“Because I knew what it was going to require me to do. I knew what my obligations were the moment I saw the plans for this monster. I didn’t have a choice then. Now I do.”
The No-Name guild members listened carefully. It was kind of a unique moment. They were all watching a dead man: The guy who helped create Kings and Conquests, speaking through an assassin of indeterminate level inside the game he built. And he had an audience of only six people.
“I’m not sure I follow you,” Jordan said in a hesitant tone.
“When I started in this business, I just wanted to make games. I thought that’s what gamers wanted too. But over the years I learned it wasn’t really about the games for them, and it wasn’t about games for my company either. We spent $800 million developing Kings and Conquests. We poured enough manpower into this project to build two aircraft carriers. Only the Apollo Program compares. We generated seven thousand terabytes of source material. Yet we knew from day one there was no way we could just announce this game and have people play it and have fun.”
“Why not? I would have!”
“Well, you’re not the average customer for our products. If all I had to do to make shareholders, boards of directors, regulators, parents, the media and the government happy is make cool games, my job would be a lot easier. But I have to show subscriber growth. I have to be able to say we made billions on TV. I have to go pedal-to-the-floor from beginning to end and beyond because $800 million isn’t good enough. Every fucking statement I make has to one-up the previous one. The graphics aren’t good enough. The story isn’t good enough. First this guy’s character isn’t balanced, and then it’s that guy’s. There is literally no amount of money, talent, time or level of excellence we can ever reach that will make anyone happy.”
Jordan listened intently. It all sounded so sad.
“We make games, Jordan. Our industry is the only one that achieves nothing but failure. Our customers are never happy. So when I was handed the half-billion dollar marketing plan for this project, I knew I had to make a choice. Either I was going to figure out a way to get the world’s attention without spending nine figures or I was going to bankrupt us and be ruined. So I came up with my own plan.”
“You set the whole thing up,” Jordan said quietly.
“It was my job. I have a ‘fiduciary responsibility.’ I have to get enough attention so people won’t have any choice but to pay attention to my product. I have to hit them in the mouth with a shovel over and over and over to knock some sense into their entertainment-drunk heads. I had to make them hate Kings and Conquests and hate me even more. You see, Jordan, on the Internet, nobody pays attention unless they hate you.”
Jordan couldn’t believe the pain in Garrett’s voice.
“I had to get shot by the police on television to make Kings and Conquests a success. And I think that says a hell of a lot more about my customers and this shitty business than it says about me.”
None of the NNG members could think of anything to say. Jordan wanted to apologize, but he couldn’t think of a way to word it that didn’t sound like fake concern.
“But there’s always a tradeoff. Our stock price hit $74 a share this morning. Between licensing, subscriptions, sales, official merchandise and adaptations, we’re set to earn $16 billion by the end of the fiscal year. That buys a lot of hate, and we turned it into the most valuable and successful video game of all time. I guess I earned my pay.”
“And now you’re just going to quit?”
“This isn’t fun, Jordan. I think that should be pretty obvious by now. By the way, you might want to do a little planning and thinking about these shares. Getting them to Rook and redeeming them isn’t going to be like picking up a pound of chicken at the grocery store. I hear someone is targeting players your level. I’d recommend learning how to use the augmented reality app. You’re going to need it.”
“What the hell?” Dave muttered.
“Rook is a fucking war zone right now!” Marc added.
“Hey, I’ve been tinkering with a little tank combat game. Runs in a Linux terminal. I’ll send you a link.” Finale turned to leave.
“Wait!” Jordan exclaimed. “What– I mean are we going to see you again? Are you quitting?”
“I’ve been replaced as CEO. I don’t want my job back. When you get to Fairly Unusual’s offices you’ll find the license agreements. Brace will explain it all to you. I run a couple of small offshore LLCs that own all the intellectual property this game is based on, including the engine. You’ll pay me fifteen percent of your gross revenues forever, or I’ll pull your licenses and shut you down.”
All six NNG members gaped. Jordan held Alyssa tighter.
“Sonofabitch!” Robb exclaimed.
“Good luck, Jordan. Your enemies know who and where you are and the clock’s ticking.”
With that, Finale strode into the darkness and was gone.
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Overpowered
Shane Lochlann Black
10.2 Copyright © 2017
Palace in the Sky Productions LLC.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher:
Palace in the Sky Productions LLC
Cover design and illustrations by
Heavy Cat Studios
Overpowered: A LitRPG Thriller (Kings and Conquests Book 1) Page 17
