Started as a comics editor

Chapter 139: Hard Talk
The user churn rate on the first day of closed beta testing was as high as 80%, and the payment conversion rate was less than one-sixth of the industry average.

Sheng Zhi knew very well what this meant.

This meant that most users never returned after their first try. While this conversion rate, even though the industry average was based on PC gaming data, was precisely what made him so upset. This mobile game was a blue ocean, yet it was less than one-sixth of the PC gaming average! It was practically impossible to say for sure that no one was willing to pay.

This is complete and utter garbage!
Complete garbage!
If this kind of garbage data came out in a large company, the entire project would be cancelled or completely rebuilt before the testing round could even be completed.

But the question is, why?
Why is this data so bad?
Isn’t this a blue ocean? Although I don’t know the data of the FGO closed beta round, their first day of public beta had a turnover of nearly 100 million!

Why is it that our mobile game, which basically imitates the other party’s selling points, has such poor data?!
What went wrong?

"why?"

Sheng Zhi's eyes were red as he looked at the staff in front of him. "Why is it so bad? Is it a technical problem? Frequent crashes? Or is it because the new user guide is not clear enough?"

"Do not……"

The staff member was silent for a moment, then said with difficulty: "Based on the existing feedback, these problems have not occurred."

Sheng Zhi was furious, "Then why are the numbers so bad? What's the reason? What are the majority of players reporting?"

“Based on the feedback…”

The staff member glanced at Sheng Zhi before continuing, "The entire game has problems. The closed beta users absolutely dislike it. They question every aspect of the game, including the gameplay, plot, and even the graphics. The only positive aspect is the pay-to-win system, but most users are unwilling to pay for it, saying the characters are unattractive."

"Why wouldn't it be appealing? Fate/Grand Order's first-day revenue was so high!"

Sheng Zhi slammed the table. "Same gameplay! Same model! Why is there such a huge difference?"

staff member:"……"

He didn't speak.

If Tang Yao would not suppress the opinions of the lower-level staff, then Sheng Zhi was just the opposite. He was a complete tyrant in the company.

He refused to listen to any suggestions, whether good or bad, let alone appease the staff.

He believed in his own experience so much that he even believed that those who followed him would prosper and those who opposed him would perish.

This is coupled with his reputation as a well-known producer.

The entire company basically became his one-man show.

At the beginning, some people expressed their ideas.

Later I found out that Sheng Zhi didn’t like to listen...so I basically stopped talking.

It's just a job, so if you don't like it, then don't say it... As long as I get paid, it's fine. As for the game being bad, what does it have to do with me? I don't expect to stick with the company during its early stages, or seek equity.

Judging from the situation, this rubbish company will never reach that stage.

With this idea in mind, Shengzhi's company, although in its early stages, has very low vitality.

Under the high-pressure environment, the staff chose to lie down in silence, and no one dared to point out the core design flaws of the game.

Sheng Zhi is asking now?
The staff didn't know what to say.

Just choose silence.

Because speaking it out will offend people.

problem?

Who can't see that?
The plot is mediocre, the characters lack charm, and the card gacha system and gameplay are copied, but they fail to understand the essence of FGO's success. They have a good script, emotional projection of historical figures, and excellent character development. What do we have? They try to imitate the style of the Fate series, but due to time constraints and cost-cutting, the illustrations are not accurate enough, resulting in a cheap fanfiction feeling?
Or does it attract a large number of non-target users?

Or is it that the technical team only completed the development of basic functions, but no one pushed for key details such as UI interaction optimization and skill special effects polishing to enhance immersion?

Anyway, there are a lot of problems.

Can't say enough.

There is no end to it.

It's better not to say anything.

Sheng Zhi saw that the staff was silent and was about to lose his temper when the phone rang.

When he saw the caller's name, his pupils suddenly shrank. He couldn't care less about being angry. After a moment's hesitation, he answered the phone. "Mr. Lin."

"how is the situation?"

Lin Shuang on the other end of the phone couldn't tell any emotion, she just asked calmly.

"Well... things are going well for now."

Sheng Zhi said with a stiff upper lip: "There's a little problem, but I can fix it right away..."

"The little problem you mentioned."

Lin Shuang listened to Sheng Zhi's voice, her fingertips unconsciously tapping the report on her desk, looking at the extremely glaring data on it: "Does this mean that 80% of the closed beta users were lost on the second day?"

There was a moment of dead silence on the other end of the line.

"You really understand! How do 2D games operate?"

I heard Sheng Zhi fall silent on the other end of the phone.

Lin Shuang finally revealed her true emotions, her voice suddenly rising as she angrily shouted, "Do you really understand? FGO is relying on ANF's two-dimensional ecosystem to precisely acquire customers! Yet you're still relying on traditional traffic acquisition channels to attract non-target users. And you even confidently said that they didn't understand games or the gaming market!"
I think you don't understand! Do you know ANF? Do you know that FGO has appeared on mainstream social platforms? Do you know that major investment institutions are now paying attention to Avalon, the developer behind FGO?

Avalon Studios has already started building an ecosystem! And you're still using the same old tricks! You even dared to force a closed beta test during a competitor's update! And you even said it was intentional! What about now? Have you secured accurate customer sources? Are the game data good?

"I……"

Sheng Zhi seemed a little embarrassed. After a pause, he said awkwardly, "This is an accident..."

"Still being stubborn! Still being stubborn! Surprised! I was truly blind! To have fallen for a so-called star producer like you! Have you even paid attention to the competition?! Do you even know what the competition has been up to lately?!"

Lin Shuang interrupted directly, her voice so loud that even the staff standing not far from Sheng Zhi could hear it.

"I……"

"Go watch it carefully! Understand FGO well! Don't be such an idiot! The boss and producer behind Avalon Studios is a young girl who looks less than 20 years old! Don't be inferior to a young girl!"

Lin Shuang was furious, but her anger didn't seem to be directed solely at Sheng Zhi: "Don't think that just because he's young he's stupid! He's much smarter than you think! If you don't understand, learn from me! Learn well!"

"..."

When Sheng Zhi heard this, his eyes widened slightly.

He stammered.

I want to ask but I don’t dare to.

"Now, stop the current test immediately!"

"Then bring in a professional narrative team, hire a light novel writer or playwright to reconstruct the main plot, and focus on the core experience! The characters! The plot! These are the key points. Don't use your online game methods!
The entire game needs to be rebuilt! Give me a plan within three days! If it still doesn't work, you're out! Project terminated!

"Wait, Mr. Lin..."

When Sheng Zhi heard this, his eyes widened and he wanted to say something.

But Lin Shuang hung up the phone directly.

A beeping sound came.

Sheng Zhi stood there in a daze, while the staff member who was eavesdropping not far away put down his tiptoes and left quietly.

You deserve it.

Sheng Zhi saw the staff member turning and leaving, slowly put down his phone, and his face quickly turned red.

Angry and shocked.

Did Avalon Studios kill Lin Shuang's mother? So excited?

Row!
He wants to see what FGO has done!
He admitted that the game he made this time had some problems, but was it necessary to deny himself completely?
Are you still studying hard?

He angrily threw down his phone, grabbed the mouse and searched for "Fate/Grand Order" directly on the search engine.

(End of this chapter)