C89: Lively Discussion

After the full exhibition, Everyone was exhausted.

Of course, we were exhausted because of the enthusiasm while others were exhausted because of the frustration.

The main reason?

Enthusiastic players are always frustrating.

Both Three Kingdoms and JellyMan can be downloaded on mobile phones and played anywhere at the venue. The sheer number of participants and the excitement at our booth warmed up the atmosphere.

One group of players would leave, and another would come in. The exhibition ran for five days, and after the boom on the first day, the popularity of our Game's booth never waned.

In fact, thanks to the players who experienced JellyMan and Three Kingdoms on the first day, even more people visited us on the second and third days.

The exhibition officials assigned more security personnel to our Neon Games section—to keep the crowd under control. It felt like we were the ones running the show.

Even NetDragon and Tenghua who were showcasing their highly anticipated VR titles, couldn't quite steal the spotlight from us. Though their VR games are impressive, they were not readily available for demo. There's still a long wait before their full release and finally long waiting queue. Who has the fukking patience for that.

Their presence at the exhibition was more of a teaser, a warm-up. But unexpectedly, our games were more of a volcano ready to burst out.

The difference in player engagement was clear. For the VR games, players had to wait in long queues for a mere ten-minute demo to get a taste of the gameplay. Naturally, this couldn't compare to the full experience that players could enjoy with JellyMan and Three Kingdoms.

These two games could only be played at any booth. And to top it off, both games are addictive!

This led to a rather peculiar scene at the exhibition. Everywhere you looked, no matter which booth you passed, people standing in line had their mobile phones and power banks in hand, playing JellyMan or Three Kingdoms while waiting.

The VR games from NetDragon and Tenghua attracted the media's attention on the first day, but by the second, third, and fourth days, all the gaming news revolved around our two titles. These games had set the community on fire and became a hot topic of discussion.

During the exhibition, In a chat group of industry designers, many were buzzing about the unexpected success of Neon Games.

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"Did anyone here attend this year's Exhibition? What's the deal with Chen Xu's new games?"

"Yeah, can anyone tell us what's so special about Three Kingdoms and JellyMan?"

"A tactical Three Kingdoms card game and a cartoon-style party game, that's what I've heard!"

"The quality of the game is perfect. The content of Three Kingdoms is deeper, but JellyMan has a bit of a wobbly vibe. I still have the brainwashed music and dangling villains stuck in my head."

+1,

"It's definitely got some unique magic!"

"The game's popularity is high, but the real reason behind it is how well Chen Xu promoted it!"

"Exactly! If we're talking about this year's best game publicity, Chen Xu takes the crown!"

"For sure! From showgirls and cosplayers to the game itself, he covered all the bases!"

"I get the feeling mobile games might explode next year. While people were waiting in line, his new game was available to play anytime, anywhere at the venue, which spread the word quickly."

Don't think about other game makers and designers trying this next year. Chen Xu was the first to take the leap and succeed. If someone tries the same thing later, it probably won't have the same impact.

"I can only say that Chen Xu really nailed the exhibition this year."

"Do you think Three Kingdoms and JellyMan will set the trend for the next wave of small games like Overcooked did before?"

"There's a good chance! People at the exhibition were hooked, and even players online are buzzing about it!"

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Many game designers were hit with inspiration after seeing the current popularity of JellyMan and Three Kingdoms online.

If Three Kingdoms and JellyMan lead the next wave of casual games, getting in on the trend early might be a golden opportunity. There's a high chance of earning good profits by being part of the first batch of trend-followers!

Though the earlier wave of games that followed Overcooked didn't cause much of a stir, those first few still made some profit and didn't lose money.

But JellyMan and Three Kingdoms are very different from Overcooked. Non-cooperative games have a broader audience, and online players' expectations are off the roof!

Small to medium-sized game developers are now pondering over it.

In the gaming community, the buzz is real.

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"I have to admit, Chen Xu didn't lie! JellyMan is really fun!"

"People at the exhibition are already hyped for tomorrow. Three Kingdoms is truly addictive!"

"So jealous! After the exhibition, Chen Xu will release both games. Judging by the videos online, the games look almost finished!"

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As the exhibition went on, the hype around JellyMan and Three Kingdoms kept growing.

More and more players got wind of these two unique new games. Watching other players share their gaming experiences online got the internet buzzing.

Soon, fans began flooding Chen Xu's official blog, asking for the games to be released.

On the fourth day of the exhibition, Chen Xu actually responded on his official blog.

Under the flood of eager requests, Chen Xu simply posted: "Three Kingdoms and JellyMan are now live on the Neon Game Platform ahead of schedule. Three Kingdoms is free, while JellyMan is a buyout game priced at 18 yuan."

The timing couldn't have been better, right as the excitement from the gameplay exhibition was at its peak.

Many players had been itching to get their hands on the games after hearing so much at the exhibition.

Once Chen Xu posted the message, players with the Neon Game Platform rushed to log in, download, and buy the games.

Those who didn't have the platform? They downloaded it right away.

Leveraging the game's popularity to apply hunger marketing, with the goal of boosting the platform's visibility.

Though hunger marketing often faces criticism, it's highly effective, especially when interest in the game is at its peak.

However, it's crucial not to push it too far. Overdoing it could frustrate players and make them feel manipulated, which would have the opposite effect.