Within hours of its initial debut, the Assassin's Creed trailer propagated across the entire galactic net like wildfire.
The public reaction was absolute, unadulterated shock. The raw, gritty realism of the trailer, combined with the visceral, high-stakes melee combat, was a massive departure from the pixelated charm of Stardew Valley or the stylized, mythological realm of Hades.
Round Table Studio had just showcased a hyper-realistic, mature historical world, and the gaming community was completely obsessed with every single frame of the footage.
Nowhere was this obsession more evident than on the Avalon Forums. The massive message boards were absolutely flooded with thousands of new threads being generated every minute. The users were dissecting the footage with terrifying, forensic precision.
[Thread: So... is Assassin's Creed technically a shooter?]
>: TriggerHappy
Okay, hear me out. At the very end of the trailer, the protagonist literally shoots the noble with a gun hidden inside his wrist armor. Did RTS just trick us into hyping up a stealth-shooter game?
>: GunNut_88
Technically, a standard firearm requires a specific barrel length and rifling to stabilize a high-velocity projectile. Based on the smoke discharge and the compact size of the bracer, that looked more like a primitive, localized explosive cannon. It barely qualifies as a traditional gun. The recoil alone would shatter a normal human's wrist.
>: StrategyKing
Are you dumb? You can literally shoot rocks at villagers using a wooden slingshot in Stardew Valley. Does that mean Stardew Valley is a competitive tactical shooter game now? The guy used a sword for 90 percent of the fight!
>: BallisticsNerd
I am more concerned about the stealth aspect. If he is supposed to be a silent assassin, why did he use a mini-cannon that sounded like a planetary bombardment? The whole city heard that.
>: SleepyFrog
Because it's badass, Nerd. LMAO imagine getting 360-no-scoped by a farmer in the town square.
While the weapon mechanics drew heavy debate, the sheer technical achievement of the game engine sparked its own massive discussion.
[Thread: Are we ignoring the fact he climbed a sheer vertical wall?!]
>: MotionSick_Gamer
Guys, please tell me the climbing part was just a pre-rendered cinematic cutscene. If that is actual, real-time gameplay, I am going to vomit everywhere.
Meanwhile, the dedicated lore enthusiasts were already hard at work ripping the dialogue and world-building apart, though some treads nervously skirted the edge of Accord censorship.
[Thread: LORE DROP! Dead Dad? Where are we?]
>: LoreNerd99
Let us break down the dialogue. The noble specifically taunted the protagonist by saying he killed his father, and then he threatened to go after his mother next. It is a classic, blood-soaked revenge story. But where exactly are they? The architecture in that city is insane.
>: Astro_Architect
I am a senior architectural student. The stone waterways, the terracotta roofs, and the massive domed cathedrals look incredibly similar to the highly preserved historical sectors of Planet Vorcia in the Core Rims. But the fashion makes zero sense. No one wears heavy velvet robes or masquerade masks like that anymore.
>: ShadowBroker
Can we talk about the elephant in the room? The protagonist just brutally assassinated a high-ranking, wealthy nobleman in broad daylight, surrounded by guards. That is explicitly anti-authority.
>: Cautious_Gamer
@ShadowBroker Shut up! Delete this right now before the algorithms flag the forum! It is just a fictional historical game! Keep the discussion to the game mechanics, you idiot!
>: GalacticFarmer_99
Guys, you are all getting played. This is obviously a massive ruse by Arthur. Think about it! The main character wears a hood, sneaks around, and ambushes people. This is clearly a gritty, mature Pokémon DLC where you finally get to play as a member of the evil villain team!
>: StrategyKing
Go to sleep, Farmer. Your brain is officially melting out of your ears.
While the theorists debated, the creative side of the community was already taking physical action, entirely captivated by the aesthetic.
[Thread: WIP Cosplay - The Hood!]
>: StitchMaster
I paused the trailer frame by frame to get the exact stitching pattern on the protagonist's cowl. I just finished sewing the iconic hood! I am wearing it right now, but it is just the hood so far.
[Attached Image: A perfectly tailored white hood with an aggressive, pointed eagle beak dipping over the user's eyes, casting a menacing shadow over their face.]
>: HandsomeJay
Holy shit, this is absolutely sick! How much? I will pay you thousands of credits right now. My head circumference is exactly 58 centimeters. Please make me one!
>: Void_Watcher
Taking measurements in a public forum thread is crazy, but I want one too.
>: DownBad_99
Forget the hood, does anyone have the fabric patterns for the woman in the red dress? Asking for a friend.
>: ArtBrat99
@RTS_Devs Please, we are begging you! Give the full character concept art to the forum! We need to know what the rest of the robes look like so we can finish the full costume!
All in all, the Avalon Forums were incredibly lively. The dark, mysterious allure of the hooded assassin had entirely captured the imagination of the galaxy, and the hype train had officially left the station.
…
Meanwhile, high above the clouds of Friton, deep within the newly materialized celestial arenas of Olympus, a completely different kind of high-octane action was taking place.
A massive, impossibly heavy golden barbell slipped from Dorian's sweating hands. It slammed directly into the pristine white marble floor. Despite the terrifying weight, the divine architecture absorbed the blow flawlessly, producing no impact damage and only a dull, heavy thud.
Dorian's legs instantly gave out. He collapsed flat onto his back against the cool marble, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for the thin, high-altitude air.
Standing a few feet away, leaning casually against a majestic pillar, was Poseidon. The God of the Sea stroked his magnificent beard, his booming voice echoing with his usual, laid-back joviality.
"Hoho! Is it a bit heavy for you, Nephew?" Poseidon teased, a wide grin on his face.
Dorian didn't even have the breath in his lungs to offer a sarcastic reply. He just laid there, staring up at the golden clouds.
Suddenly, a blinding blur of yellow kinetic energy blitzed into the arena. Hermes snapped into physical existence, his winged sandals hovering just inches above the floor. In his arms, the God of Speed was effortlessly balancing a massive, towering stack of various cuisines and street food he had scouted from all over the Friton system.
It was a completely new experience for the Olympians. Now that their domain had been physically tethered to the reality of the universe, their divine authority had expanded. They could use their ethereal power to perfectly scan and replicate the physical items and foods they observed in the mortal realm, allowing them to actually taste and enjoy the vast universe Dorian lived in.
"Alright, family!" Hermes announced giddily, zipping around and setting up a lavish picnic on a nearby stone table. "I have replicated authentic noodle soup, some Kepler-grade roasted vegetables, and this incredibly strange, highly addictive substance the mortals call 'Lundofo'!"
Hermes paused, shooting a quick side-glance at the panting teenager sprawled out on the floor.
"Oh, boss," Hermes chirped with a cheeky grin. "That is the training ground, not a bed."
"I know," Dorian wheezed weakly.
Hermes just laughed, zipping back to his food.
Ares materialized from a swirl of red mist, his heavy armor clanking as he kneeled down to get a closer look at his exhausted pupil. The God of War frowned, crossing his massive arms. "Perhaps I was too hasty in doubling the gravity enchantments on the weights."
"No," Athena's calm, authoritative voice chimed in as she walked gracefully into the arena. "He needs to continuously push himself beyond mortal limitations if he wishes to survive what is coming."
Hovering just above them on a glowing pink cloud, Aphrodite giggled softly. "Athena is exactly right, dear. Besides, we simply cannot let you stay physically weaker than your lovely little mate down there, now can we?"
Dorian groaned, wiping the sweat from his eyes. "Juno is a literal Solar," he argued defensively. "Her body naturally processes pure starlight."
"And you have us, Nephew!" Zeus's thunderous voice boomed across the arena as the King of the Gods descended from the upper terraces, crackling with electricity. "You have the absolute pinnacle of Olympus and the infinite potential of other worlds at your complete disposal!"
Demeter stepped out from the shadows, her icy gaze piercing right through Dorian's exhaustion. "Don't squander our reality, Creator," the Goddess of Seasons commanded coldly. "Use our power to forge an unbreakable foundation. When the time comes for you to manifest other worlds, worlds far older and much stronger than ours, this physical training will bear the necessary fruit to keep you alive."
Dorian closed his mismatched eyes. He let the chill of Demeter's aura cool his burning muscles. He took a long, deep, stabilizing breath, filling his lungs with the pure, untainted ambient energy of Olympus.
With a sudden burst of renewed willpower, Dorian sat up. He pushed himself to his feet.
He raised his right hand. A heavy, dark, jagged broadsword materialized in his grip. It was the Stygian Blade.
He focused his intent, channeling his Resonance directly into the weapon's core. The dark metal instantly shifted, expanding and glowing with a blinding, righteous, golden-white light. The jagged edges smoothed out into a perfectly forged, masterful longsword. It was the Aspect of Arthur, the legendary Excalibur.
Dorian rolled his shoulders, feeling the immense, crushing weight of the holy blade. He looked up, pointing the glowing tip of Excalibur directly at the God of the Sea.
"Uncle," Dorian called out, his red eye burning with determination. "Help me train."
Poseidon's eyes widened in pleasant surprise. Long before he had taken up his beloved, world-shaking trident, Poseidon had actually been the original wielder of the Stygian Blade. He knew the sword's weight and balance intimately.
Poseidon summoned a massive, swirling torrent of high-pressure water into his hands, forming a localized blade of the sea. He gave Dorian a thrilled, challenging wink. "Right on, Nephew!"
Dorian roared, charging forward. He slammed the heavy blade into the marble, unleashing Greater Consecration. A massive, blinding aura of holy light erupted across the arena, slowing the air itself and fortifying his defense. It was a heavy, overwhelming weapon, perfectly fit for a king.
Down on the surface of Friton, the entire galaxy believed Arthur was nothing more than a brilliant, eccentric game developer typing away at a keyboard. But high above the clouds, hidden entirely behind their backs, Dorian Kepler was secretly forging himself into a god of war.
…
Deep within the prosperous, glittering sectors of the Core Rim, the towering headquarters of Heliotronic Arts pierced the skyline.
Known universally as HA, the corporate behemoth was a AAA game publisher with thousands of employees and several massive branching development studios under its absolute control. By strictly adhering to an industrialized formula, they reliably pumped out four to six AAA VR titles every single year. For HA, the gaming industry was a perfectly solved equation, and it was always immensely profitable.
But today, Zoye Raves, the current CEO of Heliotronic Arts, was nursing a massive, throbbing headache.
He sat in his opulent, glass-walled office, staring vehemently at his holographic terminal. Just by sheer, unfortunate coincidence, one of HA's premier studios had uploaded the cinematic trailer for their latest highly anticipated VR shooter just two hours before Round Table Studio dropped Assassin's Creed.
Zoye looked at the live analytics. HA's multi-million credit marketing campaign had garnered a respectable three-hundred million views.
Right next to it, the Assassin's Creed trailer had already smashed past one billion views, and the counter was still violently climbing every single second.
It was an absolute massacre.
What deeply concerned Zoye, and every other AAA studio executive currently panicking across the Core Rims, was the impending release date. If HA launched their game in the same fiscal quarter as RTS, they knew they could not compete. They would be entirely overshadowed.
Furthermore, from the gritty, hyper-realistic look of the trailer, Assassin's Creed had officially broached directly into HA's primary market territory. RTS were making a realistic, high-octane action game. If the rampant speculations running across the Avalon Forums were true, and this game was actually built for full VR immersion... it was going to be the absolute death of the current VR market.
That was the only market where the big studios and publishers still thrived. And all the corporate executives shared the exact same, terrifying thought: They could not let that happen.
Zoye's eyes narrowed. He slammed his finger down on his desk intercom, calling his executive secretary.
"I want a dedicated team on Round Table Studio immediately," Zoye ordered, his voice cold and calculating. "Search the galactic registry and compile every single movement they make regarding VR engine licensing."
"Right away, sir," the secretary replied. "May I ask what we are looking for?"
"A vulnerability," Zoye stated. "A small indie studio simply cannot build a fully optimized, proprietary VR physics engine from scratch in a matter of months. It is technically impossible. Therefore, they must borrow, rent, or make a deal with an existing engine company to run their game."
Zoye leaned forward, a predatory smirk touching his lips. When they find out which engine developer RTS are talking to... all they have to do is cut off their route. Buy the engine company out, or threaten to pull all HA contracts from them unless they refuse service to RTS.
It was a classic corporate strangulation tactic. Once RTS was completely cornered, unable to render their masterpiece because they lacked the software to run it, they would be desperate. And when they needed help, that was exactly when the bidding war would begin.
Having Round Table Studio fully absorbed under his publishing umbrella would be a galactic game changer.
Zoye leaned back in his luxurious leather chair, steepling his fingers together. He had personally played Stardew Valley, Hades, and Pokémon. The games were undeniably brilliant, but when Zoye looked at them, he didn't see art. He saw a tragic, agonizing amount of squandered potential. He saw money left on the table.
If HA owned those properties, the revenue would be astronomical. They could easily force the booming Stardew modding community onto a mandatory subscription base. They could jack up the hilariously cheap thirty-credit base price to a standard, hundred-credit AAA market tag. They could block the strongest Hades weapon aspects and legendary Pokémon behind premium, real-money paywalls.
All of it would be immensely, obscenely profitable. Yet this mysterious 'Arthur', the so-called genius CEO of Round Table Studio, continually decided to do the most foolish things imaginable.
Zoye shook his head, sighing at the sheer idealism of a fool. It was of no actual worry. In due time, Arthur and his little indie studio would be firmly under HA's grasp. And when that inevitable acquisition happened, all of those terrible financial mistakes could be easily fixed by him, Zoye Raves.
…
Several days later, Raja Farzir walked down the pristine corridors of Round Table Studio HQ, his usually composed face twisted into a highly complicated expression. The PR Manager's sensory vanes were twitching with deep agitation.
Yesterday, the programming department had experienced a sudden, unexpected hiccup. Logan Kim had reported that the proprietary VR engine they had specifically rented for this month's research had suddenly locked them out.
When Raja personally investigated the digital breach, he discovered that the engine developer, Yulipa Software, had abruptly tapped out of their legal agreement. They had forcefully refunded RTS's entire payment and completely refused to answer any detailed follow-up questions regarding the sudden termination.
Initially, Raja had simply shrugged it off. He assumed Yulipa just needed the server space on their end or had encountered a massive internal bug. Wanting to put the matter to rest, he had reached out to a handful of other engine companies on their vendor list, intending to move their upcoming software rentals up the schedule.
But then, the impossible happened. Every single one of them either immediately backed out of their existing agreements or blatantly ignored his encrypted comm-link requests.
Raja arrived at the bustling Programming wing. Several staff members popped their heads up from behind their monitors as the Qerrian manager walked in.
"Where is Logan Kim?" Raja asked smoothly.
One of the programmers silently pointed toward the heavy glass doors of the server room.
Raja stepped inside. The room was freezing cold, filled with the loud humming of massive data racks. He found Logan sitting cross-legged on the floor, currently taking apart a heavy section of the primary server cooling unit with a hydro-spanner.
Hearing the door hiss shut, Logan realized there was someone else in the room. He looked up, wiping a streak of sweat from his forehead as he saw the Qerrian manager. "Oh, Raja. Good afternoon."
"Good afternoon," Raja greeted politely. "What exactly are you doing down there?"
"Nothing major," Logan said, tapping the heavy metallic casing. "I'm just trying to see if I can remove some part of this cooling unit to make more room for the others. Are you here about the Yulipa engine lease?"
Raja nodded, crossing his arms. "About that. I want to ask you a question first. Do you actually need their engines?"
Logan stopped tinkering. He paused to think, leaning back against the server rack. "Not really," the lead programmer admitted. "But it is still nice to see how other proprietary engines work under the hood. Did Yulipa experience a fatal error on their side?"
Raja slowly shook his head, his sensory vanes flattening against his temples. "No. They want to completely back out of our contract."
"Back out?" Logan repeated, his brow furrowing in confusion.
Raja elaborated, his voice dropping to a serious murmur. "It is not just the Yulipa engine house. The other companies we had lined up in the next batch for the next several months have also forcefully backed out of our agreements."
Logan's eyes narrowed as the pieces fell into place. "You think there is foul play involved."
Raja nodded firmly.
Logan immediately stood up, tossing his hydro-spanner onto a nearby workbench. He reached over and entirely powered off the server section he had been working on. "We need to talk with Arthur."
Ten minutes later, the central Junction room was filled with a tense silence. Raja had just finished explaining the bizarre, coordinated corporate embargo to Arthur and the other department heads.
Arthur sat at the head of the Round Table, leaning his chin on his steepled fingers, his eyes deep in thought.
"Unbelievable," Lin Liseli scoffed, crossing her arms angrily.
Kasavin pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his expression entirely stoic. "The real question here is why."
"You mean who, right?" Ross Dalle corrected him from across the table.
"No, Dalle. Not who," Kasavin replied clinically. "It is blindingly clear who is doing this. This is the synchronized work of someone incredibly powerful who felt deeply threatened by our trailer."
Bem Lendu slammed his heavy fist onto the table. "The other AAA studios?"
Kasavin nodded. "Exactly. They are trying to cut off our oxygen supply by preventing us from licensing a VR engine."
Arthur finally let out a soft, highly amused chuckle, entirely breaking the tension in the room.
"It's perfectly alright," Arthur said, waving a hand dismissively. "Logan, you can just focus your absolute undivided attention on Assassin's Creed for now. Let this little corporate embargo pass."
Arthur smiled, a brilliant, confident spark in his eyes. "Besides, Assassin's Creed is not going to be built for VR. If those executives think pulling this stunt can actually hinder our current development, then they are entirely foolish."
Arthur then turned his gaze to the Qerrian PR Manager.
"Raja," Arthur commanded smoothly. "I want you to keep up the act. Try to aggressively reach out to other engine houses, and follow the digital trail to see exactly who is organizing this boycott behind the scenes. You can even try to poke the hornet's nest. Go straight to the massive AAA publishers and ask them directly for an engine license just to see how they react."
Arthur grinned, leaning back in his chair. "Just don't deny or agree to anything they offer. Twiddle with them. Waste their time while we build."
Raja nodded, a sharp, knowing smile forming.
With a much clearer path forward and a brilliant counter-strategy in place, Round Table Studio remained entirely unbothered, sailing smoothly through the relentless, cutthroat tides of galactic game development.
⋘ 𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒂.. .⋙
🎮:
- Stardwey Valley: Completed.
- Hades: Completed.
- Pokémon: Completed.
- Sky: Children of the Light: 66%██████▒▒▒▒ Paused...
- Assassin Creed: 93%████████▒
🎬:
- Spirited Away: 56%█████▒▒▒▒▒
♬:
- Your Song – Elton John (ch.9)
- A Lovely Night – La La Land (ch.20)
- Merry Go Round of Life – Howl's Moving Castle (ch.25)
- Small Fragile Hearts – Victor Lundberg (ch. 27)
- Skyfall – Adele (ch. 29)
- No Time To Die – Billie Eilish (ch. 30)
- Yesterday – The Beatles (ch. 32)
- Lovely – Billie Eilish, Khalid (ch. 47)
- Best Part – H.E.R. feat. Daniel Caesar (ch. 67)
- Lovely Day – Bill Withers (ch. 68)
- My Song – Labi Siffre (ch. 75)
- Isn't She Lovely – Stevie Wonder (ch. 89)
- Gotta Catch 'Em All – Pokémon OST (ch. 90)
- Don't Stop Me Now – Queens (ch. 102)
- Grow As We Go – Ben Platt (ch. 102)
- Feeling Good – Michael Bublé (ch. 104)
- You'll Be In My Heart – Phil Collins (ch. 105)
- We Will Rock You – Queen (ch. 108)
- The Bones – Maren Morris feat. Hozier (ch. 110)
- Achilles, Come Down – Gang Of Youths (ch. 111)
- Wind of Change – Scorpions (ch. 113)