"Bringing you the pulse of gaming! Hey, I'm Tara, your host for GameVibe News!"
Wednesday, Seattle.
Outside Hall 5 of the Seattle Convention Center, Tara, a bubbly reporter, grinned at the camera.
"Welcome to our special coverage," she said, gesturing behind her. "I'm at the IndieVibe Development Festival Exchange Conference. Over 400 game dev teams are gathering here today, including Gus Harper, the 'Supernova' designer who stole the show with Vampire Survivor. He'll share his vision for gaming's future. Let's head inside!"
Tara nodded, and the camera cut. She turned, spotting the bustling entrance.
"Big deal, huh?" her cameraman, Jake, said, coiling cables. "Never seen this at past festivals."
Tara tucked away her mic. "It's new. IndieVibe used to be online-only—awards, announcements, done. Victor Lang's shaking things up, pushing indie designers into the spotlight."
"Bold move," Jake said, slinging his camera. "Could flip the industry."
Tara flipped her press pass. "That's why we're here—to unmask this supernova."
…
Inside, the venue buzzed with devs chatting in clusters, suits and ties everywhere. The cocktail-party vibe was loose but polished.
Zoey Parker and Gus Harper stuck out like sore thumbs in a corner. Zoey rocked a cream hoodie, sweatpants, and chunky sneakers. Gus wore his signature Mickey Mouse hoodie and jeans. On a college campus, they'd blend in. Here? They looked like lost interns.
Zoey edged closer to Gus, feeling eyes on them. "We're so underdressed."
Gus glanced at her. "Why didn't you suit up?"
She gaped. "Me? You're wearing a cartoon mouse!"
"It's charming," Gus said, smirking. "Let it mock these suits who can't spot a real player."
Zoey snorted, her nerves easing. Gus was playing the underdog card, ready to pounce. She was curious how these "friendly competitors" would react when they saw her on stage.
The host kicked off the event. Applause roared, cameras flashed. Victor Lang took the mic, preaching his vision for a revitalized indie scene. "With our collective push, the gaming world will evolve!" he declared, earning cheers.
Then, Victor's voice boomed: "It's my honor to introduce Zoey Parker, CEO of WindyPeak Games, whose Vampire Survivor smashed 43,775 sales in a single day!"
The crowd erupted. Media scrambled, cameras swinging. Devs whispered, craning necks. "Where's she at?" "Backstage, probably." "With those numbers, Victor's rolling out the red carpet."
Zoey, in her hoodie and dad shoes, hair in twin buns, strolled onto the stage. Silence fell. Jaws dropped. She shook Victor's hand, adjusted the mic, and flashed a barely-contained grin at the stunned suits.
"Good morning, everyone," she said. "I'm Zoey Parker, CEO of WindyPeak Games. Honored to be here."
The room exploded in chaos.