The game had been online for some time, and development of the follow-up DLC for Power Storm's Epic Continent was already well underway. Yet, despite its success, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, with its ever-expanding library of MODs and the freshly released multiplayer mode, had temporarily eclipsed Epic Continent in popularity, both overseas and at home.
Though Epic Continent's sales numbers weren't far behind Skyrim's, the former had been on the market longer and remained a purely single-player experience. In contrast, Skyrim had breathed new life into itself with MOD integrations and multiplayer gameplay, sparking a level of excitement Epic Continent simply couldn't match.
What unsettled John, however, was that the new update had been live for two days now, and still, no one had uncovered the hidden storyline content woven into the game. That shouldn't have been possible! He hadn't buried it so deeply that it was impossible to find. So why hadn't players stumbled upon it yet? Why were they so fixated on the multiplayer mode instead?
As social media buzzed with debates over Skyrim's online features, John quietly logged into an alternate account and slipped into the game's forum section. He sifted through his hard drive, gathered a few test screenshots, and composed a post: Shock! This update, "The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim," actually has these contents!
Once it went live, he opened another tab, logged into his verified blog account, copied the link, and scheduled it to post with a cheeky emoji.
Perfect. After carefully reviewing the post to ensure it was flawless, John leaned back in his chair, cappuccino in hand, and smirked. When players failed to discover an Easter egg, even one meant to be found, it was time for the developers themselves to "accidentally" uncover it.
By nightfall, his post had been pinned by a moderator in the forum, quickly attracting replies. At precisely seven o'clock, his scheduled blog post dropped, immediately pulling in waves of attention, particularly from gaming media.
Big news!
While articles had covered Skyrim's multiplayer launch two days earlier, this revelation was entirely different; brand-new story content in a slow news cycle was a lightning rod for hype, and excitement spread like wildfire.
"No way! A new DLC? PixelPioneers Games is a productivity machine!"
"I haven't even finished Dawnguard, and now there's another Dragonborn DLC?!"
"What's with PixelPioneers Games' strategy? No promotion for this? Not even for multiplayer?"
"Probably because it's free. Advertising would be a money sink."
"Then at least post an announcement, come on."
"Forget it, just buy some 'Skyrim Dragon Cards' to support PixelPioneers Games."
"I checked it out, there's even a card game in single-player. I followed a quest, met a guy ranting about a world crisis, and then he challenged me to a card duel!"
"Save the world? Nah, cards first."
The buzz snowballed as gaming outlets scrambled to amplify the story, milking every drop of traffic.
Meanwhile, inside the Game Starry Sky editorial office, tension simmered as editors examined John's official blog post and the forum thread made from his alternate account.
"The registered phone number matches his! I double-checked his profile; it's identical," one editor whispered, barely able to contain their shock.
"Boss, this is a goldmine headline. It'll surge if we post it," a rookie staffer suggested eagerly.
"Are you out of your mind? That's clearly a PR play. Publishing it would just burn bridges. And how do you even know it's John? By snooping through private registration info? Keep your mouth shut and nothing happens!" the senior editor barked.
As John's strategy unfolded, players realized this wasn't just a multiplayer update; it came with an entire DLC storyline waiting to be unearthed. Within hours, droves of players flocked back to single-player mode, eager to experience the hidden narrative.
Watching Skyrim's sudden resurgence, John's grin widened. Who needed expensive marketing campaigns when it could accomplish all this? Brilliant.
But while John admired his handiwork, a completely unexpected trend was taking over the internet, not Miraak's storyline, nor the legendary Dragon Priest himself, but a quirky little mini-game slipped into the update.
Players discovered that during the Dragonborn questline, upon visiting the Greybeards at High Hrothgar, they could unlock a mysterious collectible card game simply titled Skyrim. Originally a multiplayer diversion, it was now fully accessible in single-player mode.
Though multiplayer fans mostly ignored it in favor of joining the Dark Brotherhood, hunting dragons, or dueling random players, single-player gamers became instantly hooked. For many, the appeal wasn't just in battling monsters or saving the world, but in Skyrim's eccentric side activities, horse racing, fishing, and now, this irresistibly addictive card game.