37. progress
Will Wright has been a game producer since the 80s, and in his journey of game development, he has delved into the unpredictable science behind creating them. Each game is a new creation crafted by creators who pour their entire being into a particular game.
I have studied game designs for a month to respond to Billy Carson, a child, and his company Lux Comics, who arrived with a fantastic proposal over thirty days ago, breaking all the molds that Electronic Arts has desired since its inception.
Recently, he had an enthusiastic meeting with the entire production team and, together with his brilliant illustrators, they are seeking to unravel whether it is feasible for the company to develop this game. They consider factors like finances, development capabilities, and most importantly, satisfying their paying players. No more selling recycled games like Atari did during the market saturation of 1983.
Therefore, despite having a strong initial proposal for the game being developed, a good idea alone is not sufficient for the gaming industry, especially in this era. There are a series of possibilities that cannot be addressed at the moment, and the company's future cannot be risked, even with its love for video games.
The reasons behind this decision are twofold. First, due to the limited technological advancements of the time. Game production requires computer skills, and nowadays, the tools that facilitate this industry are ten times more complex. Second, due to the industry's contempt during this era, given the significant collapse it has experienced over the years.
-Therefore, it is not possible to proceed with the game. At Electronic Arts, we regret that we cannot establish a long-term relationship, but this is the nature of things. At this moment, the company cannot accept the contract proposal, - said Mr. Wright.
With regret and a hint of sadness in his heart for this missed opportunity, he decides to move on from this relationship that could have generated great profits. Above all, it's about Electronic Arts and its future in the gaming industry.
-Yes, sir, it's a shame that as a company, we cannot collaborate with Lux Comics. I hope to have some contact in the future. The company is always willing to establish a relationship with Electronic Arts, - Anne said, feeling a bit disheartened by the bad news.
-Very well, if possible, we would be delighted, - Will Wright remarked.
-Mr. Wright, before you go, perhaps you could tell us about some people who could help us fulfill our purpose, - Anne asked.
-I will send you some names, although I can only do that. There is no guarantee that they will decide to produce your game, - Will Wright said.
-That would be great news for me to hear. - Anne said. - Do you know my fax number so you can send me the information? -
-Don't bother, I will call you or have my secretary send you the contact details of those companies that can help you create those games. Additionally, I will provide you with a letter of recommendation. Give me a week to sort out this little matter, Miss Anne, - Will mentioned.
-Perfect, without further ado, I will eagerly await your call, - Anne responded.
Based on their research, companies that had a good reputation during this era were Sega of America, which has a presence in the country and could serve as a launching pad. Atari Games, although uncertain of the potential outcomes due to the numerous setbacks the company has faced, and Nintendo of America, although not necessarily a game producer, the contact could lead them to Japan, the birthplace of video games.
Factory production has multiplied, and they aim to double the entire production to meet the demand. They lost some money by rescuing Dark Horse Comics, which has caused a series of inconveniences and has been a headache to resolve. The production chain is less profitable, and the shipment has reduced profits.
As the Carsons arrived at the company, only the owner of the company would enter with such enthusiasm. Mr. Thomas Carson, father, and representative of Billy, had been postponing discussions on non-urgent matters until his beloved little genius returned.
-Anne, it's a pleasure to see you! - Billy said.
-Likewise, who would have thought that two weeks away from the company, and the world would almost come crashing down, - Anne sarcastically remarked.
-Oh, come on!" Billy said. - You're an intelligent person with great abilities, - Billy added.
-Well, come to the conference room. I have some important things to discuss, - Anne said.
The Carsons followed her closely, with hesitant looks on their faces.
-Well, now that everyone is here, we have received a profit of one million two hundred thousand dollars ($1,200,000) for December 5th, 1989, not counting the deductions for taxes, -Anne announced.
-Wow! That's a lot of money, - Billy exclaimed. - What are the sales statistics? Where is all this money coming from? - Billy questioned, almost incredulous about the sudden increase in revenue.
-Well, it's obvious from the comic book sales. Almost all of our characters have been selling one after another non-stop. Even if we increase production on a small scale, it wouldn't be enough. We need to buy another printing machine to keep up with production or enlist the services of Mike Richardson. We have tax exemptions due to officially having twenty employees, - Anne explained.
-Well, let's buy a machine," Billy suggested. "But let's not increase the number of employees too much. With twenty employees, can we make it work if we buy another printing machine? - the young man asked.
-With twenty-four employees, you can operate four production lines per employee, - Anne replied. - However, we need a supervisor who knows order processing, and employee protocols, and can handle the workload better than I can, - she added.
-Done, I will post the job offer at the employment agency and in the newspaper, - Thomas said.
-So, how will the company's expenses be allocated? - Anne asked.
-Well, a $200 bonus for the employees and a $500 bonus for you. Set aside enough money for a machine. We will look for companies that are bankrupt or facing financial problems and inquire about purchasing their equipment. Also, arrange for the necessary repairs and renovations to the factory and its facade, - Billy explained.
-Noted. Will you do something about the lot? There's plenty of free space, and it would be good to maintain it, - Anne suggested.
-Right, make the necessary arrangements for the surroundings,- Billy agreed. - By the way, how much space do we currently occupy in the factory? - he asked.
-Well, we only use what used to be the loading warehouse. So, we have the entire office area in the rear, which consists of three floors, and an events hall on the top floor. That accounts for almost 70% of the premises. We only utilize a small portion of the factory, - Anne replied.
-Hmm, I see, -Billy pondered. - Sometimes, it's more cost-effective to demolish and rebuild. -
-Let's do as usual: keep a financial cushion of $100,000 in savings at the bank, pay the salaries for this month, and take care of the necessary structural repairs, - Billy instructed.
-The rest can be reinvested in stocks, - Billy continued.
-Wait, about that, I conducted a study on the companies you previously highlighted, and I have an idea, although I don't see many good opportunities. But you're the boss, - Anne mentioned.
-Can you give me the data and names of those companies? I don't remember them all," Billy asked.
-Microsoft's stock is priced at 49 cents per share. Apple's shares are valued at 98 cents each, - Anne stated.
She paused as she reviewed the data.
-Walmart Stores Inc. has a price of $4.30 per share, - Anne added.
-Well, buy as much of those stocks as you can. Hmm... How much money can we invest in stocks? - Billy asked.
-Around $800,000, although it's not advisable to invest in such a volatile market, - Anne replied.
- That much! - Billy sighed.
- Well, our numbers are stable, - Anne said, smiling.
-Make the bonus double. It's the end of the year, and Christmas is approaching. Everyone wants to spend a little, - Billy suggested.
-Invest $200,000, $65,000 in each stock, - Billy instructed.
- So, $65,000 in Microsoft stocks, $65,000 in Apple stocks, and $65,000 in Walmart stocks,- Anne summarized.
-Yes, - Billy confirmed.
- Son, are you sure you want to invest nearly $200,000 in stocks of companies that don't have a good growth outlook? - Thomas questioned.
-Absolutely, - Billy replied resolutely. - Oh, wait, invest an additional $65,000 in WorldCom, - he added.
-Noted, - Anne said.
-There would still be $500,000 left. Do you want to save it in the bank or... - Anne started to ask.
-Invest it in real estate, - Billy interrupted. - What do you think, Father? I'm thinking of buying a house in Los Angeles for our next trip, - he said.
-That's a good idea, but the real estate agent hasn't found a suitable offer. The price is quite high, - Thomas explained.
-Well, let's invest in San Jose then. How about a residential building? - Billy suggested.
-I don't think that's a good idea, son," Thomas responded. "Let me handle it. I'll work with the real estate agency to find some interesting properties. Who knows, maybe I'll come across something intriguing, -he added.
-No, Dad, I almost forgot. There's a new company called Pixar, and I'd like to invest in them. You know, propose a business investment to them. It's simply perfect, - Billy said.
-Pixar? - Thomas questioned.
-Yes, they specialize in 3D animation. It would be great if we could invest with them,- Billy explained.
-Well, that's my job, - Anne chimed in. - I'll call Pixar and see what I can arrange, - she said.
The December meeting concluded.
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