Back to 1995

Chapter 221

Almost within a day, ICQ made several consecutive moves, acquiring all game companies including Xueleshan, Blizzard, V Club, and Rockstar in one fell swoop, attracting the attention of the entire Internet and game industry!

The purpose of Song Yang and ICQ to enter the game industry is already obvious, without any concealment.

However, among them, Xueleshan has game sales channels, and Blizzard has game development capabilities. It is okay to say, but there are two game studios, V Agency and R Star, one has just been established, and the other is not famous at all. ICQ bought these two game studios. This game company really confuses others, what is the purpose of buying these two.

Not to mention other peers, even V Agency itself can’t think of it, just like Blizzard sold itself to Xue Leshan, the two founders of V Agency, Gabe Newell and Harrington, did not do much when facing the olive branch thrown by ICQ After thinking about it, he directly switched to ICQ's subordinates. Everyone knows the reason why it is good to enjoy the shade under the big tree.

Rockstar is in a daze. Under the BMG company, there is no burden on BMG to sell Rockstar. After all, Rockstar has not done anything, and now someone wants to buy it. BMG doesn't have much If you think about it, just sell it!
Affected by ICQ's heavy investment in the game industry, the valuations of companies in the game industry have generally soared, especially for game manufacturers such as Activision, EA, 2K, and Ubisoft, whose valuations have increased by more than ten percent.

As for ICQ's entry into the game industry, the outside world is also talking about it. The current game industry structure is basically in the post-game console era. With the popularity of computers, the peak of game consoles has quietly passed.

But because of the performance of computers and game developers, computer games are far inferior to consoles in terms of game experience and the number of games. The current game consoles are still at the end of the final peak, and the game industry is at the top of the food chain. , or Nintendo, Sony, Sega, and the rest of the game manufacturers, to put it bluntly, they all work for these three companies!

Now that Song Yang is suddenly aggressively attacking the game industry, people can't help but think about it, and there are even conspiracy theories that Song Yang is going to enter the game console.

But it is such outrageous rumors that there are still people who believe them. It is rumored that the acquisition of Blizzard, R Star, etc. is to develop games for the upcoming game consoles and avoid being choked by the three major game console giants. Xueleshan is for game console sales channels and so on.

Anyway, listening to the rumors of conspiracy theories, it seems to be very reasonable. Even Microsoft has begun to pay attention to this matter. Internally, Microsoft has always hoped to become "hard", but the computer manufacturer industry, Regard Microsoft as a scourge, and strictly prevent Microsoft from entering the computer manufacturing industry. If Microsoft makes a slight move, major computer manufacturers will jointly sue Microsoft for monopoly and threaten to refuse to install Microsoft system!

Computer manufacturing failed, and Microsoft did not give up on entering the hardware industry. In the past few years, Microsoft has contacted Sony, Nintendo, and Sega. They want to cooperate with these companies, but none of them are like Microsoft. Microsoft wants The desired "living room strategy" cannot be carried out at all.

Now seeing Song Yang and ICQ flexing their muscles over there, Microsoft couldn't help but feel a little excited again.

At the Microsoft headquarters in Seattle, this year, Bill Gates, who is in a good mood, watched his ally’s ICQ make a big splash in the game industry, and couldn’t help but asked Ballmer, “Our friend in Houston, who is he? Are you really going to enter the host industry?"

Bill Gates is quite satisfied with Song Yang, an ally. When the IE browser was in the most difficult time, he sold the Hotmail mailbox to Microsoft, so that the IE browser could gain a firm foothold in the Internet industry. , Then he tore Netscape with his hands, and gave Microsoft a bad breath.

Although some small actions, such as importing Hotmail mailbox users into ICQ, on Hotmail mailboxes, the price of cabbage is advertising for ICQ, American Telecom, Double-click, etc., to squeeze Microsoft's wool, but in general, Microsoft feels that Song Yang, an ally, is pretty good.

Now Microsoft has completely reversed the trend of competition with Netscape. In overseas markets, the market share of Microsoft's IE browser has reached an astonishing 85%. All new computer users basically use the IE browser that comes with the computer. device.

Bill Gates realized that bundling is really useful, how aggrieved Netscape is, how happy Bill Gates is here, especially in the past two days, I heard that rivals Anderson and Jim Clark humbly asked Wall Street Pleading for investors, wanting Wall Street to continue to support Netscape, two people who have always been proud, can do this kind of thing, which shows how far Netscape has come.

Ballmer glanced at Bill Gates. He wanted to tell Bill Gates that Netscape was almost driven crazy by Microsoft and was suing Microsoft all over the world. Accepted by the Federal Court, Judiciary, Trade Commission and other departments, it will be a big trouble for Microsoft.

But looking at Bill Gates who was determined to kill Netscape, Ballmer knew that it was useless to say these things, so he could only say, "I don't know yet, Bruno Song is not a person who plays cards according to common sense." !"

"However, now is not the time for Microsoft to compete with Nintendo and Sony in the game console market. It is impossible until Netscape is eliminated!"

Ballmer persuaded Bill Gates that even if Microsoft is rich and powerful, it is impossible to fight on the two fronts of the Internet and the game console industry at the same time. If one fails, it will fall into a quagmire.

Bill Gates nodded regretfully, knowing that Netscape is the most important opponent now. If Netscape is killed, Microsoft will control the access to the Internet, and the Internet is the most important one to Microsoft.

Shaking his head, Bill Gates still said unwillingly, "Looking at ICQ and the game console industry, the living room is what Microsoft must get. If Nintendo and their three game consoles are not willing to cooperate with Microsoft, other PC manufacturers are not willing to cooperate with Microsoft." If it is an OEM for Microsoft, then Microsoft will launch its own game console!"

Ballmer had no choice but to nod. Bill Gates is now at the peak of a man. Although Microsoft bowed to Sun, AOL and other companies last year, it was to kill Netscape. Once Netscape was killed, then Bill Gates is about to attack SUN with a backhand. No one can stop Bill Gates and Microsoft, who are at their peak, now, whether it is Netscape, or game console manufacturers like Nintendo!
The three founders of Blizzard, Mike Morhaime, Alan Adham, Frank Pierce, and some executives from Sierra Mountain, came to San Jose to meet the new owner.

Mike Mohuaimi and the others felt uneasy, feeling like they were waiting for a trial. ICQ suddenly acquired several game studios, which made the three of them feel a sense of crisis. I wonder if ICQ will be the same as other big companies. Splitting and reorganizing Blizzard, V agency, and Rockstar would be a catastrophe for Blizzard.

After arriving at the ICQ headquarters, Mike Morhaimi and others entered the office and saw several people already sitting inside. One of them was a tall and thin man wearing glasses. When he saw the three of them, he immediately stood up and told them Come, "Are you from Blizzard?"

Hearing Mike Morwaime, they are the founders of Blizzard, a man who is not fat at all, but a little thin, immediately said excitedly and enthusiastically, "I'm Gabe Newell!"

"That's Harrington, my partner at V Agency, Warcraft is one of my favorite games!" Gabe Newell said immediately when he saw Blizzard and the others.

The current Blizzard and V agency are naturally out of competition. V agency is just an unknown person. Gabe Newell even plays the game of Warcraft. Like countless game fans in America, he still has a feeling for Blizzard Somewhat sought after, but I don’t know if Gabe Newell will move bricks in World of Warcraft...

Mike Morwaime and others were also very surprised when they heard that Gabe Newell was from Microsoft, and he was one of the veterans of Microsoft, employee No. 271. They didn't know why Gabe Newell left Microsoft. Establish a V agency.

What makes Mike Morhaime, who has always been unbelieving, feel a little metaphysical is that he and Gabe Newell, who are four years apart, have the same birthday!
The trio of Blizzard met for the first time with the two founders of V Agency, and the conversation was quite good. Blizzard has already gained a good reputation, and V Agency has just entered the industry. Several people are now enthusiastic about games before entering this industry. Naturally There is something to talk about.

But the other two sitting in the conference room were a little bored. Sam Hauser and Dan Hauser were sitting in the conference room with a little confusion in their eyes. To be honest, they were very concerned about coming here. I was also a little confused, quite suddenly, they were still in BMG company, and they were suddenly sold to ICQ.

Sam Hauser has long hair, and he can tell he is playing rock and roll at a glance, but Dan Hauser is bald and doesn't look like a good guy, but in fact Dan Hauser is a literary youth who likes to read With writing, the style of the two brothers is completely different.

But looking at the meeting room, discussing the game, the Blizzard trio, the V agency golden partner, and the Rock star brothers are all a little bored. They still don't understand the current situation.

In the office next to the ICQ conference room, Song Yang, Irene, Wesley and other executives also met with two other people who came from afar.

"Ken Williams, Roberta, it's great to have you here!"

The two founders of Xueleshan were invited here today, and Ken Williams also looked at Song Yang in surprise, "To be honest, I can't believe that I was able to receive an invitation from ICQ! "

In the past, CUC International Company wanted to kick Xue Leshan and the two founders far away, but ICQ actually invited the two of them over, which is definitely beyond Ken Williams and Roberta. It is expected that the moment they received the invitation call from Irene, the two of them were a little suspicious for a while, whether they heard it wrong.

(End of this chapter)