With its expansive mission structure, massive maps, and richly detailed content, John downloaded Epic Continent the same evening it launched, unable to resist the buzz. He had to admit: Epic Continent was exceptional. Though he hadn't completed it, even just a few hours of gameplay were enough to recognize its craftsmanship and polish.
If The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is like a historical epic chronicling a vast world filled with grand events and ancient legends, then Epic Continent feels like an intimate historical novel, unfolding slowly, letting players experience the rhythm and nuance of an era through layered storytelling and environmental immersion. Even though Skyrim had just released its new DLC, Dawnguard, around the same time, the impact of Epic Continent was undeniably stronger, at least in the domestic scene.
However, that was just the beginning. Overseas players, after immersing themselves in Epic Continent, were left astonished by its scope, and even more curious about the mysterious Skyrim game that Steven had boldly referenced at the launch event.
At first, some assumed Steven was exaggerating, perhaps even joking. But once players got their hands on Epic Continent, even critics had to admit: if you stripped away personal biases and evaluated the game on its terms, it deserved to be ranked among the best RPGs of the year.
What stunned them further was Steven's assertion that Epic Continent wasn't the peak, that a title like Skyrim, developed by a relatively low-profile team, could stand alongside or even surpass it. Of course, back then Epic Continent wasn't out yet, so players had no reference point. Now they did, and the comparison felt staggering.
On the globally popular games forum, threads about Skyrim began to multiply.
"I'm genuinely curious, what kind of game could make Steven praise it like that?"
"I don't think any global publisher picked it up yet. I heard UEGame might be negotiating with them."
"If you can't wait, some platforms host it. I posted a guide earlier. But fair warning: no English subtitles yet."
"Seriously? Their Resident Evil Resistance mod had full English localization, but this one has none?"
"The trailers had English! I thought that meant it was in-game!"
"Luckily, I had a friend help me through it. I didn't get the story, but the gameplay was top-tier. It feels like being an adventurer in a living world."
"Let's flood their site and demand localization. It's too good to be locked to one language!"
"Count me in."
With Epic Continent soaring in popularity, attention turned back to Skyrim, the lesser-known gem developed by PixelPioneers Studio and praised so strongly by Steven during the Power Storm press conference. But for those who bypassed regional restrictions using VPNs or fan-shared patches, one shock remained: the game had no English support at all. How were they supposed to play?
Many thought Steven's earlier remark meant there was no English dubbing, not that the entire game lacked any English whatsoever.
Back in the support offices of PixelPioneers Studio and Gemtechs, panic unfolded as customer service dashboards lit up with unusual metrics. A tidal wave of reviews, some good, many confused, flooded the page for Skyrim.
"WeneedEnglish!" Some staff wondered if it was a review bomb from rival developers. But the game had been out for over a month with solid praise, and it didn't make sense. Still, the situation was too weird to ignore.
In his office, John read through the reports while scrolling through the comments. Many of them made him sigh.
"English? What do you want me to do?" The truth was, the game hadn't launched internationally yet. It wasn't that they didn't want localization; they just hadn't done it yet.
John had completely forgotten about it. Caught up in finalizing the core game, he never delegated the language work to their outsourcing partner.
"Still, those negative reviews sting." Some posts under Skyrim were clearly just noise, comments like "WeneedEnglish" that didn't critique the game itself but tried to attract attention through star ratings. And sure, most of those would be flagged or removed eventually.
But still, it felt wrong. Like when players report cheating but cheat themselves to the top of the leaderboard. The intent may be valid, but the execution does more harm than good. Then again, maybe this was their only way to be heard. Players often face automated responses when contacting support via email or feedback systems. After a while, downvoting becomes the only pressure point that works.
"Studios shouldn't sit on a pedestal," John muttered. "We need to stay close to our players and take the right feedback seriously. We're not building these games for ourselves, they're for them."
Looking at the flood of red stars, green thumbs, and pleas in English, John suddenly felt clarity crystallize in his mind.