บท 156: Chapter 156: Poking at Your Lungs! - Part 1
After hanging up with Spielberg, Ethan took the suggestion to heart and dialed the number of his contact at Fox, the project manager for "Star Wars."
It was that hefty individual who had questioned in the screening room whether the movie could be released.
Upon learning that Ethan was seeking assistance, the voice on the other end of the line expressed surprise, "Oh Ethan! We always thought silence was your strategy…"
Though the "Star Wars" game served as soft promotion for the film, neither Ethan nor Fox had set specific terms regarding the game's production and promotion when the contract was signed. Ethan didn't want to hand over his game to Fox for promotion, believing it to be his own project, while Fox didn't wish to meddle in the game's publicity uninvited.
The reason was straightforward.
Firstly, they believed there was no saving "Star Wars," viewing themselves as merely riding on its coattails. Being in a weaker position, they chose not to direct or interfere.
Secondly, Hollywood harbors an unwritten rule of idolizing the successful. If someone continues to succeed, they are blindly supported.
Though Ethan had only emerged two years ago, his two blockbuster games had already met this superstition. When Ethan insisted on handling his game himself, Fox wouldn't even dare to squeak.
Thus, no matter the noise outside or how bizarre Ethan's actions seemed, they could remain calmly seated, fishing, for in their eyes, Ethan had a plan all along.
However, their astonishment surfaced when they realized Ethan hadn't been indifferent; he had simply been untouched by Hollywood's offensive tactics. Of course, their surprise was momentary, and they quickly regained professionalism as Spielberg had described.
"Ethan, we fully support your idea of responding with a game."
"Since Magnavox and Atari have already stirred the pot, announcing now that Destiny Game has completed the design of a new product, soon to hit the market, I believe, will garner more attention from the North American public than usual promotions."
"Of course, I admit, your response at this time is also advantageous for us. When people learn your new game is called 'Star Wars,' inspired by Lucas's film, we at Fox can use this collaboration to negotiate with North American theaters for more screenings of the 'Star Wars' movie."
"However, these are ideal states. Before you officially respond, we want to know how far along your game's production is? We seek detailed information because, for us in Hollywood, every product is unique and requires a special approach in promotion."
"Take Atari and Magnavox, for example. Why do they wish to strike you in public opinion? It's because they know, despite their machines' quality, they can't produce a game to rival 'Pac-Man.' Thus, only by undermining you in public opinion can they hope to truly capture attention and support for purchases."
The manager's words brought a smile to Ethan's face.
Although this guy's judgment on films might not have the keenness of world-renowned directors, his handling of Hollywood promotions pleased Ethan.
Since Magnavox and Atari were determined to drag him down, why not go with the flow and seize the heat they've generated?
Oh—
Ethan liked this idea! So, he answered the manager's inquiries.
When Fox learned that "Star Wars" was steadily progressing, with only a minor feature away from completion, and that a playable demo was already available...
The excitement from afar in Los Angeles was palpable. Taking only five hours to drive to Palo Alto, the manager was eager to assess the game's quality.
After witnessing the high completion of the first test version, sans collision algorithms, the relentless combat gameplay and unceasing pressure had him immediately grabbing a joystick and diving into play on an APPLE II.
And that session lasted...
Three hours!
If not for Ethan calling him to lunch, he might have sat there for more hours, playing till the end of time.
"Oh Ethan—this game is damn fun!"
"Though simpler than 'Pac-Man,' just controlling the Millennium Falcon to shoot spaceships, with their paths being fixed and only varying in speed, there's a magic to it that keeps me on edge and playing non-stop!"
"Oh right! Every time the Millennium Falcon destroys a wave of enemies, the attacks from the Galactic Empire's ships are interesting too! Their firing made me feel like I wasn't battling a machine. It's as if there's a real person on the other side of the screen wanting to take me down!"
Such words left Ethan grinning broadly.
After all, few can resist the praise of their peers.
However, as he began to inquire whether the counterattack with a game could be immediately scheduled, Fox's hefty manager shook his head, directly dismissing the idea.
"No, Ethan, I wouldn't recommend that."
"Why?" Ethan didn't understand.
"Because there's a problem with your game," he said with a smile. "If I'm not mistaken, your game
is inspired by 'Spacewar,' isn't it?"
'?'
Ethan frowned slightly, "You think 'Star Wars' is inspired by 'Spacewar'? Oh—those two games are completely different!"
"'Spacewar' is a two-player combat game where players control different spaceships in space, and the game ends once one player defeats the other. 'Star Wars,' on the other hand, is a defense game facing endless enemies!"
"The gameplay of these two games is clearly different!"
"How could that be considered imitation?"
Ethan was puzzled.
In his view, Fox's hefty manager fundamentally misunderstood the description of "Star Wars."
Because from any perspective, 'Spacewar's gameplay is PvP, whereas 'Star Wars' or 'Space Invaders' is PvE. When these two games are essentially different, considering one an imitation of the other would indeed be absurd.
That just doesn't make sense!
Yet, faced with Ethan's query, the manager smiled, "Ethan, are you angry? This is exactly what you'll face when you release your game through normal channels."
"You will face such skepticism."
"We said earlier, respond with a game. There's no issue with that statement."
"But the real problem is, once you publicly release your game, your opponents will seize on any issue to aggressively attack."
'?'
Ethan still didn't understand.
Fox's hefty manager wasn't in a rush, continuing, "Ethan, please recall, who is the founder of Atari, your competitor now stepping on you to rise?"
"Nolan Bushnell," Ethan quickly answered.
"Before founding Atari, did he not imitate 'Spacewar'?"
"Yes," Ethan nodded. "And he also faced a debacle in that project…"
Before Ethan could finish, Fox's manager clapped his hands, "That's the crux!"
"When your competitor has made space games before, then to them, or to Warner behind them, your similar product is imitation!"
"They will viciously attack you, claiming you copied their or predecessors' creativity!"
"Countless media will proclaim you've lost your source of inspiration! That you now only plagiarize others' works!"
"And the outcome of such matters?"
"To them, it's utterly irrelevant!"
"Because as long as they can tarnish your name, that's enough!"
"Don't think they're incapable of such actions. We at Fox have known them for years, and we've seen too many of these promotional tricks!"
"When killing the competition is the only way to gain the market—"
"They'll stab you without hesitation!"
Fox's hefty manager looked earnestly at Ethan.
The killing intent in his words sent a chill through Ethan.
Though he couldn't be certain if the manager's words were right or wrong, Ethan personally felt that if he did respond, what the manager said might indeed become reality.
After all, the endless disparagement showed him the shamelessness of big corporations.
As for suing for defamation?
Please, no jokes—
Once matters reach litigation, the plaintiff has already lost.
Because a lawsuit takes time, and even if won, the optimal moment for product release has passed.
And the public is forgetful.
A person's vindication only prompts a brief moment of reflection on past events, and then…
It's gone.
"Damn! These people are really tricky!" Ethan cursed in his mind.
Yet, he humbly sought advice, "So your suggestion is…"
"My personal advice is… let us at Fox handle the game's promotion," the manager said with a smile. "If you're willing to let us manage the publicity for this game, we can directly deal with these issues for you, and of course, you needn't worry about the cost…"
"We won't charge."
"Our only request is, if the game succeeds and boosts movie sales, then we hope, when George considers a sequel, you could speak on our behalf to Fox, allowing us to continue distributing the film."
"I know my proposal might seem odd, especially since I was the one who furiously cursed the film at the screening. But I must say, before seeing the game, I still didn't believe 'Star Wars' could be a hit. Yet, after playing your game, I began to doubt whether I truly understood the film."
"Because I can clearly feel, even without the 'Star Wars' name, your game would sell well. When you can associate a guaranteed blockbuster game with George's film, I think… you wouldn't commit those infuriatingly stupid acts…"
Ethan was surprised by this response.
He had always thought Fox was filled with hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
Otherwise, how could they repeatedly skirt the brink of bankruptcy in the past?
The infamous financial black hole "Cleopatra" was their production.
That film cost them their company's ground.
Though "Star Wars" became a national IP in North America, under their suffocating management, George Lucas was the biggest winner.
"Titanic" indeed set a new box office record, but Fox didn't monopolize the profits, nearly
collapsing under Cameron's direction before pulling in Paramount to share the benefits.
When such frustrating events piled up, people even wondered if the company was cursed.
But hearing the manager's request now…
Ethan thought they might just be unlucky.
Because when they realized things might exceed their expectations, they attempted to rectify.
As for Fox's offered help, Ethan gladly accepted.
After all, when Magnavox and Atari resorted to magic attacks, countering magic with magic was the best response.
Upon learning "Star Wars" could be officially packaged by April 15th, they decided to craft a promotional plan overnight.
As they parted, the manager said, "Mr. Jones, please check tomorrow's news from various media. I believe… they'll say some things unfavorable to you."
"Though you've not accepted interviews, sometimes, silence is the best response."
As the manager predicted, the next morning, Ethan Jones became the headline of various media outlets—
Some papers claimed his silence during interviews was due to the company's strategic lag;
Some said his evasive behavior indicated the inability to launch competitive products;
Some argued his resistance to interviews meant he knew the era of electronic arcades was over;
Some stated Ethan Jones, like a brilliant comet, appeared suddenly, bringing a brief joy before vanishing without a trace.
In that moment, Ethan Jones felt an odd sensation.
He felt like the media's beloved father.
If not, then…
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