Reborn Tech Maniac

Chapter 97 It's Really Not Poaching

"Tripp, have you changed your career? What happy news have you brought me this time?" Tang Huan joked.

Tripp Hawkins laughed dryly, "I was sent here by President Scott to discuss issues related to Christmas promotions. For example, can I release a Mac version of "Tetris"?"

"Is this a trick by those guys?" Tang Huan snorted, waved his hands and said, "Come on, let's talk in detail in my office."

With the precedent of three Apple shareholders being sent away in despair, Hawkins has already understood Tang Huan's position. The Xiaobawang game console is his own. Neither does Apple.

Therefore, Hawkins was ready to meet Tang Huan's anger, but in the end he saw the calmness of the other party. He had a feeling of shaking his waist, so he had to follow Tang Huan into the office silently.

"Actually, I'm also a shareholder of Apple. It seems that I still hold the fourth largest shareholding ratio." Tang Huan smiled and beckoned Hawkins to sit down. "Scott asked you to test me. What kind of attitude does he have?"

"It should be to wait and see what happens and be optimistic about its success." Hawkins replied slowly, "He has been busy expanding the production line, and he is not enthusiastic."

"What about the attitudes of the other Mike and the two Steves?" Tang Huan continued to ask.

"Those three people have always wanted to hold a board meeting, but they have never been agreed. Markkula and Woz have no interest in asking about this matter. Instead, Jobs explicitly supported this proposal while recruiting for the Lisa project team, he said. You can’t make money and make it too comfortable.”

At this point, Hawkins couldn't help laughing.

"Greed is the root of all evil." Tang Huan shook his head with emotion, "Zheru and Apple are partners with relevant interests, and it can be said that it is their duty to launch the Mac version of "Tetris" to help promote sales. But development can't be done overnight, and Christmas will definitely not be in time."

These guys who plunder and plunder, they really have a way of making things worse than they are, trying to create a rift between themselves and the Apple founders, trying to get their support, but they never thought that the blockbuster game in the hands of my brother The bargaining chip is far more than "Tetris", so how about selling Jobs and Scott a face.

"Indeed, I think Jobs and Scott should be able to understand this technical difficulty." Hawkins nodded slightly and continued to express his views.

"In fact, since Zheru launched CGrid this year, the biggest selling point of Apple computers has changed significantly, becoming the first choice for cheap commercial microcomputers. However, competitors like Tang Di, whose prices are about half of Apple computers, are still Make the game a feature. In my opinion, whether Apple can play Tetris will have limited impact on users’ purchase plans.”

Hearing this analysis, Tang Huan clapped his hands and laughed, "As expected of a high-achieving student from Harvard and Stanford, you are really insightful. I think you are also a caring person. You have observed the delivery process of Xiaobawang game consoles. Do you have any opinions on this industry? ?”

Hawkins straightened his sitting posture, and answered succinctly, "The current home video game console is very promising, but it has a competitive relationship with the current personal computer. If there is no difference in game performance, customers may buy it later." It's an unfavorable choice between a personal computer that can be used for both learning and playing games, and a game console that can only play games."

Tang Huan showed appreciation, "You seem to have done a lot of research in the field of games."

“I have loved games since I was a child, especially simulation games using chess pieces, cards, and dice. While at Harvard, I studied an area of ​​interest—“Theoretical and Practical Game Theory,” using computers to Simulate various social problems, such as organizational decision-making and preventing nuclear war." Hawkins spoke confidently.

"You have accumulated so much, when do you plan to realize your dream of making games?" Tang Huan asked tentatively.

"Wait a few more years," Hawkins replied vaguely.

"Then it will be at least three years later. I don't know what kind of height the personal computer and game console industry will develop by then. Don't miss this opportunity, can't we wait?"

Having said this, Tang Huan smiled. Hawkins was indeed a man with a plan. In the original time and space, he was the Apple who left Apple in 1982 and founded EA.

I don't know if Hawkins is willing to start his ideal life plan in advance.

"I want to find a president in charge of the Xiaobawang game console business. Are you interested in trying it?" Tang Huan offered an olive branch openly.

A look of surprise flashed across Hawkins' face. This is a rare opportunity for career advancement, not to mention entering the field of game consoles is his ideal.

In fact, in the process of communicating with Tang Huan, Hawkins has been trying his best to show his talent.

Sure enough, opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared.

Without waiting for Hawkins to answer, Tang Huan continued: "I know that Apple is preparing to go public next year. Those of you who are the first to enter Apple and have a college degree will have the opportunity to get Apple shares. If you come over, you may I will suffer some losses, and I will make up for it, and I also have plans to make the company of Xiaobawang game consoles public."

Tang Huan didn't talk empty words. Seeing someone coveting Xiaobawang, he thought about taking advantage of the foreseeable 1982 game console industry peak to go public, and at that time, it was also the craziest stage of hot money.

Anyway, in the United States, there is no restriction on the three complete business cycles specified by Longguo in the previous life. As long as Wall Street is optimistic and willing to buy it, it will do. Apple is the best example.

As for the market performance of Little Overlord, with his own help, it is not a problem to achieve a short-term peak to attract attention.

"Of course I am very willing to serve." Hawkins scratched his head unconsciously, "But I came here to discuss official business this time, and ended up changing jobs. It seems inappropriate."

"Of course it's suitable. Steve Jobs will be very unhappy." Tang Huan laughed happily, "I like to do things simply, so you should act quickly. I just seconded you here because I wanted to transplant "Tetris" to Apple as soon as possible. , It’s really not poaching.”

Jobs wanted to add to the chaos, but my brother made your trick invisible. Thinking of this, Tang Huan couldn't help but feel a little proud.

Afterwards, one can imagine that Jobs found out that the person he sent over was taken over by Tang Huan. He was extremely depressed, but he couldn't find a place to blame, so he could only vent his anger on the Lisa project. On the team, fortunately, those people have become accustomed to this perverse behavior.

After giving Apple a small warning, Tang Huan quickly promoted the formation of a new game company.

Naturally, in order to cut off Hawkins' retreat, the new company was directly named ElectronicArts, or EA for short, and the Little Overlord Game Console Company became a subsidiary of EA.

The reason why Tang Huan adopted such a complex structure was to reserve space for acquiring other outstanding game companies.

In the previous life, EA followed the path of merger and development, and of course I should learn from it.

The ship queen Christina, who has tasted the sweetness of acting as an agent of Xiaobawang game consoles in Argentina and Greece, will also invest in EA after learning of Tang Huan's new operation.

Seeing the other party's enthusiasm, Tang Huan became disrespectful.

During this period, he participated in several social activities within the Chinese community, and then Tang Huan left for Baodao to attend the information week activities there.

However, he stopped in Hawaii on the way. It was nominally to inspect the hotel for the Christmas holiday in Hawaii for Zheru's outstanding employees. In fact, he met Lin Qingxia and went to Treasure Island together.

Previously, Tang Huan was entrusted by Lin Qingxia to help her brother handle the matter of studying in the United States. Later, Lin Qingxia's sister and Lin's father also arrived in the United States. This time, Lin Qingxia went to pick her up and stay in Baodao to deal with trivial matters. mother.

Just like that, Tang Huan and Lin Qingxia made it on their way.

After several months of escaping from reality and living in seclusion, Lin Qingxia's tormented heart calmed down a lot. He chatted and laughed happily with Tang Huan on the plane. It made people sigh that time is a butcher's knife, but it is also a good medicine.

After getting off the plane, Lin Qingxia was carefully picked up by Mother Lin, as if she was afraid of the media like a tiger, while Tang Huan was entertained by Shi Chongtang, a middle-level and high-level philosophist.

In fact, attending the information week activities was a necessary show. After going through the formalities and dealing with all the forces, Tang Huan naturally had to turn his attention to serious matters.

During this time, Lin Fengjiao stayed in Xiangjiang to film "Shanghai Beach". Although Tang Huan was inevitably a little lonely, he happened to focus on the factory here.

As far as the Xiaobawang game console is concerned, in a short period of time, No. 40 units have been offline, which shows how heavy the production pressure here is.

During the inspection process, Tang Huan took advantage of the opportunity at the end of the year to distribute benefits to the employees, condolences for their hard work, eliminated grievances, and boosted morale. Many problems were indeed solved, and the reputation value rose rapidly. However, Tang Huan's ultimate purpose Or let them work harder.

Without enough inventory, no matter how good the marketing is, no matter how deceptive the slogan is, they will not be able to share the gluttonous feast during the Christmas season in the United States.

Therefore, Tang Huan had to show himself the ruthless side of the businessman.

The so-called sweatshop is an unavoidable product of a certain period of time.

What he can do is to slightly increase the remuneration within the cost range.

(End of this chapter)