The neon glow of Lumen City's digital skyline flickered across Ethan Reed's office windows as countless notifications flooded the network. The world hadn't slept since the launch of Overwatch. Everywhere—forums, streams, social feeds—the same storm was raging.
"**Northstar Games may have just created an entirely new genre—**a fusion of tactical shooting and team-based strategy that no one saw coming!"
"Fifteen million players in one day! This isn't just a launch—it's a revolution!"
"Best game of the summer! Grab your squad and log in now!"
"Did you buy the battle pass yet? No? Then what are you even doing with your life?!"
Ethan leaned back in his chair, staring at the scrolling data feeds projected mid-air. His expression was calm, but his eyes held curiosity.
Turning toward Vivian Frost, who was lounging nearby with her tablet, he asked,
"Did you… hire bots? This kind of hype doesn't feel natural."
Vivian raised an eyebrow and shook her head immediately.
"No way. Why would I waste money on fake hype?"
She knew exactly what he meant. The reaction online wasn't just positive—it was overwhelmingly supportive. Almost suspiciously so.
In the past, even their biggest titles would attract critics. No matter how good a release was, there were always voices trying to tear it down, riding the wave of popularity for attention.
But this time?
There was none of that.
No backlash. No coordinated hate. No controversy.
Just… excitement.
And that was what made it different.
Because Overwatch wasn't just another game—it was free.
Anyone could download it. Anyone could play.
No barriers. No paywalls.
And more importantly—no hidden traps.
Sure, there were skins. Cosmetics. Battle passes. Flashy character designs that made players want to spend money.
But nothing forced them.
No pay-to-win mechanics. No artificial difficulty spikes. No manipulation.
Spend if you want. Don't if you don't.
That simple philosophy changed everything.
"People aren't stupid," Ethan murmured. "They can tell when they're being respected."
Vivian smirked. "And when they're not being exploited."
And because of that?
Players stayed.
Not just casually either.
The current data showed something shocking—
The average player session had exceeded seven hours.
Office workers were logging in after work… and not logging out until midnight.
Some didn't sleep at all.
Some didn't even realize how much time had passed.
That wasn't addiction.
That was immersion.
---
"Hey, come check this out," Vivian suddenly said, waving him over.
Ethan walked closer, slipping on the headset she handed him.
Immediately, a chaotic, rhythmic remix blasted into his ears—
"Turn it off! Turn it off! TURN IT OFF!"
"Turn off Overwatch before it consumes your soul!"
"It drains your life force! Makes you useless! TURN IT OFF!"
"...So I can finally get into matchmaking!"
Ethan paused.
Then he laughed.
A real laugh.
The kind that didn't happen often anymore.
"This is good," he admitted, removing the headset. "We should boost this content."
Vivian nodded. "I'll forward it to the media team upstairs."
Fan creations like this weren't just jokes—they were organic marketing gold.
And Ethan knew it.
---
Vivian stretched slightly, then casually added,
"Oh, and about the licensing deals… they're done."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "How much?"
"About 400 million total so far."
He blinked once.
She continued, smiling slightly,
"And Korea just raised their offer again. 1.7 billion won. Roughly… 90 million RMB."
Ethan let out a quiet whistle.
That wasn't just money.
That was desperation.
Vivian leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand.
"Funny, isn't it? They used to act like they were doing us a favor."
Her tone turned colder.
Back then, foreign companies dictated everything. Pricing. Terms. Control.
Domestic companies had to beg.
Now?
The roles had reversed.
They were the ones begging.
And Vivian wasn't the type to forget history.
"I still don't like them," she admitted quietly.
Ethan nodded. He already knew why.
Some things didn't fade with time.
---
"So what are you thinking?" he asked.
Vivian hesitated.
"90 million isn't bad… but giving it to them feels wrong."
Then she sighed, rubbing her forehead.
"Maybe I'm not cut out to be a boss. I let emotions interfere."
Ethan shook his head immediately.
"No."
Then he leaned forward slightly.
"We're not just businessmen. We're creators."
A brief pause.
Then he smiled.
"Set the price to 150 million."
Vivian froze.
"…You're serious?"
"Completely."
"That's insane."
"Not if we give them a reason."
Ethan's eyes sharpened.
"Tell them we're launching a full esports league. Global scale. Regional investment. Stadium infrastructure."
Vivian stared at him.
Then slowly… she smiled.
"They'll bite."
"They won't just bite," Ethan corrected. "They'll fight for it."
---
And just like that—
The game evolved from a product… into a global competition.
---
"Speaking of competitions," Vivian said suddenly, "when are we starting ours?"
Ethan thought for a moment.
"After the next update."
"Structure?"
"City qualifiers. Then nationals."
Vivian nodded slowly.
"And prize pool?"
"Eight million."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"That's big."
"It needs to be."
Then he added—
"No corporate teams. No sponsors. No interference."
"Just raw skill."
---
Vivian paused.
Then suddenly—
"Can I join?"
Ethan blinked.
"…What?"
"I want to compete."
"You're serious?"
"Completely."
She stood up, already planning.
"You, me, Candy, Sienna—"
Ethan immediately interrupted.
"No Daniel."
"Yeah, definitely not Daniel," she agreed instantly. "He's terrible."
She continued,
"We'll bring Evan Cross. His aim is solid."
Ethan stared at her.
She wasn't joking.
Not even a little.
Finally, he sighed.
"…Fine."
And just like that—
The boss of Northstar Games officially entered the competition.
---
Over the next few days, Ethan actually started working again.
Not delegating.
Not supervising.
Working.
He personally designed the tournament structure, the rules, the selection system.
It reminded him of the early days.
Back when everything depended on him.
Back when Northstar Games was just an idea.
Now?
It was shaping the future of esports.
---
Meanwhile—
On June 2nd, during a live stream, something unexpected happened.
Alex Hunter received a call.
"…I already retired," he said quietly.
"I'm doing fine streaming."
There was a long silence.
Then—
A message flashed across his stream:
"You retired from the scene. Not from esports."
Alex froze.
For a long time, he said nothing.
Then finally—
"…Okay."
"I'm in."
He looked directly into the camera.
"I'm giving it one last shot."
Then—
He ended the stream.
---
That same evening—
At exactly 5 PM—
Northstar Games released an announcement.
And it shocked everyone.
---
"Due to overwhelming player demand…"
"Northstar Games' founders will personally enter the battlefield."
"Prepare yourselves."
"The Black and White Duo has joined the fight."
---
The internet exploded.
Players were confused.
Excited.
Terrified.
Was this a joke?
A new mode?
A marketing stunt?
At 8 PM—
The answer came.
On the Official Blog:
Northstar Games:
"Yes. We're joining. And we're aiming for the championship."
And from Ethan himself:
"Another day of being forced to work… (QAQ)"
And just like that—
The line between developer and player… disappeared.
--------------------------------
"Free readers are still behind… but Patreon members are already ahead 😏
Catch up now [patreon.com/Samurai492 ]"
__________________________________