79: Chapter 79: 20 Million Daily Active Users!

The lingering heat of Battle Night had not yet dissipated.

The next morning, a large number of players on Weibo were still discussing what skins they had unlocked the day before. Some were posting screenshots, others were uploading screen recordings, and related topics were still hanging in the top ten trending searches.

But at this very moment, the official dota 2 Weibo account released a new announcement.

"dota 2's global daily active users have remained stable at over three million for three consecutive months, firmly sitting in the top spot for MOBA games."

"Thank you for the companionship of every hero."

After this announcement was posted, it was quickly bought onto the trending list by Tencent.

The comment section was flooded in less than half an hour.

However, almost none of these comments were congratulatory; they were all mocking.

The top comment was:

"Here we go again. Is this because they're certain league of legends is keeping a low profile and won't disclose its numbers, so they've started acting tough?"

Other comments were the same.

"Regardless of how many daily active users league of legends has, it's a fact that it has surpassed dota 2. These three million have definitely been exceeded."

"Tencent's current strategy is to rely on the fact that league of legends doesn't disclose data, so they can say whatever they want."

But there were also voices of doubt mixed in, still on the same old topic.

"But why doesn't league of legends disclose its daily active users? If it really has surpassed dota 2, wouldn't publishing the numbers be a better way to suppress them?"

"Exactly, why hide it? Is it because the data isn't actually that impressive?"

"If league of legends was planning a big move, today would be the time."

"Does anyone have insider information on what league of legends' daily active user count actually is?"

Although it was a dota 2 trending topic, the discussion was almost entirely about league of legends.

Just as both sides were arguing endlessly, a new post was pushed to the top of the comment section.

The poster claimed to be an internal employee of NetEase, and the post content only had a few paragraphs.

"In the joint market model estimation by NetEase and Blizzard, the total number of potential global MOBA players is around seven million."

"Tencent must have also made an estimation of this number, and the results are about the same."

"dota 2's peak daily active users reached five million, eventually stabilizing at three million."

"And during yesterday's Battle Night, league of legends likely had over six million players log in."

The post added one sentence at the end.

"This is just our internal model estimate. The exact data still needs to be announced by league of legends officially, but six million should be a fairly reliable number."

After this post was pushed to the top, almost no one in the comment section questioned this number.

After all, everyone had witnessed how high the popularity of league of legends was yesterday.

"Six million? With the scene at Battle Night, I believe six million."

"I went to an internet cafe yesterday, and inside and out, everyone was playing league of legends. I waited in line for three hours before I got a computer."

"And this six million for league of legends is different from dota 2's. dota 2 only kept three million players in the end, while I feel like these six million for league of legends should all be able to stay."

...

Meanwhile, at NetEase headquarters.

CEO Ding leaned back in his chair, with a private video call with Kotick open on the big screen in front of him.

He held a teacup in his hand, a faint, elusive smile hanging on the corners of his mouth.

"Kotick, how are we counting the bet we made earlier?"

On the other side of the screen, Kotick waved his hand, his face showing a rare expression of trying to welsh on the bet.

"league of legends hasn't announced its daily active users yet, so how can you be sure you've won? Who knows the exact number?"

"Besides, six million is just an estimate from you at NetEase."

"It's just an estimate; do you really expect me to lower the agency fees by ten percent?"

CEO Ding smiled helplessly.

"You're just trying to welsh on the bet now. Are you banking on the fact that league of legends won't disclose its daily active users?"

Hearing this.

Kotick, on the video call, leaned back in his chair, pondering something, and then suddenly changed the subject.

"How about we increase the stakes of our previous bet?"

CEO Ding raised an eyebrow.

"How do we increase the stakes?"

"Using six million daily active users as the limit, let's guess the specific daily active user data for league of legends."

Kotick held up one finger.

"If the daily active users finally announced by league of legends is six million, then according to the previous agreement, the agency fee for Blizzard games will be reduced by ten percent next year."

"If league of legends' daily active users exceeds six million, for every additional one hundred thousand, the agency fee will be reduced by an additional one percent; for every one million more, it will be reduced by ten percent."

"There is no upper limit."

He paused.

"But!"

"If league of legends' daily active users is only five million, the previous bet doesn't count, and we maintain the regular increase."

"If it's only five and a half million, the agency fee will be reduced by five percent."

"How about it?"

CEO Ding leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the armrest twice.

"You're betting that league of legends' daily active users won't reach six million."

"And."

CEO Ding paused.

"According to our previous agreement, if I don't agree to increase the stakes, you are bound to lose. NetEase's agency fees for next year would be steadily reduced by ten percent. Why should I agree to increase the stakes?"

Kotick smiled.

"Scared?"

CEO Ding was silent for a moment, his brain thinking rapidly.

"A crude provocation, but very effective."

CEO Ding raised his head to look at Kotick on the video call.

"Fine."

"I'll take the bet."

He picked up his teacup and took a sip.

"I believe in league of legends."

"Maybe this game will even give me a surprise."

And just as CEO Ding finished speaking, the door to the conference room was pushed open from the outside.

A young man walked in quickly, holding a mobile phone in his hand, his face wearing an expression of shock that he hadn't yet processed.

"CEO Ding."

His voice was trembling.

"league of legends has just announced its latest daily active users."

CEO Ding sat up straight abruptly, and Kotick on the other side of the screen also leaned forward a bit; the two of them exchanged a glance.

"Is the bet from just now still effective?" CEO Ding asked.

And Kotick on the video call nodded: "Of course."

Subsequently, the two of them spoke almost at the same time, looking at the young man who had just entered the conference room.

"What is it?"

Before the other party could answer, CEO Ding followed up with a question.

"Is it more than six million, or less than six million?"

The young man took a deep breath.

"More than six million."

Hearing this, CEO Ding instantly breathed a sigh of relief, leaning back into his chair with the corners of his mouth curling up.

He looked at Kotick on the screen, his voice tinged with a bit of triumph.

"Looks like you've lost."

Kotick did not refute, his expression changed. His purpose in increasing the stakes was to recoup some losses, but now how does it look like he's going to lose even more?

Meanwhile.

CEO Ding turned his head, his tone quite relaxed; as long as league of legends' daily active users exceeded six million, he was winning.

"What is the specific number? Did it reach the seven million limit?"

Kotick also looked over, wanting to know the specific number.

Facing the inquiry, the young man swallowed his saliva, his face still quite pale from shock.

"The number of players who logged in to league of legends yesterday."

He paused.

"Exceeded twenty million!"