What could an absolutely un-fail-able game be?
The term “failure” is a bit abstract and broad. After all, there’s no exact measure to define how much it has failed.
If only a handful of users remain, can that be considered a failed game? Or does the game have to be completely shut down to truly be deemed a failure?
Some would say this level qualifies as a garbage game, while others might argue it’s still playable. The criteria are just too vague.
So, what about the so-called “god games”?
Games where users don’t tend to leave and consistently rank high in PC Bang occupancy. What traits do these games have?
They often boast exceptional gameplay and offer enough fun to keep attracting new players, and no games capable of surpassing them get released.
Even just a few of those conditions can make for a well-rated hobby game among users.
But a game that hits globally is different. The ones that consistently hold the top ranks must be perfect in every aspect.
To avoid getting overshadowed by newly released games, they need to ensure perfection.
Every patch brings improvements and frequent large-scale updates create constant change.
Games that don’t adapt and just drift along inevitably fall behind, whether due to user boredom or their gameplay not holding up against new releases.
That’s right, change. Without change, you’ll just become obsolete.
For years now, Abyss has held the top spot in the gaming industry, and they knew this truth better than anyone.
They had experienced being so close to shutting down as a failed game before. Then they sought groundbreaking changes and rapidly rose to the industry’s peak.
Logically speaking, that makes no sense. A game that once had no users, reaching a point of shutdown, managed not only to resurrect but also to claim the top spot?
That should be nothing short of a miracle. Yet, ironically, even the folks at Abyss—who sparked this miracle—were bewildered, clueless about what element suddenly captivated the users.
They couldn’t even figure out what sudden element captivated the users.
Yet, they managed to keep the unexpected hit going. This was because everyone involved, including the development team of Abyss, was wholeheartedly committed to putting their best efforts into the game.
And that effort continues to this day, right at the headquarters of Eonix, nestled amidst a forest of towering buildings.
“Director, I’ve organized the materials you requested.”
“Okay.”
Abyss’s overall director, Oh Hong-kyun, received the report today with his eyes looking more like raccoons than usual.
The employee presenting the report was in no better shape than Hong-kyun. With gaunt facial features, lifeless skin, and dark circles reminiscent of a panda, it was clear they were suffering from chronic sleep deprivation.
The gaming industry is inherently prone to overwork. Of course, it varies from company to company, department to department, and team to team, but there wasn’t a single person at Eonix who wasn’t busy at the moment.
That was because a massive patch was scheduled just a few weeks away.
Eonix was bustling during this period, where the concept of leaving work ceased to exist, and the distinction between day and night became meaningless.
This massive patch, which occurred about once every 2-3 years, held that much importance.
Despite getting flak from users complaining about the crazy changes, it was undeniable that such transformations had propelled Abyss to the top.
Devoted employees at Eonix were once again powering through the day, grabbing quick naps as they went.
“Ugh….”
Director Oh Hong-kyun, notorious among users as the ‘Devil of Patches’ and the one who unearthed Camilla’s underboob, stretched while still seated.
With the sound of cracking bones, his entire body screamed in protest. His eyelids felt like they were glued shut.
He sipped from the coffee he had next to him and began to pore over the report brought in by his subordinate.
“Hmm…”
The report was about supporter-related matters.
Come to think of it, it was time to rotate the supporters, wasn’t it? It seemed that this coincided timing-wise with the massive patch.
The report included a list of last year’s supporters and this year’s candidates, and Hong-kyun scrutinized them closely.
Honggyun had been scrutinizing them closely.
After all, change is important. Especially for Oh Honggyun, it was one of the values he held dear. Change and innovation—key elements he emphasized to his employees every single day.
He was the pivotal figure behind the miraculous shifts in the Abyss and a living testament to history. His motto was to try various approaches, even if it meant initially failing.
“Something’s lacking.”
To him, the current list of supporter candidates felt a bit underwhelming. Not bad, but certainly not impressive either? This was likely due to the lack of suitable talent.
Actually, there aren’t many activities that supporters do.
They primarily promote the Abyss through their personal social media, experiencing the upcoming new skins and reporting any bugs they encounter. It was something that had been run from the past but it’s not like it held a significant presence. The work was minimal, and hence the pay wasn’t exactly stellar.
Thus, selecting supporters didn’t go through the usual rigorous meetings like other important matters. It was often done on the fly—“What about this person? This one seems good,” and so the list was created.
However, this time was different. Honggyun was planning a broadcast where supporters would alternate appearances, reading the patch notes and playing the game together to highlight the differences. He couldn’t just pick random people like before.
“Someone knowledgeable about games… A fresh image suitable for the new patch. Isn’t there someone who has never participated in supporter activities before?”
He also hoped for someone with a decent level of recognition, so users would feel some familiarity. The official broadcast regarding the large-scale patch would be co-hosted by the supporters and Director Honggyun himself.
A fresh image but also recognition? It was a ridiculous thought he’d come up with himself, but the logic just didn’t add up. Had he not slept enough and started losing his mind?
“There’s no way someone like that exists.”
While pondering whether to take a short nap and reconsider, something fluttered down from between reports.
“Huh?”
As Honggyun picked it up, the staff member who had handed over the reports approached with a curious look.
The employee who handed over the papers approached.
“Ah, I’m sorry. It seems some other materials got mixed in while I was organizing.”
At the top of the fallen paper was written “Abyss Partner Streamer List.” Below it were names of the streamers.
Honggyun’s eyes widened as he spotted someone’s name among them.
“Aha.”
It felt like the fog in his mind had suddenly cleared.
The name Kayak was written at the very top of the list.
“At least I won’t have to hear that I’m a game noob….”
Honggyun mumbled, not caring that the employee taking the paper was watching. In fact, some of the past supporters had been criticized for reviewing the game without even knowing what Abyss was.
Kayak was a well-known and iconic user within Abyss. She was at the Challenger tier, the highest rank, and like Honggyun, she stood at the center of the miraculous growth of Abyss.
No, in some ways, she might even be better than Honggyun. After all, she did her best to save the game when Abyss was on the brink of collapse.
‘It’s a kind of honorary employee position, so the staff will probably be satisfied.’
A fresh image? Kayak’s mask was already fresh enough. Her appearance looked just like Camilla’s. Since Camilla had significant shares in the large-scale patch, it would be good if Kayak read the patch notes about Camilla.
Why hadn’t he thought of this earlier? There was no better candidate for a supporter than Kayak.
Since Kayak was one of the users who loved Abyss just like the employees at Eonix, she wouldn’t refuse the offer. Of course, they would ensure she received enough pay for all the activities.
‘I’ll think about the rest later. I need to catch some sleep first.’
With that thought wrapped up, Honggyun headed to the break room, falling asleep with a peaceful expression for the first time in a while.
*
“What?”
However, the next day, Honggyun arrived at work only to hear some shocking news.
“She said she wouldn’t do it…?”
It was the news that Kayak had rejected the supporter offer.
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