“If it’s not simple enough, many young players born after 2000 won’t engage with it.” On October 20, Shijuzhu, Chairman of Giant Network Group Co., Ltd., made remarks commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Journey IP. He noted that "the growth in player numbers over the past two years has significantly outpaced revenue growth," which he considered a major achievement for his team, indicating that they are on the right track. He stated, "While the growth in player numbers has been impressive, it’s still not enough to ensure the game is enjoyable. We must continue to strive for it to be engaging, fun, and durable." According to Shijuzhu, the focus of a game should not be primarily on revenue, but on the number of players and their overall experience; a philosophy he emphasized upon his return to frontline development at the end of 2022. He pointed out that Journey historically overloaded the game with excessive features that made it cumbersome for long-time players. He believes unnecessary features that players do not utilize should be removed to simplify the game. Particularly for younger players born after 2000, if the game is not simple enough, they will lose interest. The core of making the game enjoyable lies in refining the main gameplay, while creating lasting engagement is challenging yet essential. This means "we must find ways to enhance player interaction—both cooperative and competitive—and incorporate more randomness so that each day brings different content and gameplay experiences." When discussing young players, Shijuzhu emphasized the need for the development team to focus on them and provided three specific optimization recommendations: 1. Art Style: The perceptions of artistic style differ between young and older players, necessitating a balance in design. 2. Simplicity: Given the fast-paced lifestyle of today’s youth, games must be straightforward; they should be intuitive enough that players can start without any guidance—like a fool-proof version. 3. Understanding Interests: Young players have different interests compared to older ones; therefore, developers should communicate with players to optimize rules, features, and the amount of time spent on the game. Reflecting on Journey’s performance over the past two years, Shijuzhu remarked, “I think it deserves an 80 out of 100—60 is passing; 80 is excellent—but I still deducted 20 points, indicating there is ample room for improvement.” He believes the gameplay of Journey will see significant enhancements in the coming years, leading to substantial growth in player numbers. “If Journey launches new versions or products, I will certainly try them myself, gather feedback, and listen to the players.”
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