Rebirth of America, this is my time

Ethan admitted that he was actually very small-minded and very vindictive. If someone bullies him, he will record the corresponding time according to the degree.

For example, people like Nolan Bushnell and Don Valentine who take the initiative to grab the copyright will definitely be remembered for a lifetime, and there may be potential promoters like Disney...

He will also make an assessment of these people's behavior based on their involvement in the matter.

If it shows malice like the previous two, then I'm sorry, but these people will be on Ethan Jones's blacklist, but if it's just for business reasons like MCA, then Ethan also It will no longer extend to things that are not right for the person.

After all, there are too many covetous people in business, right?

If the 'thinking' of buying other people's achievements is also a sin...

Then there will be no innocent people in this world.

Of course, Ethan is not stupid, he will not take the initiative to ask, and Roy Disney has no intention of talking about the previous incident. When he led Ethan and Evelin to the upstairs parlor of the hotel hosting the Star Wars celebration banquet, he acted like a host and started chatting with a smile.

Mr. Jones, Ms. Johnson, although this is the first time we have met, I have known you before, because in the past few years, various media have often reported on your games and mentioned the new records you have set from time to time. Record, when Snake, Pac-Man, and Star Wars play successful songs on the North American continent again and again, your names will ring in my ears. That may be people's amazement. , but more like people’s joy…”

Roy Disney took out a pack of Marlboros from his T-shirt pocket and started a cigarette for Ethan very naturally. When he found Ethan smiling and refusing, he put it away decisively and went to the living room. Next to the wine cabinet, he took out a bottle of brandy as if it were cooked on his own and poured two glasses for the two of them.

When the amber liquid with the scent of apple appeared, Ethan, who took a few sniffs, felt that it was a bit outrageous, while Roy Disney returned to his seat with a smile and said: This is apple brandy from Calvados. It came to our country during the Normandy period.”

I heard that the computer company Mr. Jones invested in is called Apple?

So when I saw you at the banquet, I sent someone back to get the wine.

I hope you like it too.

Oh - thank you - Ethan raised his eyebrows in thanks and took a simple sip.

Well, this slightly sweet taste should be the type that Xiao Qiao likes.

Ethan was unwilling to extend the topic, so Roy Disney didn't force it. After a few simple words of courtesy, he also mentioned the purpose of today's meeting, which was to seek cooperation.

Perhaps you two should have heard that we at Disney had contact with Atari as early as 1975. At that time, we, or rather I, wanted to acquire Atari because I felt that the gaming industry It will be a new channel for the development of film and television images. If some classic animated characters are made into games, it will bring huge benefits to us at Disney.

But unfortunately, I did not negotiate a cooperation with Nolan Bushnell and Don Valentine at that time, and with the development of several years, the current Star Wars has completely proved my original intention. The point of view is correct. When I got the arcade machine produced by your company, I already knew that the interesting games would definitely attract countless players into the theater. After I watched the movie, I knew better that watching movies People in the future will want to be Luke Skywalker with a lightsaber and defeat the evil Darth Vader with their own hands, and Star Wars games are the best channel.

Roy Disney, holding a glass of wine, said with a smile: Now, the whole of Hollywood is very envious of George Lucas, because he not only made a successful movie, but also invited the most knowledgeable electronics person on the planet. The game guy did a huge job promoting his movie. When both the movie box office and game revenue soared, everyone, including me, was eager to replicate their success.

so……

I'm coming.

Roy Disney stated his thoughts straightforwardly, and Ethan quietly praised him for not wasting time, but as for the content he proposed...

Ethan wasn't really that interested.

The reason is simply that Disney’s cartoon characters are too special.

Take the most classic Mickey for example. When Mickey’s stickers were put on the outside of bombers by American soldiers in WW2, it was no longer a simple mouse! After Walt Disney personally drew a promotional poster with Mickey as the model, Mickey became an indelible symbol that has been integrated into the spiritual life of American people!

When an image becomes a symbol...

Everyone knows that this thing represents endless money!

And working with brands that have already achieved success?

Isn’t that just being kicked in the head by a donkey!

The cooperation proposed by Roy Disney is different from the commission from George Lucas. The former is to rely on his own brand Niubi to make money in the game industry, while the latter is to fight against the odds. Want to rub off on his Ethan Jones popularity.

When the demands of both parties are different, the distribution of benefits becomes a problem.

More importantly, the entire cooperation was thankless for Ethan.

If the cooperation is successful, it will be the brand that makes the big money.

If the cooperation fails, the producer will definitely be scolded.

In this case, Ethan Jones will only cooperate with Disney if he criticizes it like crazy!

Of course, it was impossible for Ethan to say this directly.

As Roy Disney finished speaking and Ethan Jones fell silent, the huge living room suddenly fell into a strange silence. Roy Disney looked at Ethan with a smile, waiting patiently for his answer. Evelin, knowing that her brother had no idea, took over the topic——

Sorry, Mr. Roy Disney, the cooperation you proposed is a bit difficult for us, and we may not be able to come up with a definite answer for the time being.

Evelin smiled and said: “Because we don’t know much about animation.”

“I’ve only been exposed to science fiction a little bit so far.”

We were also very new to the way Hollywood was run.

After hearing my words, you may be very confused. You may think that whether it is animation or science fiction, it is just an element of the game.

But what I want to say is that the gap between the two is very big. The latter is like painting on a white paper. You only need to use your imagination, while the former has factual reference. When your company's animated image When it is deeply rooted in people's hearts, the creation of games must be cautious...

His sister's words made Ethan smile and nod.

It's true, Mr. Roy Disney. Game production is actually very troublesome.

“It can’t be made just by setting up a project.”

Especially the kind of cooperation you mentioned, it requires long-term demonstration.

Oh - really - Roy Disney nodded slightly.

I understand, I understand.

He seemed to have been convinced by the two of them, but then he got up and walked to the door of the living room.

He opened the door and waved to the assistant guarding the door.

Soon, a black briefcase appeared in his hands.

After sitting down again, he also showed the situation inside the bag to the siblings. The briefcase, which could hold many documents, only contained a transparent document bag with two postcards inside. From the outside, Nothing special, but if you look closely, you can see green snakes and ghosts are painted on them.

And that...

It was a gift given to the children during their last trip to Washington.

This display made Ethan laugh and cross his legs.

Evelin, on the other hand, leaned back and crossed her arms.

If I'm not mistaken, these should be your company's Snake and Pac-Man, right? Roy Disney opened the document bag with a smile and took out two postcards that were not very beautiful. came out, And as far as I know, this is Miss Johnson's work?

He cast a curious look at Evelin.

Yeah. Evelin admitted directly, nodding slightly.

The painting is good. Roy Disney gave his own evaluation.

Then, he changed the topic and said, If I guessed correctly, this should be the long-term argument from both of you, right? I didn't expect you to be very interested in Hollywood?

But this is normal. You are friends with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. With them around, it will definitely be very easy to enter Hollywood, isn't it?

On the surface, Roy Disney was asking the two men if their guesses were correct.

But the tone that said nothing could be said showed the inner affirmation.

Ethan didn't like Roy Disney's condescending attitude, and when he saw the winning smile blooming on his wrinkled cheeks, he no longer listened passively, but took the initiative to ask: Roy Disney Mr. Disney, I don’t think I understand what you mean.”

Oh - Mr. Jones - It seemed that he had caught Ethan's displeasure, but it was more like he knew that his behavior was a bit excessive, so after Ethan expressed his attitude, Roy Disney shook his head and said: Please Believe me, I have no ill intentions towards you two.

These two postcards are just my unexpected gains.

As you know, my father and my uncle have made the Disney company so big that when we get up every day, we face countless problems, big or small. And those problems may involve the entire American family. All departments, big and small.”

“Because there are a lot of things, there are a lot of people to deal with them, and with more people to deal with them, there will naturally be more news. For example, you should know the details of how Disney lobbied Congress to amend the copyright protection law. Regulations? These things have brought us into long contact with your professor Barbara's department, so seeing these gifts...

That's a really natural thing, isn't it?

Roy Disney raised his eyebrows at Ethan and Evelyn.

Although he was only describing the accident, there was a kind of power revealed between the lines.

The law is against me?

Then just change the law!

If its existence cannot protect my interests, what is the point of its existence?

Moreover, there is a more important point here...

That means he seems to know that their Destiny game has exploited a loophole in copyright protection?

Although this is not a big deal, it is too special to pretend to beep!

Well, that's how Ethan feels right now.

Admired!

Oh, Mr. Roy Disney, this is just a little gift for the children. Before Ethan could speak, Evelin handed the empty cup in her hand to Ethan.

The girl also saw that Roy Disney was hiding a knife in his smile, so she motioned to Ethan to pour herself a drink, and then... shut her mouth... and stop arguing for the time being.

“When Teacher Barbara told me that her colleagues around her liked our games very much, and the children at home also liked our works, we suddenly came up with the idea of ​​giving them some game-related gifts. . Evelin said with a smile: Just like you said, it was all an accident, because it happened very naturally. As for what you said about being interested in Hollywood...

I think the money our Destiny Game makes in one year is not enough to pay for one movie, right?

Hahahahaha—— Before Evelin could finish her words, Roy Disney laughed. He waved his hand and said, Oh, Miss Johnson, your words are a bit too much.

Although we all know that the film industry is a big gamble. No one knows whether a movie will be a real success before it is officially released. But if you say you can't afford this game? Others may think you are wrong. It makes sense, but...

Roy Disney raised the goblet on the table and drank the amber liquid in one gulp.

The alcohol that was over 40 degrees Celsius made his features suddenly tighten, but in an instant he returned to normal.

But I think you are being too modest. Roy Disney dropped the cup, crossed his fingers in front of him, and said, I have been paying attention to the video game industry since 1972. Five years have given me an in-depth understanding of this industry.”

I even dare to say that no one in this world knows more about video games than me!

‘? ? ? ’

‘WTF? ’

As soon as these words came out, Ethan almost stopped.

Because a red tie popped into his head.

Fortunately, he didn't laugh directly, because next, Roy Disney showed them a beautiful picture that may exist in the future——

“The first truly profitable video game in the world was Atari’s Pong.”

In three years, they sold eight thousand units.

A single unit sells for one thousand dollars, and the revenue here is eight million.

But according to incomplete statistics, the shipment volume of Pong arcade machine in our country should be around 12,000 to 15,000 units, because after Atari's plagiarism was successful, other companies also They have copied this product one after another, and this game has generated a total revenue of 200 million US dollars in our country, and the revenue from a single machine should exceed 13,000 US dollars!

That number looks scary, right?

For those merchants who bought the machine, the input-output ratio is thirteen times!

In the words of a certain European thinker, this profit can make a person die four times!

But starting in 1975, the numbers related to video games got even scarier!

Roy Disney patted his thigh and said with a smile: The best-selling video game in 1975 was your Snake.

Atari said that a total of 10,000 units were shipped, including many circuit boards, but is this number true or false? I am skeptical anyway.

Because when Snake was at its craziest, in the summer of 1975, the number of visitors to our Disneyland in California shrank! Both adults and children went to play your games. This behavior made I was so surprised! I even bought dozens of them to put in the park!

And in that year, the actual revenue generated by Snake should have been 300 million.

Ten thousand machines, an income of 300 million, what does this mean? This means that the money-attracting capacity of a single machine has tripled from the previous 13,000 US dollars!

Last year, it was even more terrifying. Your Pac-Man leveraged a market of 500 million yuan!

This year, Star Wars...

It will definitely be higher!

Roy Disney looked at the two men with pointed eyes.

Those cloudy pupils were filled with envy.

Seeing that the two of them had no intention of saying anything, he then said to himself: I don't know if you have a feeling, that is, the video game market is booming. Maybe in a few years, the output value of the video game industry will be as high as It will surpass all of Hollywood!

Or -

Traditional film and television entertainment will tremble in front of video games!

Because no matter how hard those of us who make film and television entertainment work, we can't catch up with the money-making pace of video games! You are not making money at all, you are robbing money!

Roy Disney continued to pour himself a glass of wine.

Then he raised his glass to Ethan and Evelin.

Seeing that Ethan shook his head and refused to drink, and Evelin took a polite sip, he raised his neck again and drank it all in one gulp, and continued: I have proof for what I said.

Mr. Jones, you just said on stage that the box office of Star Wars can reach 500 million? Although I don't know what your basis is, I now assume that this prediction will become a reality.

How long will it take for Star Wars to reach 500 million at the box office?

One year, two years, three years?

Five years, eight years, ten years?

This must be a long-term screening process, even through several rounds of re-screenings.

Otherwise it would be impossible for it to get this box office amount!

But what about you?

'Pac-Man' makes 500 million a year!

That's a year!

Roy Disney's voice was trembling.

Because this is a number that no company in Hollywood can imagine!

But Ethan had something to say.

However, before he could speak, Evelin smiled and said first: Oh, Mr. Roy Disney, your basis is a bit biased. Although our Pac-Man created five people in one year, It’s worth hundreds of millions, but most of the income has nothing to do with us.”

They were pocketed by the owners of the arcade machines.

In other words, they were made off by local manufacturers.

So, we are actually working for local manufacturers, right?

Yeah~Yeah~Yeah~ Evelin's words made Roy Disney couldn't help but nod, You're right, Miss Johnson. He agreed. But the next second, he smiled and said: But that's only temporary, right? The profit you are giving away now is just to cultivate the market.

In the future, maybe in the next few years, you will earn more.

I don't understand what you mean. Evelin turned her head and glanced at Ethan.

Ethan also showed his confusion very well.

Roy Disney saw the stupid expressions of the two of them, and at the same time he laughed and said: Oh, you two, I said, I must be the person who knows the most about video games in the world now.

I said you can make more money because Milowa and Atari are heading in the right direction.

Home video game consoles are the real way for game companies to make money!

After you mature the market, you will definitely launch your own home console!

Next-

That's making money.

Games like Pac-Man and Star Wars aren't expensive at 19.9 yuan, right?

If you sell one million copies, that's a profit of 19.9 million!

If you sell 10 million copies, that's 199 million!

And I think your game can sell at least 20 million copies in our country!

As for the reason...

Roy Disney held out two fingers, First, it's because you already have a group of fans. Is there anyone in the country who doesn't know that your game is fun?

second……

It's because you have no enemies! Atari and Milohua have been beaten to pieces by you! When the top management has been replaced, it will take a certain amount of time to return to the previous state! As for continuing to fight against you? If they have brains If it wasn’t broken, they wouldn’t be doing this kind of thing!”

If I have to use a metaphor, after the launch of the home console, your machine is like a mobile Disneyland, able to continuously draw profits from the hands of adults and children!

Wow-- Roy Disney's words made Evelin exclaim.

The girl looked at Ethan with a smile and said, So we are so powerful now?

Why don't I know?

I don't know either.

Ethan shrugged, Maybe it's because we don't have Disneyland?

Having said that, Ethan was secretly surprised that Roy Disney might have really seen the true nature of the matter. The reason why he can't wait to defeat the new machines of Atari and Milova is that he wants to seize the new high ground of home consoles.

That is indeed a market bigger than Hollywood, or...

There are only a few legitimate trillion-level markets.

And those who steal money quickly...

Even less.

Mr. Roy Disney, I think I understand what you mean. Ethan said: You are very optimistic about the video game market, so you want to join it, right?

Yes, but no.

Now that Ethan was willing to talk, Roy Disney directly stated the deal he wanted to do, We want to join it, but we don't know how to make games ourselves, and we are even less willing to ask others to make games, because we know , you are the best people we can find.”

“So commissioning collaboration, that’s what we want to do right now.”

And the remuneration... we also want to pay it in another form.

He picked up the postcard on the table and said: 'Snake' and 'Pac-Man' are indeed two good characters. If you leave them to Disney, we can make you more money.

“We can create a story for them and animate them to enhance their impact.”

After all, in the eyes of the public, they are just characters being manipulated. We have to put a friendly coat on them, so that the characters on paper can become three-dimensional.

After that, whether it's making toys or dolls or selling clothes and accessories, it will be a very natural thing. For example, your family runs an orchard and grows navel oranges? Then don't export them. It can be processed directly on site, whether it is orange juice or soda, and then labeled with the orange from Pac-Man and released for sale...

“This kind of derivative is very profitable!”

Or, doesn't the little green snake in Snake eat apples?

You can also make apple-flavored juice or soda, or apple pie, and other apple-related products, and then put the snake logo on the outer packaging.

With a complete story, I guarantee your products will sell out!

If you are still worried, I can even sign a guarantee contract with you on behalf of Disney!

All your derivatives can be sold in Disneyland!

We at Disney only charge ten points for the venue fee, the rest is yours!

As long as you are willing to accept our game business orders!

How about it--

Do you want to do it or not?

At this point, Roy Disney sat up straight.

As if he had sobered up from alcohol, he looked at the two of them with burning eyes.

And on his face...

Money written all over it!