78: Chapter 78 Little Horse's Plans

Listening to Sun Qiang's words.

Beside him, Small Ma raised his head, his voice carrying a hint of irrepressible annoyance.

"Don't the people at Riot Games realize that giving away skins so recklessly will lower the players' desire to spend?"

"With so many game companies globally, do none of them know that increasing event rewards can attract new players and boost daily active users?"

"It's just that the more generous the rewards, the lower the players' desire to spend."

"Why do they think dota 2 doesn't do that?"

"Do they really think we're stupid?"

He stood up and paced a couple of steps beside the conference table.

"If a game gives away high-quality skins every now and then, who would still spend money to buy them? Regardless, with so many skins being given away, they'll eventually receive the ones they want."

"And those core players who like to spend money on skins will also lower their spending desire because the game frequently gives them away."

"After league of legends simplified things, it naturally attracted quite a few casual players, and casual players don't have high spending desires to begin with."

"Add this kind of giveaway method, and how high could their conversion rate possibly be?"

"Do they really not want to make money?"

A few voices of agreement sounded in the conference room.

"Riot Games is still too young; they only care about pushing daily active users and haven't considered this step."

"That's right. This strategy looks lively in the short term, but in the long term, it's overdrafting the players' desire to spend."

"No matter how high the daily active users are, what's the point if there's no money to be made?"

But despite saying this, the atmosphere in the conference room remained oppressive.

Because they all understood.

Regardless of league of legends' conversion rate, it was an undeniable fact that its daily active users had surpassed dota 2.

Whether league of legends announces its daily active users or not, this fact is almost unshakeable.

This time.

In the gaming field, in the MOBA games they were most skilled at, they had already lost.

Small Ma sat back down, leaned against the back of his chair, and closed his eyes for a moment.

When he opened them again, his voice had returned to calm.

"Everyone, estimate how many daily active users league of legends has now."

Everyone looked at each other.

Sun Qiang spoke first, his voice very low.

"We conducted market research before; the total number of potential players for global MOBA games is around seven million."

"That is to say, at most there are seven million people truly interested in this type of game."

"Our dota 2 previously reached a peak of five million daily active users, and since league of legends attracts more casual players than we do, this number should be even higher."

He took a deep breath.

"So I estimate."

"league of legends' peak daily active users during Battle Night has likely already exceeded six million."

Vice President Chen Yongnian swallowed hard upon hearing this number.

Six million.

dota 2 reached a peak of five million, but that included the inflated numbers from them renting out internet cafes to boost stats.

And league of legends' six million were likely all genuine, paying players.

The others in the conference room didn't look too good after hearing this estimated data.

Seven million potential players, with six million logging into the same game on the same day.

They didn't even dare to imagine this number.

"Six million, six million."

"This Riot Games, this IceFrog... they certainly have made an incredible game."

Small Ma's voice had become incredibly hoarse.

At the same time.

Vice President Chen Yongnian looked at Small Ma, his voice carrying a hint of hesitation.

"Boss Small Ma, should we still announce the daily active users for dota 2 after this event?"

Before Small Ma could answer, an executive next to him immediately chimed in.

"I suggest we don't announce it; let's follow league of legends and keep a low profile. There's no point in announcing it now."

But someone immediately retorted.

"If we don't announce it, it will look like we have a guilty conscience."

"Besides, league of legends has kept a low profile for so long. If they still don't announce their daily active users and we do, then at least in terms of public data, we will still have the upper hand over league of legends."

"With three million daily active users right there, who dares to say we aren't number one?"

"But how can you be sure? What if league of legends doesn't disclose their daily active users this time either? If they also disclose them, won't our data be completely crushed?"

"We can say league of legends' data is fake!"

For a moment.

The debate between the two sides about whether to announce it rose and fell in the conference room, and they actually started arguing directly.

If one didn't know this was the Tencent Group headquarters, one might think it was a vegetable market.

Because of the existence of league of legends, this group of Tencent Group executives had become panicked to an unknown extent.

Finally.

Everyone looked at Small Ma.

Small Ma did not answer immediately.

He was silent for a moment, pondering something. After a while, he stood up, took his phone out of his pocket, and walked to the window.

He dialed a number.

The phone rang several times before it was answered.

Old Ma's voice came from the other end, carrying his usual mocking tone.

"Boss Small Ma, what a rare guest. What made you think of calling me today?"

Before Small Ma could speak, Old Ma's sarcasm followed immediately.

"By the way, I've been reading the news recently. Why is your Tencent Group failing in the gaming field?"

"That Battle Night for league of legends is too intense, isn't it? I see the news trending topics are all about it today."

"What about dota 2? Didn't you brag about having three million daily active users and securing the number one spot? How has a new game that just finished its open beta a month ago caught up to you like this?"

"It is said that league of legends' daily active users have already surpassed dota 2?"

Small Ma didn't refute him, nor did he snap back; he just listened quietly to Old Ma's words.

Old Ma also sensed that Small Ma's state wasn't right and didn't continue the mockery.

And after waiting for the other side to quiet down, Small Ma spoke slowly.

"Do me a favor."

The other end of the line went quiet.

Old Ma dropped his mocking tone, his voice becoming a bit more serious.

"What favor? It's rare for you to take the initiative to ask me for help."

Small Ma lowered his voice and said a few words.

Half a minute later.

He hung up the phone and walked back to the conference table.

Everyone in the conference room was still waiting for him to make a decision.

But Small Ma didn't speak directly; instead, he sat down and leaned back against the chair, actually closing his eyes to rest.

Watching Small Ma's state, the others didn't dare to disturb him or leave, so they just waited.

A few minutes later.

With a beep, Small Ma's phone received a text message.

Small Ma picked up his phone, glanced at the message that had just arrived on the screen, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, and he let out a long breath.

He raised his head, his voice returning to its usual certainty.

"We will continue to announce the daily active users for dota 2."

"And, we must promote it with even more fanfare."

Hearing Small Ma's words, some executives in the room were worried.

"Continuing to announce dota 2's daily active users is fine, but why promote it on such a large scale?"

"Isn't this forcing league of legends to disclose their daily active users?"

"What if league of legends' daily active users really are six million? Then dota 2 will never be able to hold onto the throne of the game with the highest global daily active users."

Facing the questioning, Small Ma lifted the corners of his mouth and muttered.

"What I want."

"Is for league of legends to disclose their daily active users!"