Universe Infinite Canteen

The new National War Lord gameplay, along with free healthy snacks available just for playing, added even more fuel to the already booming Red Ridge.

In the next three days, the number of players surged again, reaching 190,000.

Baldy simply took over the chicken shop next door whose lease had just expired and transformed it into a game store that specializes in selling game discs, restocking by the truckload every day.

The reason for the switch from giveaways to sales was a suggestion from Ma Lu, the consultant.

He noticed an increase in second-hand dealers on Little Yellow Fish who were buying in bulk from Baldy and then upcharging players from other places who had heard about Red Ridge but didn't want to travel to City B to get the game discs.

The project team didn't really mind because they preferred having more players, and these dealers had opened up a new sales channel for them.

But Ma Lu was quite annoyed. After all the effort he had put into honest management, just when he was about to "harvest" the players, someone else was already doing it. How could he tolerate that?

So, he immediately went to find Baldy, requesting an increase in online sales channels and switching the game discs from giveaways to sales.

Baldy had also noticed the influx of players from other areas and was already scouting for courier partnerships to start a mailing service.

However, he was hesitant about charging for the discs, worried it might drive some players away.

Ma Lu clapped him on the shoulder, "I think we should have more confidence in our game. Look at Red Ridge; the modeling, the lighting, optimization, the amazing benefits, the high IQ of NPCs, the vast freedom, the inhumane monsters—how is any of this inferior to Elden Ring?

"Elden Ring, Hidetaka Miyazaki dares to charge 298, while we only charge 168 for Red Ridge, including postage. If you pick it up yourself, you get an additional 20 off for shipping – 148, practically the same as giving it away."

The gold medal producer Baldy was still hesitant, "But we are... after all, an online game, and the players are essentially working for us in the game..."

"So what if they pay to work? Isn't that the latest trend?" Ma Lu rebuked, frustrated, "Baldy, just because you come from the Abyss doesn't mean you get to be an exception. We need to adapt to local customs.

"And working isn't about feeling like work. It's about making players feel like it isn't work.

"The truth is, everyone isn't feeling like they're at work; they're enjoying the game immensely, making friends, and even finding love. Isn't that worth splurging 168 on?"

"Hmm, I'm not saying it's not worth it. I'm just worried that setting this threshold might deter some new players," Baldy scratched his bald head.

"If they're not willing to pay the admission, they're likely freeloaders, server parasites, unable to contribute to the revenue," Ma Lu mused internally. As a consultant, his goals didn't fully align with those of the project team.

To put it bluntly, the reason Ma Lu took this job was because of the immense business potential behind Red Ridge.

Per their cooperation agreement, Boss Ma helped the Red Ridge Project Team expand the player base and increase the game's online rate, while Baldy, based on the number of online players, shared the revenue generated from operating Red Ridge with Ma Lu.

With the current online numbers, Ma Lu was already entitled to all the operating revenue.

So next, he needed to think about how to further increase the pay rate (harvest more players).

And while it's called harvesting, selling a top-tier otherworldly masterpiece like Red Ridge for 168 really isn't greedy.

Mainly because compared to competitors—Red Ridge has no life seats, no loot boxes, not even monthly cards. It just sells skins occasionally.

Boss Ma also shared his treasured snacks with everyone, charging a mere 168 as an entry fee to recuperate funds—players would undoubtedly approve wholeheartedly.

But first, he needed to persuade Baldy, the producer, which wasn't too hard for Ma Lu as he soon organized a persuasive discussion.

"I looked at the latest report, and Red Ridge is excelling in all metrics. Our game is undoubtedly in a period of rapid development. However, I also noticed something—we've given out nearly 320,000 game discs, right? But the registration rate is less than half.

"It must be dealers hoarding the game discs," Baldy noted. "Remember, you saw people selling our discs on the trading app before?"

"Indeed, that's part of it, but I think it's also because our game has always been free."

"Really?" Baldy was skeptical.

"True. Every generation has its egg, and nowadays, young people like to collect free games everywhere. However, data shows that most people don't bother opening them after collecting.

"But paid games don't face this issue. Because once you've spent money, there's a notion of 'I've paid, I must get my money's worth.'

"So I think, although making Red Ridge a paid game might lead to a loss of some new players in the short term, in the long run, it would actually have positive effects on the game by increasing player retention and loyalty."

Eventually, Baldy was convinced, agreeing to switch the game discs from free to paid and also opening an online purchasing channel.

It wasn't released on Steam; instead, a link was pinned on forums because Ma Lu didn't want Steam taking a cut of the money.

The decision to make Red Ridge paid sparked a wave of discussion among players. Considering most players already had the game disc, there was not much animosity towards Baldy and the project team. Many even expressed their support.

From the first day the game server went live, people had been curious how the project team planned to profit.

Especially with the increasing number of online players, just paying for server rentals was a considerable expense, not to mention the high development costs of a game like Red Ridge.

Some calculated that revenue from selling skins probably wouldn't even cover the project team's weekly salary, plus the various benefits from partnered promotions with Universe Infinite Cafeteria.

Everyone was concerned that one day Baldy, the producer, might get his limbs removed by loan sharks.

Players are such endearing creatures; once they enjoy a good game, they automatically turn into shareholders, helping the gaming company calculate profits and losses, worrying about sustainable operations, or fearing that survival tactics might turn ugly.

Upon learning that Red Ridge was merely switching to a one-time charge, players praised the team's operational conscience and then debated whether the 168 price was too low considering Red Ridge's scale and freedom.

To make a profitable buyout, it seemed at least several million copies needed to be sold.

Watching the crowd rally together, strategizing and offering suggestions to boost Red Ridge's revenue, Ma Lu, the capitalist, was touched.

He asked the Gold Medal Producer to collect these suggestions. One way or another, he needed to pick a few to implement.

After all, in operations, it's crucial to take advice.