Game development begins with destroying Girls' Frontline.

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But putting aside Fantasy Westward Journey, what has Hu Peng seen recently?

Success is the work of the Onmyoji.

What operational answers did these two games provide for NetEase's top management?

Qin Nan didn't know.

However, one thing is certain: none of these experiences suggest reducing the intensity of in-game purchases in order to improve long-term operation and increase player engagement and emotional spending.

Besides.

For Hu Peng and his ilk, games have become nothing more than commodities.

Sentiment? Hobby? Passion?

That's just a slogan for the players to see.

In their view, there is only one metric for games: profitability, revenue, and whether KPIs can be met.

Therefore, when we see the number of people in the Seven Days Capital increase while the turnover decreases.

Hu Peng didn't even consider whether the pay-to-win system was malfunctioning.

His first reaction was that the operators wouldn't pressure customers to spend money.

Otherwise, with so many players, each spending tens or hundreds of dollars, how could the revenue be what it is now?

A few minutes later.

Wang Youting stepped forward after being severely reprimanded as the operations manager of Seven Days City.

This is a middle-aged man wearing glasses and a suit.

He was in his thirties and looked very energetic.

His panda eyes and bloodshot eyes make him look less capable and more haggard.

Wang Youting glanced at Qin Nan as he closed the office door.

Seeing that Qin Nan was about to enter after he left, he saw Qin Nan.

Wang Youting casually tugged at Qin Nan's arm.

"Mr. Hu seems to be in a bad mood. How about we go downstairs for a smoke? We can report back when he's in a better mood?"

~~~

The Seven Days City project is a typical NetEase project.

It is a project developed and operated by NetEase.

In such situations, players often assume that the development team is responsible for both production and operation.

This situation does indeed exist.

However, in most cases, operations and production are separate.

Qin Nan is in charge of production, while Wang Youting is in charge of operations.

Strictly speaking, the two of them together constitute the Seven Days City project team.

The two of them each took charge of their own tasks.

Qin Nan is responsible for the production of game content.

Mark Wang was in charge of operations.

The two communicate with each other, but do not interfere with each other's work areas.

You can offer suggestions, but that's all you can do.

This approach is actually correct.

The producers try to make the game good, while the operators try to sell it.

Everyone performs their duties.

Even Spark Games is now following this path.

Separate the operation teams for each game.

The advantage is that it has more professional operations, unlike some small factories that don't have an operations team and do some outrageous things.

For players, this also means access to higher-quality events and community experiences.

However, there is a downside to doing this.

After operations were separated, there was a need for someone to integrate production and operations.

It's not accurate to say that everyone will go their separate ways after independence.

If this person is unable to integrate the two, or, like Hu Peng, misjudges the direction of the game.

Conversely, a top-down collapse might occur.

There have been instances where content and operations conflict.

For example, the city of seven days.

In fact, it's not just 7 Days City; there are many other projects under NetEase that have "died."

The causes of death were all extremely similar.

A good game was paired with a completely incompatible pay-to-win system.

In addition, the top management only cares about KPIs and forces employees to spend money.

Being like the Seven-Day Capital in the previous life was already considered pretty good.

They managed to survive thanks to the game's highlights.

There are quite a few games in NetEase's work groups that shut down after only one year of operation because they failed to meet KPIs.

~~~

Qin Nan and Mark Wang's relationship is neither good nor bad.

That was when the two of them talked the most.

It happened during an operations communication meeting.

But as for smoking together? That's out of the question, since Qin Nan doesn't smoke at all.

However, this time, Qin Nan still inexplicably didn't go into Hu Peng's office, but instead followed Wang Youting downstairs.

Chapter 266 At worst, I'll just go and join the Starfire!

After leaving the company, Mark Wang went to a convenience store, bought a pack of cigarettes, and took a bottle of water from the store's refrigerated display case for Qin Nan.

Did you hear what President Hu said in his office?

Qin Nan nodded.

There's nothing to hide.

"I heard it, but not all of it."

Wang Youting nodded, then found a flower bed under the shade of a tree and sat down.

Then, he lit a cigarette in his hand.

"Mr. Hu plans to have me increase the number of paid features in the game, bring forward the events that will be available next month, and also create additional paid events. This will require your cooperation in production."

Wang Youting's words were icy.

At least Qin Nan felt it was very cold.

The hand that was twisting the bottle cap stopped immediately upon hearing those words.

Qin Nan's tone was urgent.

"However, the current revenue problem is not due to insufficient spending, but rather because there are too many pay-to-win items, leading to a decrease in players' willingness to pay."

"If we follow this plan, wouldn't that just add fuel to the fire? Our focus right now isn't on revenue, but on restoring our reputation!"

Wang Youting glanced at Qin Nan, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and placed it between the two of them.

"I understand this principle. It's like this cigarette. If you take a few big puffs, the flame will be very bright, but it will also burn out quickly. It's a very simple principle."

"However, this brilliant moment is exactly what Mr. Hu wanted..."

Having worked in operations at NetEase for several years, Mark Wang is very familiar with NetEase's operational style.

Simply put, NetEase's operation of games is very crude.

Just one sentence.

As long as players don't die from spending money, we'll push them to their deaths.

However, Wang Youting and Qin Nan share the same view on this project.

This project is really not suited to the current pay-to-win gameplay.

Having worked in the industry for so many years, he has his own understanding of games.

When he was working on the operation plan, he felt very awkward. Many monetization points were forcibly added. Later, Hu Peng said, "We need to refer to Fantasy Westward Journey and Onmyoji!"

Under the instructions.

On top of forcibly adding pay-to-win content, they added even more pay-to-win items.

The measures were increased layer by layer.

This ultimately led to the outrageous setting of a single character costing nearly 5000 RMB.

But even Wang Youting, who is in charge of operations, couldn't convince himself of these things. But that's how work is.

The boss said to change it.

Then let's change it.

By the time he finished making the changes, he had become numb to it all.

However, regardless of the circumstances, Mark Wang still put a lot of effort into the project "Seven Days in the City".

At work, he also tries his best to ensure that the game's monetization features don't negatively impact the storyline and player experience, because if the game is run well, his income as the operations manager will also increase.

But now, it has only been online for a week.

The fluctuating flow of water had already tormented him to the point of being unrecognizable.

This point is vividly expressed through Wang Youting's pessimistic tone.

but.

Qin Nan clearly hasn't given up yet.

Upon hearing Wang Youting's words, he immediately put down the water in his hand.

"We cannot lose out on what follows for the sake of this moment of light."

"We still have a chance, we can't give up like this!"

"We've been developing this game for two years! Two years! From the initial brilliant idea to gradually turning that idea into reality."

"From the character's first words to the entire world now."

"The surge in revenue on the third day proves that players really like this game!"

"But now, because of poor revenue, we're going to launch a pay-to-win event. Even if revenue increases after this event, will we still be able to continue?"

"Players have only completed two playthroughs so far; the story hasn't even begun..."

Qin Nan's tone grew increasingly harsh.

Wang Youting stubbed out his cigarette and patted him on the shoulder.

"That won't work on me. You need to talk to General Manager Hu, but the problem is, I don't think General Manager Hu might listen to your advice..."

"I'm going to find Hu... sigh..."

Qin Nan had just stood up.

After a gentle breeze, he silently sat back down.

Despite his passionate speech, he knew perfectly well that Mark Wang was absolutely right.