Chapter 463: A Cunning Man Appears Out of the Way

When it comes to game consoles, the first name that pops into the minds of most veteran gamers is undoubtedly the PlayStation, created by a company called "Sunny."
This legendary device, affectionately known as the "PS" by gamers, almost single-handedly ushered in a new era of console gaming, and now reigns supreme with a near-monopoly.
This has caused Microsoft considerable anxiety.
These giants, who built their fortunes on PC operating systems and office software, sensed an impending doom.
They were horrified to discover that if the PlayStation continued to expand unchecked, it might one day actually drive the PC market out of business!
After all, they made their fortune selling PC systems. If their very foundation—the PC market—was destroyed, what would become of Microsoft?
They'd be packing their bags and heading to the rooftops to face the wind.
So Microsoft could no longer sit idly by. Fueled by rage and pouring in massive amounts of money, they plunged headlong into the bloodbath of the console market, determined to halt Sonny's unstoppable advance.
"And so, our 'Cbox' was born. The money poured in was truly staggering, enough to make Wall Street's Charging Bull give birth!"
"At an internal Microsoft meeting, Sean, the director of the console gaming division, exclaimed excitedly,"
"And the result? Almost no splash. Market share at best, sixteen percent!"
As the saying goes, money makes the world go round.
But reality is, as they say, harder to please than any ghost.
Microsoft's massive investment was enough to make countless small countries question their existence, but faced with the deeply ingrained faith in the "PlayStation," it was like an ant trying to shake a tree—it couldn't even create a ripple.
"Of course, we could make excuses, saying 'PS' had a first-mover advantage and was a veteran in the market.
But frankly, a bad game is a bad game; can excuses put food on the table?
What we lack is gameplay!
We need exclusive masterpieces that will keep players engrossed, unable to put them down!
That's what we truly need!
Therefore, acquiring 'Storm Rain' is imperative!"
Everyone in the console game division was ecstatic, their eyes gleaming with excitement at the company's plan to acquire Storm Rain Games.
Storm Rain Entertainment! That's a god-tier game developer worshipped by gamers worldwide!
Any one of their titles is a classic worthy of being recorded in history!
However, acquisitions are never as simple as a dinner party.
Because Microsoft's appetite is simply too big.
They're not satisfied with just acquiring a controlling stake and becoming a mere dictator.
Their goal was to take it all, bone and all, acquiring every single share of "Stormstorm" and turning it from a listed company into a completely separate department, absorbing it cleanly!
This, however, would create huge problems.
Once Stormstorm is fully absorbed, it means delisting, and Microsoft still holds "Cbox" in its hands. This move would directly run into the line of fire regarding antitrust laws.
"Weren't those bigwigs at headquarters running around the world, begging and pleading for approvals? How's the progress?"
"Yes, Director! It seems the approval process is almost complete; all the countries have given the green light."
"That's great! It just so happens that Storm's market value has been plummeting lately. We deliberately delayed for this moment!
In any case, this juicy piece of meat, Storm, is now within our grasp!"
Everything is ready, except for the final push.
Now, all they need to do is publicly announce their offer to the market: all outstanding shares, our Giant Interactive will acquire them all with a 30-40% premium!
"But what the hell is going on?!"
However, just as they were about to announce their victory with fanfare and snatch this cooked duck into their bowl… a Cheng Yaojin (a legendary figure known for his cunning and resourcefulness) appeared out of nowhere!
A swift, invisible hand shot out from the side without warning and snatched the duck away!
"Fanghuan Investment?! Where did they come from?! Why are they suddenly jumping in to buy up 'Storm Rain' shares?! Are they crazy?!"
Fanghuan Investment, a financial behemoth that wields immense power in the capital markets but has never appeared in the gaming industry, how could it suddenly launch a lightning attack on a game company?
"Director, this is bad! Fang Huan has been laying the groundwork for years, his tentacles reaching in every direction!
Netflix, the media giant; Picpic, the social media tycoon; and AMC, the company that topped Nvidia and ascended to the throne of graphics cards… they're all behind it!
Could it be… they've gotten hooked and are planning a serious foray into the gaming industry?"
"Aren't they afraid of antitrust laws?"
"Director. We're a platform provider, we have Cbox, we're hardcore gamers, that's why we're hampered by antitrust laws.
But Fang Huan has a huge business empire, his main business isn't here, it's just a side project, the antitrust stick won't touch them.
This is legitimate business expansion!"
But that's not the worst part.
What really infuriates the Microsoft team is that Storm Rain Company is a prey they've publicly "reserved," even marked in front of the whole world!
Given Microsoft's current size and domineering style in the industry, other companies typically wouldn't even dare to give a second glance to any target they set their sights on.
After all, nobody wants to offend such a ruthless and vengeful industry giant for a piece of meat.
Microsoft's most powerful weapon is its globally dominant and unrivaled operating system and software ecosystem.
With this formidable weapon, they have driven countless competitors out of the PC market and into bankruptcy.
As a result, European and American countries have imposed numerous sanctions on them, but the fines are negligible compared to the impact on them.
This company has become so large that it is difficult to shake, and its connections with the political world are deeply entrenched. Now, no one wants to risk offending it.