The San Francisco International Convention Center buzzed with energy as the USEA's 10th VR Game Design Media Conference hit full swing.
Apex Interactive and IndieVibe Tech's booths at the entrance stole the show, their massive LED screens blasting Fearless Sniper and Ford Rally 3. Crowds of media, streamers, and critics swarmed, cameras flashing, mics live, soaking up the hype. Central booths held their own, buzzing with interviews and demos.
But in the deepest corner, WindyPeak's 100-square-foot booth sat quiet.
Gus Harper, Luke Bennett, and Jake Rivers shivered on their stools, hands tucked into sleeves against the February chill. Their tiny LED looped the Left 4 Dead 2 trailer, and four VibeX1 pods stood ready, but the crowds didn't come.
"Still no one," Luke muttered, glancing at the packed aisles. "Thought the promo would pull somebody."
Jake nodded glumly. "Second-gen FPS is killer, but what's the point if no one sees it?"
Gus leaned back, unfazed. "Give it time. One curious soul stops, we've got 'em. Media's here for fresh ideas—this'll hook 'em."
He was banking on the $1,000,000 Left 4 Dead 2 trailer and demo. The second-gen FPS—no crosshairs, iron sights, raw feedback—was a game-changer. Even if the game flopped, the mechanics would turn heads.
As they waited, a figure approached. "Excuse me, is this the WindyPeak booth?"
Gus turned. A young woman in a press badge, holding a camera, stood there—Tara Torres from PixelPulse News.
"That's us," Gus said, standing. "Gus Harper, game director. You here to check out Left 4 Dead 2?"
Tara nodded, adjusting her glasses. "Heard whispers about a new FPS mode. Second-gen, right? Figured I'd see what the fuss is about."
Gus grinned. Here's the spark.
"Step right up," he said, gesturing to the LED. "We're doing zombies, but not the slow Resident Evil kind—fast, swarming, like Journey to Fukushima. Plus, our second-gen FPS ditches crosshairs for iron sights. It's all about feel—recoil, focus, immersion."
Tara raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "No crosshairs? Bold. Can I see the trailer?"
Luke hit play. The screen flared to life: four survivors—Coach, Nick, Ellis, Rochelle—battling through a zombie-infested city. Gunshots popped with visceral recoil, no virtual crosshairs, just iron sights aligning on sprinting undead. The camera shook with each shot, zombies collapsing in sprays of blood, their speed and numbers overwhelming. The trailer ended with the group cornered, chainsaws roaring, as Left 4 Dead 2 flashed across the screen.
Tara's jaw dropped. "That's… intense. The aiming feels so real."
"Wanna try the demo?" Gus offered, pointing to a VibeX1 pod.
She hesitated, then nodded. "Let's do it."
As Tara climbed in, a few passersby—indie devs and a stray reporter—paused, drawn by the trailer's audio. Luke and Jake perked up, sensing a shift.
Inside the pod, Tara spawned on a rooftop with three AI teammates. She grabbed a pistol and fire axe, noticing the UI: bullet count on the gun, health on a watch, no minimap, no crosshairs. The screen felt clean, raw. A zombie's groan echoed below.
She aimed, aligning sights. Bang. The recoil jolted her hands, the shot loud, real. A zombie dropped. "Whoa," she muttered, heart racing.
Outside, the small crowd grew. A Twitch streamer, SlickRick, wandered over, drawn by the trailer. "Yo, is this Golden Wind? The Phasmophobia folks?"
Jake nodded. "Yup. Try Left 4 Dead 2. It's next-level."
SlickRick's chat lit up:
"Golden Wind's back?!"
"That trailer's nuts. No crosshairs?"
"Slick, play it!"
SlickRick hopped into a pod, streaming live. The LED synced his gameplay, showing him gunning down zombies with precise, iron-sight shots. Chat spammed fire emojis.
Tara emerged, eyes wide. "Gus, this is revolutionary. The feedback, the tension—it's like shooting for real, but fun."
She started filming, dictating notes: "WindyPeak's Left 4 Dead 2 redefines FPS with second-gen mechanics. No crosshairs, pure immersion. A must-see at USEA."
SlickRick's stream pulled more eyes. A cluster of indie devs—Qunfeng Games, Jifeng Studio—joined, whispering about the mechanics.
Luke leaned toward Gus. "Told ya the trailer would work."
Gus smirked. "Just needed one. Now watch the flood."
By mid-morning, the booth was packed. Media jotted notes, devs asked tech questions, and streamers queued for pods. Zoey Parker, watching from afar with Chloe Quinn, frowned.
This isn't good, Zoey thought. Her 100x rebate needed a flop, not a hit. She'd dodged IndieVibe's booth merge to keep WindyPeak obscure, but Gus's demo was drawing heat.
She whispered to Chloe, "We gotta slow this down. Maybe 'accidentally' unplug the LED later?"
Chloe blinked. "You sure? That's risky."
Zoey grinned. "Risk's my middle name."
Back at the booth, a new voice called out: "Mr. Harper?"
Gus turned to see Director Chen from Bluebird Games, glasses glinting. "Heard about your second-gen FPS. Mind if I take a look?"
The crowd parted as more indie execs trailed Chen, badges flashing Qunfeng, Meiying Tech, Jiahua Games.
Gus blinked. Media I expected. Competitors? What the hell?