The scoring window for the Dawn Project advancement round closed quietly amid unprecedented public chaos.
Expert panel scores, weighted online public votes, the system AI's comprehensive assessment based on emotional fluctuations and work completion... all these cold data points were integrated through complex and confidential algorithms, ultimately transforming into indisputable numbers on the leaderboard.
When host Charles took the stage at the grand finals reveal under the spotlight of countless eyes, as the rankings lit up one by one on the screen behind him, everyone had their expectations. But when that name and score actually appeared at the top, the venue and livestream still erupted in cheers, gasps, and a tangle of emotions.
[First Place: Medici, "Battlefield: Warhammer 40K" (Large-Scale Multiplayer Online Tactical Game) - Overall Score: 9.6]
The gap between second place and his score was massive.
The second-place winner, an interactive visual novel author known for refined aesthetics, scored 8.7. Already an extremely high score, but next to Medici's blazing 9.6, it still looked pale in comparison.
Well-deserved! And God Medici is unstoppable! Instantly flooded the chat, though scattered comments like nightmare fuel, first place, and controversy bait were still mixed in. They were quickly drowned in the wave of celebration.
On the competitive stage, especially in a competition like Dawn Project that assessed both artistic and commercial potential, results were the ultimate proof.
Controversy brought traffic, and Medici used his flawless work quality and the seismic emotional response it triggered to convert that traffic into recognition and victory, no matter how extreme his style.
---
The spotlight fell on Medici.
His outfit today was simple as always: a dark jacket, his expression calm, as if the name and score at the top of the rankings had nothing to do with him.
Only his eyes, under the bright lights, seemed particularly focused, their depths still holding the intensity from building the hive abyss and the Titan's roar.
Charles approached with a professional smile that barely concealed his mixed feelings.
He'd watched this game evolve from an oddity that drew skeptical looks during preliminary selection to a phenomenon that sparked an internet-wide firestorm in the advancement round, and now to the champion standing at the top.
As a host, he had to stay neutral, but deep down, he had to admit that Medici had created a miracle. Or rather, a monster that had crashed into a garden party.
"Congratulations! Congratulations to contestant Medici for winning first place in our advancement round by an absolute landslide!"
Charles extended the microphone toward Medici.
"It seems that Medici's work has not only sparked widespread discussion but also received unanimously high scores from judges and audiences alike."
Medici took the microphone and nodded. "Thank you."
---
"With such a high score and such a clear advantage, I believe everyone is as curious as I am," Charles began steering the conversation. This was what countless viewers wanted to know most right now.
"If you also win the grand finals and take home that ten billion prize, how do you plan to use it? I think this matters not just to you personally, but to the expectations of countless players as well."
The question was sharp, pointing toward the future while tying in the hopes of the player community.
Medici barely paused, didn't even glance at the audience below or the camera. His gaze looked straight ahead, as if the answer had long been written into his code, just waiting to be pulled up.
"First," his voice was clear, his pace steady, "purchase a dedicated server cluster for Battlefield: Warhammer 40K. The current competition version has limited capacity. To open it to players across the entire Federation requires stable and powerful hardware."
Straight to the point. Right to the core issue.
No platitudes about "giving back to society" or "investing in charity." Not even a mention of improving his personal life.
First priority: the game.
This singular focus and "player-first mindset" immediately won over countless hardcore fans watching from their screens.
"Then," he continued, dropping an even bigger reveal, "launch the official version of the game. Complete maps, factions, weapon systems, command structures, and... more content not yet shown."
The livestream chat instantly exploded with LAUNCH IT!!!
---
"Also," Medici paused, his gaze sweeping across the camera lens, as if speaking directly to every viewer, "I can announce here in advance: the official version of Battlefield: Warhammer 40K will be free-to-play. No purchase required. Any interested player can download and enter the game."
"Free?!"
Those two words were like depth charges dropped into deep water, stirring up an even bigger wave.
In an era where high-quality virtual entertainment products often carried steep price tags, "free" meant the lowest barrier to entry. It meant a storm that could potentially sweep through the entire player base.
"Of course," Medici shifted his tone, his voice still calm but carrying a kind of business-like edge, "to maintain server operations, future content updates, and team development, the game will offer some paid content that doesn't affect core combat balance. Things like... cosmetic skins for specific factions or units, personalized insignias, experience boosts, and so on."
He drew a clear line: cosmetics only. Nothing that affects balance.
This reassured core players who'd been worried about pay-to-win mechanics.
---
Charles picked up the thread. "Free-to-play, paid cosmetics... a very proven business model. It seems Medici not only makes incredible games but also has operational plans already mapped out.
So does this mean that regardless of the grand finals results, you're committed to bringing Battlefield: Warhammer 40K to market?"
Medici looked at Charles and nodded. "Yes. The prize money and attention from the advancement round are already enough to start. Ten billion would just let me go faster and further."
No grand speeches. Just a clear path and quiet ambition.
He tied the ultimate dream of ten billion directly to the game's future.
Winning the competition wasn't just about honor and wealth. It was about being able to fully realize that dark, brutal, yet fatally compelling Warhammer universe at the highest standard, without compromise, and put it in front of everyone.
In that moment, supporters felt their excitement spike, as if they could already see the future: armored legions and alien swarms clashing on free servers.
And critics felt a creeping sense of dread. When this game was no longer just a competition entry but an actual commercial product launching free to the public, the controversy it carried and the impact it might have would multiply exponentially.
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~ Push the story forward with your Power Stones