aircannonsinc Chapter 476 War with Tencent
Chapter 476 War with Tencent
The server deployment in the Middle East is progressing more smoothly than expected.
The Dubai-based publishing company's execution capabilities exceeded Lu Ran's expectations; it took less than two weeks from signing the framework agreement to completing the server setup.
The local team there was so familiar with the network environment and policy procedures in the Gulf region that they moved very quickly through each step, without needing any extra coordination from TUTU.
After listening to Zhou Mingzhe's report at the technical meeting, Lu Ran said something: since the Middle East server is already running, let's quickly push forward the progress of the customized skin.
The users there are characterized by being willing to spend money but also being picky. If you can make them feel from the beginning that the game is designed specifically for them, the retention rate will be much higher.
Zhou Mingzhe said that the operations department has already produced several versions of visual concept drafts, mainly based on cultural elements and aesthetic preferences from the Middle East.
He asked the designer to send over the concept drafts so that Lu Ran could review them internally.
Lu Ran went through the concept draft on the afternoon it arrived.
The first version was a skin series set against the backdrop of deserts and oases, with color schemes primarily consisting of gold, ochre, and dark blue.
The costumes of several popular heroes have been changed to the style of local traditional robes and headscarves, and their weapons have also been adjusted accordingly. The details are quite well done.
The second version features Arabian horses and falcons, taking a more ornate approach, with intricate patterns and tassels adorning the armor and cloak.
The third edition is the most expensive, featuring heroes designed as characters from Arabian mythology, complete with brand-new special effects and recall animations.
After reading through all three versions of the plan, Lu Ran read it again and then sent a message to Zhou Mingzhe, saying that the third version would be reserved for a big event, and that the first and second versions should be combined into a first-release series.
Don't be too polite with the pricing. The cost of living there is what it is. If you set the price too low, they will think it's not classy.
It would be outrageous not to fleece the big dog.
Zhou Mingzhe replied with a "received" emoji, and added, "My colleagues in the operations department said that if this design goes live, they themselves would like to buy a set."
On the day the Middle East server officially launched, Lu Ran didn't go to the company; he stayed home waiting for news.
Zhou Mingzhe sent the first set of data at 10 a.m.: the number of registrations in the first three hours after the server opened had already exceeded their expectations for the entire month.
The average online time per user was significantly higher than during the first three days after the European server launch.
Even more outrageous is the first-day payment rate; more than half of the new users made a purchase.
Zhou Mingzhe commented in the message, "Middle Eastern players really have plenty of money."
After reviewing the data, Lu Ran replied to Zhou Mingzhe, saying that after the skin is released, they should keep a close eye on the sales data, and the design direction of subsequent skins can be adjusted based on the sales ranking.
Whichever hero's skin sells the best, that hero will be given priority for the next skin.
Zhou Mingzhe replied, "Understood, data-driven."
Meanwhile, user research and discussions on the initial campaign plan also began in South America.
Unlike in Europe and South America, players there have diverse tastes, but generally have a strong preference for localized content.
Zhou Mingzhe suggested adding some loading screens and emoticons with local cultural symbols when the product is launched. This would not cost much but could bring the product closer to the players.
The operations department quickly produced two versions of the plan.
The first version was inspired by Brazilian football, and included several football-themed avatar frames and kill effects.
The second version combines visual elements of Argentine tango and the Mexican Day of the Dead, with a more intense color scheme.
After reviewing both versions of the proposal, Lu Ran chose one and added some natural landscape elements, using the outlines of the Amazon rainforest and the Andes Mountains as the background image for the loading screen, so that players could feel a sense of belonging as soon as they entered the game, thinking "this was made for us".
Zhou Mingzhe said this direction was good and asked the operations department to refine the plan according to this idea.
The official launch in South America is scheduled for two weeks from now. Although it's a slow-burning market, as long as we build a good reputation early on, growth will only accelerate later.
Just as Lu Ran was preparing to make her next plan, Chen Mo called, his tone much more urgent than usual.
"Something's happened at Tencent," Chen Mo's voice came through the receiver, carrying a tense, suppressed tone. "Director Liu was taken away for internal questioning last night. I don't know the specifics, but this morning Tencent sent a strongly worded email to the company mailbox, copying a large number of people. The gist of it is that all previous negotiations are null and void, and we're going back to the original plan. They've given us a deadline of one week for a response."
Lu Ran leaned back in his office chair, pausing the pen he was twirling in his hand.
He had thought that Tencent would eventually notice Liu's unusual behavior, but he didn't expect it to happen at this time.
The Middle East server had just launched, South America hadn't officially launched yet, and the contracts with the three companies in Europe had just been signed not long ago. The entire company's energy was focused on the follow-up progress of overseas expansion.
This timing is indeed the best window for the opponent to play their cards.
"Send me a full copy of the email," Lu Ran said.
Chen Mo said, "Okay, I'll transfer it to you right away."
Two minutes later, Lu Ran received a forwarded email in his inbox.
He opened it and read it from beginning to end; the wording was much harsher than in the previous letters.
Although the wording is still in the format of a business letter, the implication that "this is our bottom line" is impossible to hide between the lines.
The email ended with a statement that "if no clear response is received within one week, Tencent reserves the right to make technical adjustments to the WeChat login interface."
Lu Ran stared at that sentence for a few seconds.
"Technical adjustment" is a rather subtle way of putting it.
In layman's terms, if a new contract isn't signed according to our terms within a week, the WeChat login interface will malfunction.
As for what the problem is, whether it's a slow login speed or an inability to log in at all, the interpretation rests entirely with the other party.
He closed the email, leaned back in his chair, picked up the glass on the table, took a sip of water, and started doing calculations in his mind.
The pre-binding progress of TUTU numbers has covered more than 70% of active users.
Although the remaining 30% did not bind their TUTU numbers, most of them left their mobile phone numbers as backup contact methods.
If Tencent really cuts off the WeChat login interface at this time, some users will be unable to log in in the short term, but the impact will not be as great as it was six months ago.
The data migration plan was prepared well in advance, and three different versions of the announcement template were prepared in advance, so the operations team can start the response process at any time.
He sent messages to Zhou Mingzhe and Chen Mo, asking them to come to his office.
The two arrived quickly, entering one after the other. After sitting down, they both looked at Lu Ran, waiting for him to speak first.
Lu Ran briefly summarized the contents of Tencent's email and then shared his own judgment.
Zhou Mingzhe was the first to speak. He said that the pre-binding process currently covers about 75% of active users, and the remaining 25% can log in temporarily through mobile phone number verification.
If Tencent really cuts off the interface, the worst-case scenario is the loss of some users who did not bind their TUTU number or leave their mobile phone number, with the proportion being approximately between five and eight percent.
This number is not small, but it is not unbearable either.
Chen Mo then spoke, his judgment being more cautious than Zhou Mingzhe's.
He felt that Tencent's actions this time were not simply to force TUTU to make concessions, but rather to demonstrate a tough stance to the outside world while carrying out an internal purge.
They have already characterized Director Liu's actions as a dereliction of duty to some extent, and they need to counteract the impact this incident has on their internal management authority by demonstrating a tough stance to the outside world.
Even if TUTU accepts all of the other party's conditions in this situation, it may not necessarily result in a stable cooperative environment.
Because Tencent may make more new demands in the future.
After listening to the two people's analysis, Lu Ran remained silent for a while, then put down his pen and said, "Then I'll accept the challenge."
"Although the pre-binding progress isn't 100%, that shortfall won't affect our core user base. Even if the remaining users can't log in for a short period, they can re-bind their TUTU accounts via phone number and email verification. Previously, we worried that users would find it too troublesome to do so, but now with the commemorative accounts, that concern has greatly lessened."
"Since Tencent has chosen this moment to make its move, let's take this opportunity to fully implement the independent login system for TUTU accounts. Publish the announcement now; the wording doesn't need to be too harsh, but the attitude must be clear. The gist should be that due to the unilateral change in our partner, TUTU will do its utmost to ensure a normal gaming experience for all players, and we recommend that players who haven't yet linked their TUTU accounts complete the process as soon as possible to avoid future login issues. Put the players' interests first."
Zhou Mingzhe added from the side, "If Tencent really cuts off the interface, how do we plan to deal with the media?"
Lu Ran thought for a moment and said that he would wait until he really broke up with him before making any predictions.
He sat down at his desk, turned on his computer, and began to read today's technical operations report.
Zhou Mingzhe and Chen Mo had already gone to arrange their respective tasks, and he sat quietly in the office for a while.
His phone screen lit up briefly, and he glanced at it to find that it wasn't a reply from Tencent, but rather a detailed report from the operations team on the first day of skin sales in the Middle East.
He clicked on it and saw that the sales of those desert-themed skins were much higher than expected, with some of them already matching the sales records of skins released in Europe during their first week.
This is only the first day of the Middle East server launch. If the subsequent localized content and holiday events keep up, the data can continue to rise.
He put his phone on the table and glanced at his email again.
The read receipt for that Tencent email is still lying quietly in my inbox.
He closed his email page and opened a new document, at the beginning of which he typed: "TUTU User Independent Login System - Emergency Switching Plan - Implementation Version".
This version is more substantial than the draft he made last month, with several additional details regarding user notification times and methods, as well as customer service response procedures.
He didn't rush to continue writing. Instead, he scanned the document from beginning to end to make sure no key points were missed. Then he saved and closed the document, leaned back in his chair, and stared out the window at the gloomy winter sky of Shanghai for a while.
Lu Ran knew that the next week would be the truly crucial window.
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