Unlike the movie industry, which adheres to seasonal release windows such as the Lunar New Year or Summer Box Office periods, the gaming industry operates on its own terms.
After all, ticket sales to actual movie theaters were a big deal, but playing games simply requires one to have a device to play the games on.
The main exception being VR gaming, because of the high gear costs.
But for now, high quality VR gaming experiences are still in their early phases. The technology of VR pods allowing for "full dive" experiences and life support existed in this new world, but were yet to be made widely accessible.
But other than that, the gaming industry tends to not revolve around strict release schedules, instead focusing more around rival company releases and holiday seasons.
Speaking of which, this time of year was a perfect example. Where gaming companies would be paying extra attention to the market.
For most working adults over here, Chinese New Year was the longest holiday period of the year, very likely increasing interest in gaming.
But more importantly, most people tend to come across more disposable income during the CNY period, being more willing to spend and indulge in some luxuries they would otherwise dismiss.
And in come the gaming companies looking for a piece of that delicious pie.
Every gaming platform would be running discounts and promotions, every multiplayer game would be running special events, and many large companies even saw fit to release major VR titles during this window of time.
With so much activity packed into a brief period, Chen Xu decided that it was out of the question to waste time developing a large-scale game.
But that didn't mean it was time to sit idly.
Plenty of work still had to be done, the team at Nebula had to monitor user feedback, track industry trends, and refine platform features.
The user base of the Nebula platform was still small, but the data collected was still invaluable to a growing company.
Besides this, a separate team was in charge of using the insights gained while developing 'Outlast' to improve upon the in-house game engine. Specifically on things such as action parameters and responsiveness.
While this custom engine gave a significant boost to productivity for Nebula, it was still in need of improvements.
So while all of this was being done in the background, Chen Xu decided to work on a "filler" game. Something bite-sized to bide time while the company was in the process of upgrading itself.
A little game that could help the dev team digest and reflect on their previous works while still being feasible and profitable for the timeframe.
Based on player speculations online, it seemed there were certain… misconceptions regarding his character…
And with the coinciding holidays on the horizon, Chen Xu saw a surprising opportunity in the market.
The film industry was fully prepared for the occasion, with a long lineup of romantic movies ready to go.
But the gaming industry?
Surprisingly (or not), there wasn't a single cozy co-op game to be found!
So Chen Xu decided to fill this gap, and perhaps add another [pioneer] title to Nebula Games.
"A co-op game for couples! And we can have some exclusive discounts on the Nebula platform."
The afternoon was spent brainstorming with Yang Xin and Ruan Ningxue, noting down key details and features that he wanted.
Chen Xu already had a perfect game in mind—one that had the potential to strengthen relationships between couples, while also providing engaging gameplay.
On his desk, he began to sketch some rough character designs.
They were simple, but had a unique aesthetic, as if they were little hand-puppets brought to life.
The Onion KingA small crocodile chefA dog chefA chef with a magnificent beardAnd Kevin, an dog with a bell tied to its neck
After making sketches of the key characters, Chen Xu began work on drafting the game's concept documents.
The game would be named 'Overcooked'.
This would be the team's next project. An accessible, co-op cooking sim with elements of progression.
After their ordeal with 'Outlast', Chen Xu and his team were far more experienced, so a game like 'Overcooked' would not be challenging to create.
It required far fewer resources, but all assets would still have to be created from scratch.
'Overcooked's artstyle is something entirely different from any of Nebula's previous projects. It was a cartoonish, family-friendly game.
Back in the other world, 'Overcooked' was a prime example of a good co-op game. The charming presentation made it broadly appealing, such that even if some players didn't love it, they wouldn't actively dislike it.
The game's development history was also a prime example of the indie spirit.
Originally created by only 2 developers who poured everything they had into the game. Nearing the launch of the game, they could scarcely afford a 13 dollar meal.
But soon, the game launched to great success, selling almost 2 million copies in a short span of time.
It was nominated for Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards and later released a sequel.
In this new world where Chen Xu found himself, co-op games existed, but none really stood out in his eyes. Something that would soon change.
One minor decision Chen Xu had to make was selecting the version that would serve as the benchmark.
The first game laid the foundations, introducing the world to its signature artstyle and gameplay. But it lacked online multiplayer, had limited maps, and had a few control issues.
'Overcooked 2' refined the experience by addressing these problems while maintaining the core mechanics.
'Overcooked: All You Can Eat' was merely a visual remaster with minor enhancements, a collection of content from the first two entries.
Chen Xu made his decision.
He would have 'Overcooked 2' serve as the benchmark, preserving the core mechanics and art style as much as he could.
But UI and visual adjustments would have to be made. And level designs could still be improved upon.
The story and writing of the game was no issue, it was a backdrop and not a focal point.
The levels would serve as the true beating heart of the game.
So for now, the priority was to establish the overall framework of the game.
But there was one thing Chen Xu had to include. A new feature yet unseen in his previous works.
The workshop. Or more specifically, a feature akin to the Steam Workshop.
In his previous projects, none of them were truly suited for user-generated content. He wanted players to enjoy those pieces of art as they were.
But for a game like 'Overcooked'?
It was a perfect fit.
Nebula Games couldn't keep creating new levels forever, the team would have to move on from the project eventually. But that wasn't entirely true for the playerbase.
With proper modding support and occasional updates, a game like 'Overcooked' had a very long potential lifespan, massively benefitting from custom content, and perhaps even surpassing the original version in the old world.
With that out of the way, Chen Xu was left to organize the development plans.