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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: The New Division Head's Proposal (3)
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> 8. The New Division Head's Proposal (3)
Our company's stock had been plummeting recently due to poor performance, and we needed something new to spark a recovery.
He wasn't just planning to use me as a simple worker, but as kindling to create that spark.
Moreover.
-The gaming industry is currently in an IP (Intellectual Property) war. We must secure an IP that can compete globally! One that can become the next 'League of War'!-
Our company's CEO had often used the term 'IP acquisition' in company-wide emails and at the new year's kickoff meeting.
That must be why he thought of me as a valuable piece on the board.
'This project must be important for Shin Chihwan to solidify his own position.'
Division Head Shin Chihwan was new, and his standing was less secure compared to the other division heads.
From his perspective, the 'Phoenix' project would be a great opportunity to prove his abilities and secure his place.
And… a situation where the other party was desperate worked in my favor.
In a way, his interests and mine were perfectly aligned.
"So, what do I stand to gain by accepting your proposal, Division Head?"
Wow, Jo Hyunsoo, you've lost your mind… I was shocked by the arrogant words that came out of my own mouth.
But I had already made up my mind to leave the company and had violated the non-compete clause.
I had nothing left to lose.
I figured it was okay to show this much bravado at a company I was going to leave anyway.
"What you stand to gain, you ask? What can I offer? Hmm, how about a raise?"
"I'm sorry, but that's not going to be enough."
"Hmm, if there's something you want, you tell me."
Shin Chihwan frowned as I pushed back hard.
Ignoring his reaction, I calmly uttered my insane demand.
"Give me the PD position."
"What?! The PD position?"
I had a successful title, 'Forgotten Andersen's Story,' and an ability called God Game Maker.
If I were to stay at this god-forsaken company?
This was the bare minimum.
A PD at NB Soft handles projects that cost billions, sometimes tens of billions of won. Success here would bring rewards incomparable to those of an indie game.
Of course, there was no way such a proposal would be accepted.
"Well, if things go well, it's not entirely out of the question."
But Division Head Shin Chihwan's reaction was slightly different from what I'd predicted.
"I'm not kidding. If Phoenix is a success, I'm planning to create a few new projects under my division anyway. It wouldn't be impossible to make a spot for you there."
Division Head Shin Chihwan wasn't the type to make empty promises.
He was a man who always kept his word, a man who had built his career on that trust.
He might have a difficult personality, but there was a reason his subordinates respected him… and his superiors trusted him.
'An unexpected opportunity has arrived.'
My heart pounded like crazy.
I was a community college graduate with no decent connections in the upper echelons.
In a normal career path, the probability of me becoming a PD, even after another ten years, was slim to none—practically zero.
If I was lucky, the best I could hope for was to lead a planning team once before my career ended.
But to become a PD in one shot? This wasn't just a fast track; it was like riding a rocket straight to the top.
'Calm down, think this through.'
I was so excited I wanted to scream, but I tried my best to organize my thoughts and not let it show.
'This is a chance to build my own ship, bigger and faster.'
I thought of my dream.
To create meaningful games with people I liked, people who loved games.
If I could become a PD, that dream might come true a little sooner.
Of course, there would be constraints within a corporate environment, but no matter how skilled I was as a solo developer, there was a limit to the success I could achieve on the outside.
But what if I had a company backing me, a team to support me, and a major project that succeeded?
The fruits of that success could be tens, or if I was lucky, hundreds of times greater than what I had now.
I might even win the GOTY I so desperately wanted, and a whole new life could unfold before me.
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"A salary increase, and a PD position if the project succeeds. I also need to find an alternative if you leave, so I'd like an answer by the end of today."
Division Head Shin Chihwan propped his chin on his hand and smiled slyly.
And just then.
<>
[Job Change Quest / Humble or Grandiose]
-You stand at a critical crossroads in your game development career.
Your path will change drastically depending on your answer here.
(1) Do not accept the Division Head's proposal ▶ Change job to 'Solo Indie Game Developer.'
(※. However, in this case, you will lose the God Game Maker ability if you hire team members.)
(2) Accept the Division Head's proposal ▶ Change job to 'Game PD.'
Two choices were laid before me.
The descriptions weren't detailed, but I got the gist of it.
One was to develop indie games as a solo developer.
The other was to build a career as a PD within a company.
Both had their own appeal, so I was lost in thought for a moment.
'What I want.'
What did I truly want, and what did I want to do?
'I want to have fun making games with other people, and create a masterpiece that will be remembered for centuries.'
I know myself well.
Making a game alone and seeing the reactions is nice, but game development is such a resource-intensive endeavor that there are realistic limits to solo development.
This is likely why most solo developers resort to pixel art or game-making tools.
No matter how much I used my newfound power, 'God Game Maker,' there would be a limit to my growth and the games I could create.
After all, my skills were limited to storytelling and direction.
'Solo development is fine, but to achieve my dream, I need colleagues.'
To overcome this, I needed to become a PD and surround myself with experts in various fields.
Only then could I create the blockbuster game I so longed for.
Furthermore, running even a moderately sized game with a team requires at least several billion won.
What if I went out on my own, wasn't satisfied with solo development, and decided to start my own company?
There was no guarantee I could secure investment, and I would have to bear all the risks myself.
'That would be foolish.'
The experience of managing a team as a PD, seeing a project through from A to Z with company funds.
Besides, in the Korean game industry, it's almost impossible to land a PD position at a top-10 company unless you're a graduate of a prestigious university.
This opportunity was right in front of me, and the choice was obvious.
I would use the company's funds and infrastructure to suck out every last drop of benefit.
'While working as a PD, I'll build my own team and gain experience. After that, whether I start a business or something else, opportunities will arise.'
Of course, the path of a PD isn't easy.
The workload of a PD is fundamentally insane.
Providing direction and vision is just the beginning; there will be an endless stream of hair-pulling tasks like mediating between team members, delegating work, and persuading the higher-ups.
But I had no intention of letting go of my dream just because I was afraid of such trivial things.
'For now, I'll work as a PD here.'
As I thought this and conveyed my intention to God Game Maker.
<
<<※Warning: Now playing Job Change cinematic 'The Audacious Gwajang'! This will help you give the best possible response in the current situation!>>
A system message appeared, and then, a completely unexpected phrase flew out of my mouth.
"I refuse."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
For a moment, a look of bewilderment crossed Division Head Shin Chihwan's face.
Of course, I was just as surprised.
'What the hell? Why is my mouth moving on its own?'
Those words hadn't been my own. It was as if someone else was moving me, creating the voice.
Hey… Wait! I want to be a PD.
I said I want to! What are you doing!
No matter how much I screamed, it only echoed in my mind. My mouth continued to move on its own.
"I can make a living as a solo developer anyway, and I have a few hundred million won saved up, so I can do something else with it. I don't see why I should stay at this company just for the uncertain promise of a PD position."
Of course, that was a lie.
I couldn't make a living yet, and if I left now, I'd be flat broke.
But.
"Hah, this is quite a predicament… I'm running out of cards to play."
Shin Chihwan listened intently to the words spoken by my other self, then scratched his chin and slowly opened his mouth again.
"Alright, for specific terms, I'll promote you to Deputy Manager during this regular personnel season. I'll adjust your salary accordingly. Oh, and I'll match your incentive bonus to that of a team leader or higher. How about that?"
A promotion to Deputy Manager.
It was impossible at my level of experience, but Division Heads were the kind of people who could make the impossible possible.
'Hey, say yes. You idiot, do you know how hard it is to get promoted to Deputy Manager? Hey! Heyyy!'
But my other self seemed to have no intention of doing so.
"I don't need any of that. Instead—"
"Instead?"
"If I become a PD and take on a project, I want you to minimize interference with my work. I also want stock options, and I want the non-compete clause removed from my contract."
"Hoh."
Unbelievable conditions, as if my audacity had a life of its own, poured out of my mouth.
The Division Head's face was gradually turning red.
'Well, I think I'm screwed. Forget PD, am I going to get fired on the spot?'
Just asking for the PD position had required considerable courage… in fact, it was an outrageously bold proposal.
But now, I was tacking on all sorts of random demands. There was no way this would be accepted…
"Alright, let's do it. In return, you'll have to finish the Phoenix project as promised, and do it well."
'He accepted?'
Unexpectedly, Shin Chihwan readily accepted the nonsense my subconscious had spewed.
Rumors had been circulating that he, too, was feeling insecure about his position after a string of failed company projects, but… I never dreamed he would accept such a bluff from a mere manager.
But the will that controlled me didn't seem to be finished yet.
"I will do that. But how can you guarantee that you will keep all these promises?"
This time, it was a rather important question.
Making a promise is easy. Keeping it is the hard part.
I'll promote you soon.
I'll raise your salary.
I'll give you an incentive?
Previous team leaders had made countless similar promises, but not a single one had ever been kept on time.
Division Head Shin Chihwan nodded as if pleased with my response and spoke.
"Well, it's good to be certain about these things. Let's draw up a contract."
"Pardon?"
After saying that, the Division Head returned to his desk, where his laptop sat, and began typing furiously.
A moment later, two sheets of paper came out of the printer. He pushed one of them toward me and spoke again.
"Here, read it. If you agree, I'll have the legal team review this and even get it notarized at a law office."
What he handed me was a contract.
It stipulated that if I successfully completed the scenario for the Phoenix project, he would grant all the conditions I had just proposed, with the execution dates for each condition meticulously written down.
It even added a clause stating that if these terms were not met, the Division Head would personally compensate me with a full year's salary from his own pocket.
'Work my ass off for three months, and I either become a PD or get 100 million won. I'd be an idiot not to take this.'
I read the contract carefully, then neatly wrote my name, Jo Hyunsoo, in the final signature line.
"Yes, please have it notarized as well."
"Okay, then we have a deal."
Getting it notarized would cost at least a million won, but that wasn't my problem.
I had taken a risk of my own, so I needed to be sure about this.
"And I have one personal request."
"Speak."
"I would like an apology from PD Oh Gwangseok for the insults he directed at me."
"Hmm, I'm personally curious. What kind of bullshit did Oh Gwangseok spew at you?"
I recounted every single insulting remark Oh Gwangseok had made to me, not leaving out a single word.
The Division Head's expression twisted, and he nodded his head as if he'd made a firm decision.
"Hoo, that crazy bastard Oh Gwangseok… I'll make sure he apologizes properly by the end of today."
"Yes, sir."
After our conversation ended, I bowed my head to him as politely as possible.
The Division Head then grinned and extended his hand to me.
"I'm counting on you, Manager Jo Hyunsoo. I hope you'll join me in creating a new future for our company."
"I hope so, too."
With those final words, my body rose from the chair and walked out of the Division Head's office.
And then.
<
The system message sounded again, and my body began to obey my commands once more.
"Uwaaaah!"
Feeling as if I had just woken from a dream, I gaped blankly, confirming that control over my body had returned.
"This is crazy, is this for real? Did this really just happen to me?"
Only then did the reality of what I had done begin to sink in.
A mere manager had confronted Shin Chihwan, a Division Head at NB Soft, one of Korea's largest game companies.
And in that very spot, I had secured the promise of a PD position and other unbelievable conditions.
It was a crazy event that an ordinary office worker would never experience in their entire lifetime, made possible by the title 'Forgotten Andersen's Story.'
I marveled at the power of 'God Game Maker' and, at the same time, felt proud of myself for having created that game as a solo developer.
'Now, now things can change. My trashy life, I can change it!'
I could feel it instinctively.
The days of simply ghostwriting game stories for PDs, of spending meaningless time outside of my paycheck.
The time to bid farewell to all of that had finally arrived.