PCJ – Chapter 740 Server Launch

Zhang Jiaohua and the others didn’t care much about the influence Immortal Dream (Xianxia Dreamscape) had on the players themselves, but instead valued the information collected at the experience centers.

Since the demo opened, the total number of participants had exceeded one hundred thousand. Over eighty percent of them were under twenty years old, and about thirty percent were teenagers under sixteen.

But the results were not as optimistic as expected. Among the more than one hundred thousand participants, not a single one with supreme cultivation talent appeared. Even those with high-grade talent were extremely rare—only three could be confirmed, with another four or five uncertain. About thirty or so had mid-grade talent. Low-grade talent wasn’t uncommon—an estimated thousand or more. But the vast majority either had no cultivation aptitude at all, or their aptitude was abysmal.

“Indeed, people with supreme cultivation talent are one in a hundred thousand,” Zhang Jiaohua sighed.

“If there were many with supreme talent, that would be outrageous. I think being able to find this many with high-grade talent is already not bad. And this test only involved a hundred thousand people. For a country with such a huge population base, that’s an insignificant number. I believe once the game spreads nationwide, we’ll definitely discover more people with supreme talent. And even more with high-grade. The real question is whether we can bring them all into the Meishan Sect,” Nie Tong said.

“That’s simple. Isn’t the Meishan Group brand attractive enough? We’ll set up our own schools, raise the talents we need from the ground up. From elementary school to university. After graduation, they can work directly for Meishan Group,” Ji Jiaxin suggested with a smile.

“That could work. And the candidates will all be screened from our Immortal Dream game,” Zhang Jiaohua nodded.

The outside world, naturally, focused more on the shockwaves the game was sending through the gaming industry. The Meishan Group’s achievements in medicine, automobile manufacturing, and machinery were already undeniable. Even if those couldn’t directly be applied to game development, public opinion wouldn’t dismiss them so easily. What’s more, nearly everyone who had tried the game praised it to no end.

“The biggest issue right now isn’t whether Meishan Group’s game is fun. Anyone who’s tried it knows that’s not the problem. The question is how strong Meishan Group’s technical support really is. I’ve heard Immortal Dream plans to put all players into a single, unified server with no divisions. That seems unprofessional. I don’t know how they’ll achieve this, but if millions of players log in simultaneously, what kind of server could handle that data load? Maybe Meishan Group has made another breakthrough, like with their new energy cars. We’ll only know for sure when Immortal Dream officially launches on September 9th,” commented Chen Wenbin, a well-known critic at Game World Journal.

Meanwhile, Nicholas, the president of Paradise Games—the world’s largest gaming company—announced: “There’s no denying that virtual reality will be the future of gaming. But not yet. Humanity’s current technology simply isn’t ready. Paradise can’t achieve it, and neither can Immortal Dream. Even if they’ve made some breakthroughs, it’s not true virtual reality. They’re just hyping the concept. Paradise’s development plans won’t change. Our latest game, filled with cutting-edge technology, will deliver a brand-new experience to players.”

For domestic players, however, feelings were mixed. On one hand, they longed for Immortal Dream to become the world’s first true virtual reality game. On the other, they struggled to believe that a Chinese game company, long considered behind the curve, could create such an advanced product.

But among the over one hundred thousand who had tried it, every single one swore that Immortal Dream was the real deal—a genuine virtual reality game with unparalleled playability.

“Whether it’s true or not, we’ll find out on September 9th when the servers open. But damn, Meishan Group is ruthless—a basic login device costs several thousand yuan! And the deluxe game pods are outrageous—the most advanced model costs hundreds of thousands, the price of a high-end Meishan new energy car!”

“At that price, how can us students afford it? I strongly protest against Immortal Dream!”

“Protest all you like. Meishan Group has never been one to haggle. But if it’s that expensive, there must be a reason.”

…

By September 7th, the basic login device priced at 2,999 yuan had sold about 100,000 units. The mid-tier model at 9,999 yuan sold fewer than 1,000 nationwide. The advanced 99,999 yuan device—the entry-level game pod—sold only a handful. And surprisingly, even the top-tier 999,999 yuan luxury pod sold several units, though many suspected these were bought internally by Immortal Dream staff.

What Zhang Jiaohua cared most about, however, was the sales of the basic device. After all, few could afford the higher-end versions, especially before the game had won universal recognition. Even the cost of a smartphone was enough to deter many.

He even considered lowering the price to attract more players.

“Fewer players might actually be a good thing. If a huge crowd floods in at launch, it could put enormous strain on our systems. With a smaller number, we can use this early stage to optimize the servers and prepare for the real influx,” Ji Jiaxin insisted, keeping the prices as they were.

When midnight struck on September 9th, the total number of login devices sold was 150,000. A large portion of these were from players who had already tried the demo—at least 60,000 or 70,000. The rest likely bought in on Meishan Group’s reputation.

Qi Shuo, the famous gamer, had purchased one of the 999,999 yuan top-tier pods. As a professional streamer with substantial income, he could afford it easily, and he believed the investment was worth it. With his years of gaming experience, he had no doubt this game would be a massive hit.

“Some people will regret not buying in. If I hadn’t gone to Bijiang City myself to try it out, would I have been willing to spend so much money on a luxury pod?” he thought.

At midnight, beams of light shimmered in Immortal Dream’s novice village as one figure after another appeared, as though stepping into another world.

“Wow! I’ve transmigrated—this place is real! It’s a real world!” someone shouted excitedly.