset?

If you were to ask, the answer was clear.

“He’s growing well.”

What Russo had said to Yeonho was not an empty phrase.

Russo truly enjoyed Hellic 3.

Because of that, he could clearly point out its shortcomings.

“He was too immersed in the series.”

In other words, if you weren’t a series fan, there were aspects that might seem confusing.

It was like chaining oneself to popularity as a package.

A mistake of a beginner trying to find reasons.

Russo could understand.

Yeonho’s actions just before the award announcement indicated that he himself had realized these shortcomings.

That’s why Russo felt a sense of anticipation.

The first AAA-grade of Rewind, Hellic 3, showed success as a benchmark.

They gained the nutrients of the developer’s experience and gained a reputation as a successful AAA-grade developer by winning one of the five major game awards.

So,

“Now, what are you going to present?”

As a director with such high ambitions.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped me get to this point.”

Yeonho’s impression followed.

Russo watched with satisfaction as something sprouted and grew.

The sensation of something rising from under his feet.

A sense of crisis or competition.

Wanting to make them on my side, but knowing that it is absolutely impossible, a more willing opponent will come.

It was a time when the smile gradually spread.

“Next, I will ask a few questions.”

The host stepped forward.

He engaged in a fluent conversation with the Rewind developers, and in the meantime, he asked a question.

“There was a lot of praise for the BGM during the evaluation of Hellic 3. Especially, the BGM of Chapter 2 received a great response from numerous users! I have some questions related to that! How were the personalized sounds inserted into the BGM completed?”

“Oh! I was really curious about that!”

Joseph laughed and chimed in as the host spoke.

Russo looked at the stage.

For some reason, the girl who seemed a bit nervous, the sound director of Hellic, was blinking as she listened to the interpreter’s words.

Then she made an “Ah” sound.

She took the microphone.

After a moment of contemplation, she made a “Um” sound and then turned her gaze.

Exactly, in the direction of Yeonho.

And she smiled.

“…”

“…”

Silence echoed in the room.

Yeonho’s gaze flickered.

Joseph’s voice trembled too.

“Uh…?”

A gaze and a smile that needed no verbal communication.

However, it was an overwhelming cruelty that explained all the behind-the-scenes.

An undeniable ‘worst gaze handling in industry history’ without the need for any verbal communication.