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Chapter 65: Dark Hour
🕑 Added 2025-10-05 14:02:45 +0000 UTC"The Digital Entertainment Oversight Committee says Fast and Furious contains criminal content, inappropriate material, and misleading gameplay. They're ordering immediate removal and revision!" Nathan Pierce continued, his usually calm demeanor cracking.
Alex's brows furrowed as anger rose within him. Someone was pulling strings behind the scenes—he was certain of it. Fast and Furious fully complied with all current regulations, otherwise it never would have been approved and launched successfully.
Moreover, each game in Infinite Realms had clear rating classifications, and Fast and Furious carried a 16+ rating, meaning anyone sixteen or older could play it.
Therefore, there was no violation whatsoever. If Fast and Furious was deemed problematic, then sixty to seventy percent of current games would also be in violation.
"Fast and Furious strictly adheres to the rating system, so how could it be a violation? Didn't you contact Infinite Realms officially to ask what happened? Could there be a mistake?" Alex asked in a low voice, holding onto a sliver of hope.
"I asked. The official reply was that new regulations were just introduced to re-clarify the rating system. Our game was criticized by name by Deputy Director Walsh due to multiple reports and ordered to be revised."
"Damn it, playing dirty tricks on me!" Even if Alex was unwilling to believe it, he had to accept his suspicion was correct. Someone was clearly sabotaging Fast and Furious, and they'd timed it perfectly—just as the paid version was about to launch.
Indeed, the tall tree catches the wind. Fast and Furious had been too successful recently, making certain people envious.
"Keep negotiating with the committee, clarify what these new regulations actually are. Even if the rating needs adjustment, we can raise it to 18+. There's no justification for complete removal!" Alex said after a moment of contemplation.
"Okay, I'll take the legal team to the committee offices now to negotiate with the relevant departments!" Nathan said.
"Good, you go ahead. But I don't think this matter is that simple. I'll also reach out to my connections," Alex said. He understood the committee was well aware of Fast and Furious's current global influence.
Its positive impact definitely far outweighed any negative effects.
Directly targeting Fast and Furious would obviously attract global attention, and the various chain reactions and ripple effects would certainly be significant.
Therefore, if the person playing dirty hadn't leveraged someone with serious political influence, today's events wouldn't have happened.
After Nathan left, Alex immediately called his father, then received a call from Jake Harrison. News of Fast and Furious being ordered for revision and forced removal spread like a bombshell through the gaming community, shaking not just domestic players but spreading internationally, truly stirring up massive waves.
With the paid version about to launch, everyone understood someone was playing dirty, using extraordinary influence. In the gaming industry, there was probably only one person with such capability...
"It's Brandon Sterling after all!" Alex clenched his fists in anger. Actually, he'd already suspected Brandon. His father had contacted people at the committee and learned that Deputy Director Walsh had personally singled out Fast and Furious as an example to warn others.
And this Walsh had various subtle "entangled" relationships with the Sterling family that most people didn't know about.
"My sources in the nightlife scene told me Brandon arranged full entertainment services for Walsh that very night!" Danny continued. He was deeply connected to the city's nightclub circles, otherwise getting such secret information would have been impossible.
"This Walsh is really pushing his luck. Accepting bribes during an anti-corruption period? He thinks his deputy director position makes him untouchable. He's asking for trouble!" Jake said indignantly.
"I've already got people gathering evidence. Sooner or later, this cancer will end up behind bars!" Danny said.
"Yes, he'll go down eventually, but the damage from this incident can't be undone!" Alex said. He understood the severe blow this would deal to both him and the entire American gaming industry—consequences that would ripple far into the future.
"Brandon Sterling, that idiot. Doing something like this harms the entire industry while destroying himself. Does he think he'll escape unscathed? He's dragged everyone down with him!" Alex truly didn't know what to call Brandon. Even calling him brain-dead would be insulting to the term.
Sure enough, Fast and Furious's forced removal caused intense dissatisfaction among players, especially occurring on the eve of the new content update. The indefinite postponement enraged countless eagerly-waiting fans worldwide, who directed all their resentment at the committee.
Domestic players questioned the committee's actions, calling them malicious and unfair. Everyone believed Fast and Furious was fully compliant. Some experts even presented relevant regulations, analyzing point by point to prove the game's content was legal and appropriate.
"Praise the experts! Even though I don't understand the legal details, it sounds convincing!"
"Does this even need analysis? Fast and Furious passed review and launched legally. This is clearly targeted!"
"Right! Pick any other 16+ game and it would be less compliant than Fast and Furious!"
"Has the committee been bought off?"
"Definitely dark dealings!"
"Has the committee become a tool of corporate interests?"
"Money talks—the power of capital is terrifying!"
"Someone's playing dirty through malicious competition. Fast and Furious has been live for months, but they order revision right before the update? Too obvious!"
"Probably Titan Games behind this!"
"Must be Brandon Sterling! Only the Sterling family has this kind of pull!"
"Yeah, besides Sterling, who else would do something this disgusting? He's truly an industry cancer!"
Netizens quickly identified Brandon Sterling as the culprit. Even international players criticized the committee, calling it completely unreasonable judgment and obvious conspiracy—despicable competitive sabotage.
Naturally, Alex didn't sit idle. To resolve this as quickly as possible, the best approach was creating public pressure, using opinion to force higher authorities to address the situation properly.
So he employed some tactics, hiring social media influencers to indirectly expose Brandon Sterling's involvement in sabotaging Fast and Furious.
Resourceful netizens also contributed their efforts. Someone leaked security footage of Brandon Sterling and Deputy Director Walsh entering and leaving the same private club on the same evening. While not conclusive proof, it convinced players Sterling was playing dirty.
As a result, netizens' anger found its target, all directed at Titan Games. Every game developed by Titan was reported. Netizens compiled evidence of inappropriate content, violence, and criminal elements in various Titan games online.
Public opinion exploded, with condemnation of Sterling and the committee growing louder!
Facing domestic and international pressure, although the committee didn't respond directly, they had to order all reported games removed for revision to ease public doubts about their fairness.
Therefore, Titan Games' library was largely pulled overnight. The entire American gaming industry got dragged into the mess. Many 16+ rated games were removed, requiring revision or rating increases.
The American gaming industry entered its darkest hour in history...
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Cajun sS
Kevin Harts voice: It’s about to go down
