Somewhere in a suburban apartment in New York, a young teenager named Lucian was browsing the Steam marketplace in search of games to alleviate his boredom. To his disappointment, he found only a handful of bland racing and war simulator games, along with some familiar titles he had played countless times before.
Lucian was a passionate gamer, having developed his love for games at the tender age of 10 when he used his father's computer to play some memorable titles. His room was a sanctuary, adorned with posters of iconic gaming characters and shelves lined with game boxes, each holding cherished memories of virtual adventures.
However, with the advent of VR headsets, the PC gaming industry had experienced a gradual decline. Even the mobile gaming sector suffered setbacks, leaving only a few gacha games to thrive. Lucian couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia for the days when gaming was a vibrant and dynamic landscape, filled with endless possibilities and boundless imagination.
What added to Lucian's resentment was the underperformance of the VR gaming industry. Despite the initial hype, the software used to create VR games lagged behind the technology of the VR gear, limiting developers from creating visually stunning and immersive experiences. He had eagerly anticipated diving into virtual worlds teeming with life and excitement, only to be met with disappointment and frustration.
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As Lucian was about to close the Steam store out of frustration, something caught his eye in the corner of the screen. Among the recently added titles, a new game had appeared:
[Minecraft].
Intrigued, Lucian clicked on the game's banner, revealing pixel art images of pigs, cows, and scenic landscapes. "Is this a farming sim? Looks interesting though," Lucian remarked to himself. He reached for his credit card, expecting the game to have a hefty price tag considering its graphics.
However, when he scrolled down to the purchase tab, he was surprised to find a "Free" sticker instead of a price. Lucian felt a bit suspicious at first. "This game doesn't have a price tag. Could it be a PC gacha game?" he wondered aloud, his hopes for the game diminishing.
"Ah well, it's free. Who am I to judge before I've even played?" Lucian sighed, resigning himself to give the game a chance. While some large game companies offered free games to attract players, they often included in-app transactions.
"I hope this game isn't like those gacha games," Lucian murmured to himself. With a mix of hope and skepticism, he clicked on the download button, eager to see what Minecraft had in store.