Zhang Tianxing and Gao Ningning exchanged a glance. Gao Ningning nodded slightly. Dingdang was right; this was the current state of Tianxing Network Company.
The company had hired many newcomers, but they were all apprentices, with few skilled masters.
This wasn't an issue of money. Zhang Tianxing had always believed in paying high salaries. What he lacked most was talent, and he would offer commensurate treatment to any talent.
However, Tianxing Network Company's reputation was still too small. Without the boost from Legend's fame, even fewer people would have joined.
Even so, they had faced countless dismissive looks during recruitment.
"A company that develops proxy games has no future. It's just a reseller. The technology and patents belong to others. Fortunes change, and who knows what the next year's online game craze will be."
Although Legend was incredibly popular, game companies didn't have high hopes for its future. They had analyzed Legend for a long time.
Legend's only advantage was its simplicity and directness, making it easy for even novices to survive in the game.
But they couldn't praise anything else.
From a core content perspective, much of it was plagiarized from Diablo, and the number of professions was too few.
In short, in their eyes, Legend was garbage, yet this garbage firmly held the top spot in gaming.
Gao Ningning, being an insider, knew about these rumors. The more they said this, the more it proved one thing: they were envious and jealous. They couldn't understand why Legend was so popular.
"Sister Ning, we can talk about hiring later. We have money, so hire freely," Zhang Tianxing whispered to Gao Ningning.
Then he turned to Dingdang and Ding Sanshi, "Mr. Ding, Boss Dingdang, coincidentally, you want to develop traditional Chinese online games, and I also want to create a high-quality game. It seems our goals are the same, which makes things difficult."
Zhang Tianxing put on a troubled expression. "Mr. Ding, as a titan of the industry, your personal visit here means I should, by all accounts, agree to your request. However, this is also our dream. I also want to create a high-quality game and help Chinese online games go global."
Zhang Tianxing made his stance very clear: You want to develop traditional Chinese online games, and I also want to create a high-quality game. I'm not just a game proxy company; I am a new generation with ideas and ambitions.
Ding Sanshi was taken aback. He could sense the sincerity in Zhang Tianxing's words. He said with a solemn expression, "But you're going abroad to study and exchange. You won't have time to manage the company. Will the game engine be wasted in your hands? Time waits for no one; one step behind means every step is behind."
He continued, "Our company is about to go public. Once we do, we'll have upgraded significantly. We'll show you the power of our 'Italian cannons'!" His words were filled with pride.
The people around looked at Ding Sanshi with envy. There was no way around it; going public was the glorious moment for an internet company.
Ding Sanshi's original intention was to persuade Zhang Tianxing to hand over the game engine. NetEase was now strong and well-staffed. If all went well, NetEase would ring the bell on NASDAQ this June.
By then, NetEase would have even more abundant funds. If a mediocre company going public could create a group of billionaires, NetEase could only be stronger.
Ding Sanshi had this confidence, coupled with his extreme optimism about the future of online gaming. He believed it was a blue ocean. If they could create their own branded games, the money earned would last for generations.
"Mr. Ding, you want to make games, and I want to make games. Are we going to cooperate on games together?" Zhang Tianxing chuckled.
Upon hearing Zhang Tianxing's words, Ding Sanshi and Dingdang exchanged glances. Ding Sanshi remained silent for a moment and said, "How about this, President Zhang? Let's discuss it. After all, game development is a team effort. How would two teams cooperate?"
This concern was understandable, but Zhang Tianxing had another plan. The game engine wouldn't sell for much, perhaps not even as much as he earned in a day.
Zhang Tianxing was thinking about whether he could invest with the game engine and obtain a share of the profits from the new game NetEase developed.
Dingdang's face showed doubt. "President Zhang, forgive my bluntness, but if you were in China, you might be able to create a high-quality game. But with you away, I think the possibility of you creating a garbage game is higher."
"All tomorrows are unknown. Everything in this world is not entirely dependent on our will and efforts. Therefore, the unknown tomorrow is even more worth striving to change. Whether we succeed or not, I believe, is not important. What matters is what we do along the way," Zhang Tianxing directly dished out some inspirational words.
It doesn't matter if you think I can't succeed. I know what I'm doing. I am responsible for my own life.
"Give us an office. I need to discuss some things with Dingdang," Ding Sanshi, whose plans were disrupted by Zhang Tianxing's maneuver, made a request to discuss first.
Zhang Tianxing waved his hand generously. "Alright, this office is yours to chat in. Director Gao, let's go to your office for a while."
Everyone left the room, leaving the office for Ding Sanshi and Dingdang.
"Mr. Ding, you won't agree to Zhang Tianxing's request, will you? Team cooperation is fundamentally impossible," Dingdang said earnestly.
However, the current problem was the difficulty of finding a game engine. They couldn't find a suitable one, and writing their own wouldn't achieve the desired effect. The main issue was their impatience. If they had this game engine, their new game could be released early next year.
Ding Sanshi's face was somber. "But Zhang Tianxing clearly doesn't want to sell it to us."
"Mr. Ding, this isn't like you. Hotmail didn't sell to you, and you developed one yourself. We think this is difficult this time. How about I contact a top headhunter and poach Li Qiang with a high salary? He has all the source code anyway, and it'll just be a lawsuit afterward," Dingdang, seeing Ding Sanshi's dilemma, couldn't help but suggest an idea.
This idea was quite bold. It was like the saying, "A forced melon isn't sweet, but it quenches thirst." This idea was audacious, but it was effective.
"We can consider it. Have someone quietly handle this matter. It must not be publicized," Ding Sanshi said in a low voice.
"I've thought about it. We still need to find a way to get the game engine, even if it means agreeing to some of Zhang Tianxing's conditions," Dingdang gritted his teeth. After thinking for a long time, he couldn't find a substitute game engine.
Now Dingdang deeply understood the meaning of "rarity breeds value." Zhang Tianxing, holding the game engine, had no worries about game development. Whether he developed it himself or sold the engine, he could advance or retreat at will.
Finding a suitable game engine was difficult. Ding Sanshi slapped his thigh and said fiercely, "Forget it. I'll see what conditions Zhang Tianxing proposes later before agreeing to let us use the game engine."