Agreeing to Create Bad Games, What the Hell Is ‘Titanfall’? Chapter 308: Acquiring My Old Employer

"CloudPower Announces Sale of Renowned Ga Studio 'Ubsoft'"

"The failure of Apex Pri was indeed devastating enough—CloudPower announced yesterday that Ubsoft is up for sale"

"Total value $89.2 million—CloudPower's Ubsoft now available for purchase, including IP rights"

(......)

Not much news.

Even after Gu Sheng exhausted all efforts searching through dostic and international gaming forums and dia outlets, this was all he could find.

What?

You ask what other news there is?

Take a look yourself—

"Exploding Worldwide! Overwatch's First-Day Sales Figures Revealed!"

"480,000 Units in Single Day! Overwatch Might Beco Highest First-Day Selling Shooter in History!"

"$19,872! Overwatch Pre-Order Account Price Sets Highest Transaction Record on Youbei Network!"

"9.8/10! SNG Chief Editor Simon Highly Praises Overwatch's Groundbreaking Innovation! Used Personal Account to Say He Originally Wanted to Give 10/10!"

"First-Day Global Concurrent Players Break One Million! Data Summary Shows Yesterday After Overwatch Launch, Peak Concurrent Players Exceeded One Hundred Thousand!"

"Cross-Platform Play Unprecedented! As First Ga Jointly Released by Yiyou and XunTeng, Overwatch Achieves Historic Cross-Platform Matchmaking Between Two Major Platforms!"

"Let See Who's Getting Lewd! Data Shows 'Overwatch' Search Terms Rank Top Three on US Largest ** Website Pornhub!"

(....)

All sorts of news!

So talk about sales, so about ratings, so about player numbers.

There are even those specifically focusing on pre-order accounts and Pornhub....

It's just....

Quite bizarre.

However, in Gu Sheng's view, these news pieces no longer hold much value.

One could even say that from the mont he confird CloudPower had indeed stolen his pre-prepared "Apex Pri," wanting to use this specially prepared shitty proposal to compete against him—

The current explosive situation was already predictable.

Actually, speaking of this, he really should thank CloudPower.

You know, while theoretically major ga companies don't release many gas during the first half of the year—

With so many ga companies globally, there will always be so releases.

Plus FPS is a major genre in motion-sensing pod gas, so even if Overwatch chose the most niche release window, it would inevitably clash with so other gas.

Not that they were afraid of losing such clashes.

The key issue was that Overwatch's sales would inevitably be diverted by other companies to so extent.

CloudPower stepped up!

Before them, they ca out swinging with determination to dominate the first-half motion-sensing pod FPS market!

Their marketing campaign was extravagant—drums beating, firecrackers roaring.

Seeing this montum, other dium and large companies gave up on releasing their flagship shooter titles in the first half.

aning.

CloudPower's massive marketing campaign actually helped build montum for Overwatch and cleared out so competition.

And now!

CloudPower seems unsatisfied.

Feeling that just giving Golden Wind a massive market gift wasn't enough.

While desperately needing to recoup losses, they actually voluntarily gave up Ubsoft's ownership, officially putting it up for sale on the market!

And!

Including IP rights, this company that was Gu Sheng's old employer in his previous life is only worth $89.2 million total.

Not even a full billion.

Oh sure, saying "not even a full billion" sounds quite arrogant.

But honestly, this amount is still a significant expense for today's Golden Wind.

"......That's why I ca to you, to see what Chairman's opinion might be."

Soon enough, Gu Sheng appeared in Shen Miaomiao's office, wearing a harmless smile that bordered on sycophantic.

To be honest.

He really wanted Ubsoft.

And he could completely shalessly say he was craving their assets.

Just kidding!

Rayman! The Crew! HAWX!

These were all famous IPs under Ubisoft in his previous life!

Who knows what golden apples, sledgehamr eighty, strategic holand division stuff might still be hidden in this forr company, now studio!

$89.2 million!

This isn't just a low price.

This is the ultimate clearance sale!

Hearing this.

Shen Miaomiao looked at Gu Sheng with great interest:

"Oh? Why the formal 'you' today?"

"Weren't you just yesterday 'Shen Miaomiao massage my shoulders' 'Shen Miaomiao massage my legs'?"

"Heh—hehehe—"

Gu Sheng waved his hand with a laugh, consciously standing up and gesturing toward the sofa he'd been sitting on:

"That was showing our close relationship, right! Co, please sit here so we can discuss properly!"

"Oh dear—"

Shen Miaomiao stood up, rubbing her neck as she sat beside Gu Sheng:

"This neck of mine...."

Before she could finish!

Gu Sheng's warm hands were already massaging Shen Miaomiao's slender, smooth neck with even pressure:

"Cervical spine issues need serious attention, Chairman handles countless matters daily with endless tasks, must take care of your body... body!"

"Gu Sheng if you keep being sarcastic I'll go shopping right now!"

Shen Miaomiao turned her head to glare at Gu Sheng.

"Ah no no...."

Gu Sheng quickly put on an apologetic smile:

"Yes, I know, this Ubsoft's current situation isn't particularly good...........not very good....quite bad.....well......pretty garbage......"

Every ti Gu Sheng tried to sugarcoat it, he found he genuinely couldn't.

After all.

Ubisoft's reputation in this world was really—

Too! Terrible!

Just think!

These unlucky folks, under Vivendi's control, had been wildly overexploiting their old successes.

The only reason they hadn't completely shut down was because they were still under CloudPower's umbrella!

It's not even exaggeration to say!

If you took Yamamoto's TYG that just produced a top-tier heart-attack-inducing masterpiece and compared it to Connor's Ubsoft in terms of terribleness—

After all, TYG only produced one piece of shit.

They'd been making happy chef feasts for Old Ba for four full years!

There's even a saying widely circulated in gaming circles now:

"If you compare Kora to a private toilet, then CloudPower is a chain public restroom, and Ubsoft is the pit toilet in that chain restroom."

This taphor has to be said... is quite dirty.

But very sincere.

Shen Miaomiao was greatly shocked.

My heavenly goose...

I originally thought Kora's Yamamoto Studio and Koizumi Studio were already the most invincibly terrible teams in the world.

This world actually has such a...

Top-tier team waiting for to discover!!!

Wow!!!

Shen Miaomiao's eyes imdiately lit up, turning to look at Gu Sheng with burning intensity!

"Tell more details?"

"...Oh..."

Gu Sheng was startled by Little Nezha's expression, montarily stunned.

Then, he explained everything he knew about Ubsoft's situation to Little Nezha exactly as it was.

Yes, all of it.

Mostly negative news about Ubsoft (after all, they hadn't had any positive news since joining CloudPower).

Actually, Gu Sheng genuinely wanted to acquire his old employer.

He could easily flatter and say Ubsoft had unlimited potential, that if they seized this low-price opportunity to acquire Ubsoft, the future returns would be countless, money would flow endlessly, with minimal investnt yielding maximum returns.

But then he thought again.

Personal feelings are personal, work is work.

Although Little Nezha had now fully stepped down as president to serve as chairman, theoretically having final say over all company matters—

It's not even exaggeration to say.

That whatever they discussed at the dinner table after work each day represented the highest board opinion of Golden Wind.

And Little Nezha had always listened to him completely, treating him as the absolute pillar while she was just a mascot.

But precisely because of this.

Gu Sheng couldn't overstep his boundaries.

The company ultimately was majority owned by Little Nezha.

An acquisition plan involving nearly ninety million must be decided by Little Nezha.

And he had the obligation to fully explain the risks of this acquisition to her.

"...The situation is basically this,"

After explaining Ubisoft's situation in this parallel world, even Gu Sheng began to doubt himself, wondering if he should really acquire such a universally disliked studio, questioning if they were worth acquiring:

"It's predictable that with this studio on the market, basically no one in the industry will buy it, since its prospects can't just be called bleak—more like when you close your eyes."

"Ah?" Hearing this, Shen Miaomiao closed her eyes: "And then?"

"See it?" Gu Sheng asked.

"See what?" Shen Miaomiao shrugged: "I can't see anything?"

"Exactly," Gu Sheng nodded.

After three seconds of stunned silence!

Shen Miaomiao opened her eyes, pupils shining, showing a Teddy bear-like expression of sudden realization:

"Oh—"

Then.

She clapped her hands!

"Then we must acquire it even more!"

Shen Miaomiao's eyes shone brightly!

"Such a ga studio, left in CloudPower's hands, is a waste of natural resources, as you said,"

"And this way, if they can shine again in our hands, or directly in your hands, wouldn't it help our reputation in the international gaming community advance further?!"

Pfft—

At this point.

Shen Miaomiao almost couldn't help laughing out loud.

Shine again?

Please, buying them would just an rotting and stinking together with Gu Li's life.

Today's Golden Wind isn't at the stage where Gu Sheng alone can produce high-quality gas!

Before, him, Lu Bian, and Da Jiang - the three of them, plus so outsourcing, could indeed create excellent gas.

Plus with external threats from Kora and CloudPower, confidentiality becos especially critical, further reducing outsourcing scope.

Now their ga production absolutely relies on Golden Experience and Steel Chain Fingers studios!

While Gu Sheng is indeed a diamond saddle, similarly, the two studios are absolutely fine horses!

Good horses need good saddles for twice the result with half the effort.

Ubsoft has appeared!

The fighter jet in the public restroom!

The ultimate garbage with both reputation and thes failing!

The rotten donkey broken cart that everyone dislikes!

Gas they release—forget players not buying them—there's a higher probability they'll end up like current Apex Pri—

Purchase-spit-refund!

How could I abandon such 'excellent talent'!

Buy! Must buy!

Shen Miaomiao's attitude obviously surprised Gu Sheng sowhat.

But there was more happiness, and also so... amusent

This feeling was quite qimiao.

Even more qimiao was...

From this mont! The gears of Golden Wind's reverse acquisition of CloudPower also seed to start turning!

With no more reservations, Gu Sheng imdiately arranged for Moriya to use connections, consulting about Ubsoft's sale details under the na of a dium-sized Japanese ga company.

Mainly to confirm what copyrights would co with Ubsoft in this acquisition.

Not asking revealed nothing, but asking genuinely gave Gu Sheng a huge shock!

"Gas like 'Crazy Rayman,' 'Racing God,' 'Eagle in Long Sky,' and 'Origin Island' that Ubsoft has produced over the years need no further ntion,"

Moriya reported to Gu Sheng after the consultation:

"But besides these, they have another series copyright,"

"Apparently this series copyright was a buyout deal with TOX publisher before CloudPower acquired them,"

"It's copyright for a book series,"

"Just that over all these years, CloudPower never gave them sufficient resources to produce gas for this series,"

"After all..."

Here.

Moriya shrugged with a smile:

"CloudPower originally acquired them for their previous works,"

"For such completely new series projects—high investnt, uncertain returns, long production cycles—a businessman like Konik would never approve the project."

Hearing this.

Gu Sheng slightly raised his eyebrows.

He seed to have guessed what this 'series copyright' Moriya ntioned was, but still couldn't be certain.

So he slowly asked:

"And the na of this series copyright is...?"

"Famous US anti-terror thriller master—Thomas Leon Clancy book series, including 'The Hunt for Red October,' 'The Sum of All Fears,' 'Patriot Gas,' 'Clear and Present Danger,'"

After drinking so water, Moriya continued:

"And 'Splinter Cell,' 'Rainbow Six,' 'Ghost Recon,' 'The Division,' etc..."

Aweso!!!

Gu Sheng almost jumped right out of his seat!

This is fucking huge profit!

I knew it! I knew it!

Even in a parallel world!

Ubisoft's "Tom Clancy" series would absolutely be one of their specialties!

"Oh right,"

Here, Moriya rembered sothing else:

"According to them, besides this, they seem to have so abandoned projects, sothing called 'Watch Dogs,' 'Assassin' or sothing... but this doesn't seem too important, so they didn't include these abandoned projects in the copyright, saying if soone buys, they can just take them along."

Just as Moriya finished speaking! A loud sound ca from behind the opposite desk!

His Mr. Gu actually jumped up from his seat and started walking toward the door!

"Mr. Gu you...?!"

Moriya was shocked—he'd never seen Gu Sheng have a fit like this.

Gu Sheng waved his hand:

"Next week you, Old Lu and Da Jiang hold down the fort, including Overwatch's strear invitational tournant—it's all up to you guys."

"Ah?"

The situation ca too suddenly—even a veteran like Moriya couldn't react imdiately:

"Then you...?"

"Chairman Shen and I are flying to the US,"

Saying this, Gu Sheng pulled open the office door, turning back to tilt his head at Moriya with a slight smile:

"Going to CloudPower to swagger and show off, and incidentally initiate their reverse acquisition..."