Men endure hardships and losses, but wearing a "green hat"—a term implying cuckoldry—is simply tragic!
Observing Mike Morhaime's demeanor, it was evident he had been wronged in love, which was heartbreaking.
"Mike!" Henry sighed, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I promise you, she will regret it in the future!"
Mike nodded vaguely but offered no verbal response.
Alas, dining under such circumstances was far from enjoyable.
"Waiter, check please!" Henry snapped his fingers, summoning the waiter to process the bill. After settling the payment, everyone left the restaurant. Henry sought out a quieter area on campus to discuss investment plans and starting the company.
"So, what type of company do you plan to create?" Henry queried.
The three exchanged glances before Mike addressed Henry as their spokesperson. "We want to establish a game company! We've researched the industry and believe it's a sunrise sector with immense profitability, especially if we can port our games to Nintendo. We're confident we can make a fortune!"
Henry pondered Mike's words thoughtfully.
In his past life, Blizzard indeed took this direction and saw great success, particularly with the release of the iconic "Warcraft"! However, in this current timeline, if Blizzard repeated the same approach, the pace would be slow. The release of "Warcraft" wouldn't happen until 1994, and Henry was too eager to wait. He longed to experience "StarCraft"—a cherished memory from his youth. Regardless, if they were to burn through resources, Blizzard needed to scale up quickly!
Yet, upon deeper reflection, Henry realized they must first be trained adequately. If they jumped right into developing "Warcraft" without sufficient preparation, it could lead to failure, and he would be disappointed.
"Okay, let's go with one game and port it to Nintendo as preliminary hands-on practice!"
Henry had already decided on the name: "The Lost Vikings."
This game was the first major title in the U.S. to be successfully ported to Nintendo in Japan, and it was a hallmark of Blizzard's early work.
"Isn't reusing one's own work tantamount to plagiarism?" Henry mused to himself.
Then he turned to Mike and the others. "The profits from games ported to Nintendo can be substantial, but I want you to define your company primarily as a computer game company. Your main focus moving forward should be developing computer games. However, before that, you can produce a video game as a showcase masterpiece!" He proceeded to discuss the game concept for "The Lost Vikings."
At this stage, Mike and his friends were still very young; as investors, Henry's wishes were paramount.
They could only follow his lead.
Next, Henry broached the subject of equity.
"I propose Weifeng Capital invests $1 million as the start-up capital, retaining 70% ownership of the company while each of you holds 10%. Thoughts?"
The three shared a look but remained silent.
Henry smiled at their hesitance. "No rush; take some time to discuss it among yourselves, and let me know your answer. Here's my business card. Call me once you come to a decision." He handed them his card, which prominently displayed his title as Chairman of Prestige Capital along with his contact number.
"Alright, Mr. Williams, we'll get back to you tomorrow!"
Henry nodded and stood to leave, imparting one final thought to the three of them: "Opportunities are fleeting; learn to seize them!"
As soon as Henry exited, Mike Morhaime, Alan Adhan, and Frank Pierce launched into an animated discussion.
"What do you think?" Mike asked.
"While the terms are enticing, if we accept, we'll only hold a total of 30%, and Prestige Capital will exercise total control over the company!" Alan frowned.
"Frank, what's your opinion?" Mike directed his question to Frank Pierce.
"I haven't made up my mind yet…" Frank shook his head.
A moment of silence enveloped them.
"Mike, look! It's Raphael and Marvin!" Frank exclaimed, pointing to the distance.
"Oh no, they've headed into the grove!" Alan added.
Mike's complexion turned pale, his breathing quickened, and he shrank back as if beaten down.
"Mike, don't dwell on it! She may be leaving you now, but it's her loss! We didn't secure angel investment today, but we'll achieve success soon!" Frank tried to reassure him.
However, Mike paid no attention to Frank's comforting words. His thoughts were consumed by visions of the grove, spiraling his mood to new lows.
He suddenly recalled Raphael's hurtful remarks during their breakup: "Mike, I slept with Marvin. Let's break up."
"Raphael, you and Marvin behind my back…" Mike's startled mind struggled to formulate the words.
"Wake up, Mike! Just a week ago, I was friendly with him! Marvin's got money; his family's wealthy! And what are you—a broke programmer chasing a so-called gaming dream, with no one to appreciate your efforts... I'm done—let's break up!"
Raphael's cruel words sliced through Mike's heart like a knife, leaving him trembling, speechless, and watching helplessly as she walked away.
"Mike! Wake up! What's wrong with you?!"
"Mike?!" Frank and Alan urged, shaking him from his stupor.
Mike jolted back to reality, glancing at Frank and Alan, then out at the grove in silence.
After a moment's reflection, he said firmly, "Frank, Alan, I've made my decision. I'm going to accept Prestige Capital's terms!"
"Mike, are you sure?" Both Frank and Alan pressed, catching the change in Mike's demeanor.
"I've thought it through! Mr. Williams is right—opportunities are fleeting! If we let this one slip away, Mr. Williams might invest in someone else! Yes, we might control only 30%, but as long as we maintain the right to develop games independently, the power to shape the company remains shared!"
After considering it, Frank and Alan nodded in agreement. "Okay, then we'll ensure we maintain that right to independently develop games!"
"Absolutely!" Mike Morhaime asserted, determination growing within him. "We will create great works! Raphael, you once belittled my dreams and called me useless. I will prove you wrong; the world will see my success!"
Just then, Marvin and Raphael exited the grove, their laughter echoing behind them...