Game Director from Hell - Chapter 29: Bug Report

Even if I had ten bodies, it still wouldn’t be enough.

“Seorim, please check computer number 7 for a moment. Hyeji, Yumi, both of you, organize the booth waiting queue. Ayoon, stop soliciting for a moment. Sit inside and take a break.”

The booth was too crowded.

The explosive success was more than they had initially expected, but the manpower issue was still a painful reality.

Should I have spent a little more money to hire more staff, knowing it would be like this?

How did booth management turn out to be more challenging than programming?

I don’t even know how the day is passing.

The only fortunate thing is that time always moves forward somehow.

“…You all worked hard.”

The tiresome G-STAR was already heading towards its end.

The last hour of the last day, and it was starting to become less crowded.

Of course, there were still a few viewers who were trying to squeeze in every last minute, but there were no longer the same long queues as before.

Seats were available now.

“Ugh, it’s so hot in that costume…”

At this point, Jo Ayoon had returned to her original frog costume with a worn-out hat, as there was no need for further soliciting.

Perhaps the experience of these three days had boosted her confidence; now she could catch people’s attention even without the fancy costume.

I, too, had taken off the wig I had been wearing throughout the event.

There were only a couple of spectators left at the booth, maybe one or two more would come before it was over.

“This should be considered a success, right?”

I nodded in response to Han Seorim’s question.

“Much more than we initially anticipated.”

There could be several factors at play, but Jo Ayoon’s presence was undoubtedly the biggest contributor.

It was still surprising to think about it.

Who would have thought that the hastily put-together cosplay would be so effective?

If we look at the general flow of events:

First, people flocked to Blizzard’s booth, but then they turned around.

Second, they noticed Collage monster Jo Ayoon.

Third, they were drawn in by her captivating presence.

Her flashy and intentionally low-quality costume ironically worked in our favour.

It also helped that our booth was conveniently located next to Blizzard’s, making it easier to siphon off some of their crowd.

Additionally, the positive reviews posted on the community on the first night, followed by several other reviews and information about the game, also played a significant role.

A good flow.

But it didn’t end here.

“We need to keep this momentum going.”

The culmination of this marketing effort would be the release of the “demo version.”

Once we were done here, we would return to Seoul and immediately start finalizing the demo version.

We had already identified and fixed any minor bugs during the event.

Still, there was no sign of 3-Meter Alice yet.

Good news just kept coming in.

Amidst all this, an announcement came over the loudspeakers.

“The event closing time is approaching.”

I looked at my team members.

They all seemed exhausted.

We had given it our all, so maybe it was time to relax a bit.

“We have about a day or so of free time, so how about we go sightseeing in Busan? What should we have for dinner?”

“Meat, let’s have meat.”

Han Seorim’s voice was half-dead as she spoke.

She had been occupied with booth management from the second day onwards, dealing with quite a few people.

As for the form it took… should I even bother mentioning it?

• Oh! You’re SoerimSeorim, right? The director of Hellic?
• Yes? Uh, I am…
• You’re really good at the game design! Can we take a picture together?

Promoting on the community using Han Seorim’s account had caused quite a stir.

We tried to handle it belatedly, but it didn’t go well.

• Hello. I’m Director Cheon Yeonho.
• Yes? Then, who is this…?
• The art director.
• …The one who wrote the posts on the community…?
• The art director.
• Hmm…

We managed to move on from it, but I couldn’t forget the icy stares from the viewers.

It became even more disturbing when I thought about the “Hellic Director Controversy” that emerged that evening.

It was fortunate that the issue was mostly buried without much of a fuss.

After all, I was wearing a woman’s wig, which seemed to amplify the controversy.

Thankfully, it was just a small issue that didn’t blow up.

In any case,

Beep!

“The event has come to a close. For those who are still inside the venue…”

G-STAR had successfully concluded.

***

After finishing the cleanup, I left with my team members for Haeundae.

We spent about one night and two days sightseeing, and the team’s response was “very positive.”

It happened to become the studio’s first work trip, but since the employees consisted of four college students and one high school student, there was no need to be cautious.

Jo Ayoon was excited about her first visit to the beach but ended up tripping and falling into the sea, the enthusiastic duo screamed as expected, and Han Seorim seemed to have taken hundreds of photos.

“Again, again, again.”

Being the photographer is tough.

The conclusion drawn while taking pictures of Han Seorim with the sea as the background during this unexpected workshop was that.

So, after the unexpected work trip and returning to Seoul.

After taking a break for about two days, we convened a meeting.

“The demo version is being released tomorrow.”

The release date was already widely spread on the community.

We had completed the final version with bug fixes and scheduled it for upload, so there wasn’t much more to do.

Tension rose among the team members, especially Han Seorim, who was anxious.

“Will it go well? It seems difficult to attract users with just G-STAR…”

It’s a reasonable assumption.

I didn’t overlook that either.

The audience mobilized for this G-STAR was around 240,000, most of whom probably saw our booth next to Blizzard’s, but not many of them actually played the game during the event.

Even if we calculate it numerically:

There could be 16 people using 8 booths per hour, and we operated the booth for 8 hours a day for three days, so the actual number of people who played the game would be around 512.

Even if all those people download the demo version, it’s just 512 downloads.

Of course, reality is different from calculations.

There’s word of mouth, people who got tired waiting in long queues and left without playing, and those who didn’t attend G-STAR but heard about the demo version.

Taking all that into account, the estimated number of domestic downloads, including the community, would be between 10,000 and 30,000.

But…

“Selling the demo version is a long-term strategy. And didn’t you forget? Our main customer base is not in Korea.”

Rewind Studio has a unique position in the industry.

Despite being an indie developer that uses domestic talent, they perform even better in the international market. This time was no different.

“Overseas community reactions have been checked. They are somewhat aware of the demo version, and, most importantly, we have a solid international promotional method, right?”

James Han said that.

He’s a game streamer who has become an unbeatable figure in the industry, and he continues to solidify his position.

Han Seorim quickly realized it too.

“The person who first cleared the Easter egg?”

“Yes, I already asked in advance, so it shouldn’t be too disappointing.”

Expectations are definitely higher for the overseas market.

Unlike Korea, where the online market dominates, there’s a thicker customer base in the packaged market by default.

Even aside from that, the market trend was like that.

“Overseas gamers are starting to pay attention to indie games. The AAA-grade market is stagnating.”

Of course, it’s a temporary trend.

Red Dead Redemption came out the next year in 2010. One of the masterpieces of those who went crazy for open-world games.

And 2011 was even better. Outstanding titles poured out, including Portal 2 and The Elder Scrolls V.

There are many other great titles in the lineup, so the overall market growth will be explosive.

But if you ask, “Are the customers satisfied with that?” the answer is a firm “NO.”

Packaged gamers inherently don’t stick to one game for long.

Because packaged games have a destination called “clear.”

No matter how much you chew on it, you can see the end in a month or two.

So you can’t spend a whole year with just a few masterpieces.

In other words, there’s a need for small-volume games that can be enjoyed in between the release of AAA-grade games.

“The trend is good. The sales of our previous game, Hellic, are picking up faster than expected. We need to distribute Hellic 2’s demo version at this timing.”

There are two aims.

“First, we need to attract previous overseas users. Second, we need to boost the sales of the previous game through the demo version. It’s about mutually complementary growth. It’s possible now because the current trend is in our favour.”

Han Seorim’s anxiety seemed to have eased a bit.

The other team members still looked bewildered.

After all, it’s their first experience with a demo version release, so it’s natural to be confused.

I drew a line.

“Don’t be too nervous. There’s no need to worry too much. Just be aware of how our company’s schedule is flowing. So, let’s end this discussion here.”

Marketing is something the CEO should take care of.

Developers shouldn’t bear that burden.

“Now, from this point on, you should focus on one thing. It’s related to Chapter 2…”

The meeting continued for another hour or so.

***

The day of the demo release arrived.

Immediate sales figures couldn’t be calculated; all we could do was monitor community responses, evaluate feedback, and check for any possible bugs.

And, of course, coordinate future plans.

“So far, everything looks good. The initial clear evaluations are positive.”

That means the visuals, sound, and basic game systems were well-received without causing any resistance to existing players and new players.

It’s a good sign.

“The first impression of the game wasn’t bad.”

“So, the focus now is on marketing.”

The question is how to make the game more well-known.

Marketing is all about strategy.

Understanding the trend is the top priority, and finding the right position within it is the second priority.

As mentioned in the previous meeting, the trend is good.

Especially the overseas market is showing strong interest in Hellic 2, and James Han’s broadcast is generating a significant response in the international community, to the extent that it’s being streamed live.

Particularly, the overseas market will sail smoothly without needing anything extra.

So, what we need to focus on is the domestic market.

“Everything is fine for now, but… considering the future, we need to secure more domestic customers.”

Fundamentally, we are a Korean game company, and our presence in the domestic market is crucial.

Leaving aside various reasons, especially in terms of recruiting talent, it’s essential.

Increasing the development workforce is a gradual task.

I’m responsible for that, but unless we move the company abroad, it’s most ideal to recruit lower-level talent domestically.

That’s the point.

What’s most important for the people in this industry is their “career.”

Regardless of academic background or practical skills, developers, due to the high turnover rate in the industry, people want to work for a company that positively impacts their future career.

In other words, Rewind Studio needs to become an appealing choice for them.

It means gaining a bit more recognition.

So, what should we do to establish a foothold in the domestic market?

If you think about it, the answer comes quickly.

“The timing is perfect.”

2009, the first decade of the 21st century is about to end.

The upcoming 2010 will be a turbulent year.

Among other things, there’s one change that will positively affect Rewind Studio next year.

“Next year, Steam will open its Korean local server.”

Nothing else but the removal of the entry barrier for Steam.

If accessibility to the platform improves, it will naturally affect sales figures.

It’s the perfect timing to expand the domestic customer base.

I took out something from my wallet.

What I took out was the business card I received at this year’s G-STAR.

[Jin Sungilbo Game Department Reporter – Jin Woohyung

Tel. 010-XXXX-XXXX]

-Hello! Are you the director of Hellic?

It was a chance encounter.

No, it was probably an intentional meeting from their side.

The journalist extended his business card, requesting an interview, probably because the success of the previous game had left an impression on the game department’s media.

Times are changing.

The best way to expand our presence in the domestic market is nothing other than publishing articles.

If we leak information about Steam’s Korean local server in the article, it would be great. Talking about our upcoming project, schedule, and behind-the-scenes would be fine too.

“Should I contact him now?”

As I was thinking, I received a new message.

“Sun, Sunbae!”

Han Seorim’s voice sounded excited.

Startled, I turned around, and Han Seorim was pointing at her monitor, speaking rapidly.

“It’s out! It’s out!”

“What’s going on?”

“3 Meters! 3 meter Alice!!!”

I rushed to Han Seorim’s desk.

Finally, I checked the monitor, and my body stiffened.

What Han Seorim was looking at was a post on the community.

It had already received a lot of recommendations and was sure to become a main post.

『(Game) TWithoutTurbidity: ?

(3 Meters Alice looking down at a god – screenshot)

???』

The feared incident had occurred.

“Alice…”

Why did she become so giant again…