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David sat in the VR gaming pod—a two-person model built for multiplayer sessions.
He was sitting next to Mr. Harrison, with the game currently paused.
Mr. Harrison walked David through the startup sequence. The moment the simulation kicked in, the visuals and audio assaulted David's senses. It felt like he was actually standing on the hot sands of Egypt, deep in the battlefield near the pyramids, staring up at Decepticons.
Those towering, mechanical giants began transforming right in front of his eyes. The sheer scale of it was breathtaking.
Their armor gleamed in the harsh sunlight, lens flares bouncing off the polished metal. The complex mechanical joints and shifting panels moved like muscles under skin—every tiny component rendered in insane detail.
The haptic feedback in the pod was a different universe compared to the cheap vibrations of his headset at home.
The Deal
It was already late afternoon when David left Mr. Harrison's office.
He'd had lunch with the client and—just as he'd hoped—secured the order.
It was a critical win. Not only did it help him hit his monthly quota, but the contract came with recurring commissions that would pad his paycheck for a long time.
Sitting in his car, David was genuinely buzzing.
Thinking back on the morning, he felt a wave of emotion.
He never expected he would become genuine friends with a difficult client through a video game—and close a deal that had been stalled for months.
In the past, he'd always thought games were a waste of time and money, something only lazy people cared about. But today, he realized nothing in this world is truly useless.
Everything exists for a reason. You can't just dismiss something based on prejudice.
That evening, Ryan walked home from school as usual.
As he approached his apartment building, he saw the living room light glowing through the window.
Dad's home early? Ryan thought. That was rare.
He didn't think much of it and headed straight upstairs, unlocking the door.
"Dad, I'm home!" Ryan called out, kicking off his shoes.
He looked up and froze.
David was standing in the living room. Next to him, positioned proudly in the center of the floor, was a brand-new VR gaming pod.
Ryan's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
He recognized the model immediately. It was an entry-level domestic unit, retailing for around $2,500—maybe a bit less on sale. But for them, that was huge money.
"Dad, is this...?" Ryan couldn't believe it. He walked over, eyeing the machine with a mix of awe and suspicion, touching the sleek casing to make sure it was real.
"This is a gift from Dad to you," David said warmly.
"For me?" Ryan felt like he was dreaming.
How could his dad buy him a VR pod? Just letting him play at all was a miracle. This wasn't normal.
Ryan ran his hand along the smooth plastic, then looked at his father with sudden suspicion. "Dad... are you getting remarried or something?"
"What are you thinking?!" David laughed, exasperated.
"Then why did you buy me a gaming pod?"
"Because Dad landed a huge order today—thanks to your contribution."
"My contribution?"
David explained the day's events. Only then did Ryan understand.
He hadn't expected his dad to close a major deal because of Transformers. And he definitely didn't expect the game to change his dad's entire outlook on life.
"But there's one condition—your grades can't drop. If you slip up on the next exam, I'm taking it back," David said with a grin.
"Don't worry, Dad! I'll ace the next exam, I promise!" Ryan beamed.
David patted Ryan's head, smiling.
Seeing his son this happy made all the stress worth it.
Ryan posted his story in Stormwind Studios' official community event, "My Story with Transformers." It immediately blew up, attracting tons of attention and heated discussion.
It ended up winning first place for highest engagement.
As a prize, Ryan received a limited edition Bumblebee collectible figure directly from the studio.
Inside the Stormwind Studios conference room, Alex was reviewing the design prototypes for the Transformers toy line.
The presenter was a product manager from a consumer goods subsidiary under the Reed Group. His lead designers and engineers sat nervously around the table.
This proposal covered the first wave of products—heavy hitters like Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Ratchet, and Ironhide, along with Decepticons like Megatron, Starscream, Brawl, and Barricade.
The toys faithfully recreated the character designs from the game, and critically, they could actually transform into their vehicle modes—trucks, jets, tanks, and cars.
"That concludes our design proposal. Mr. Morrison, what do you think?" The product manager finished his pitch.
"Excellent work. The fidelity to the game models is impressive. The aesthetic is very strong," Alex said with a nod.
He was genuinely satisfied with the quality.
"However... the transformation process for these figures is extremely complex. The learning curve is steep. This will definitely appeal to adults and hardcore collectors, but it's going to frustrate the hell out of a seven-year-old."
Alex's words made the team sit up straighter.
"Since we're making toys, we need to target the youth market—that's an enormous segment. I suggest you develop a parallel line focused on kids. Design products with simplified transformations."
Alex leaned forward. "They need to look good in vehicle mode, but the robot mode can be stylized and simplified. That will also lower your production costs. The line you have here? Keep it. But market it as a premium 'Studio Series' for adult collectors."
"Lee, get that down," the product manager whispered urgently to his assistant. "Mr. Morrison, that makes total sense. We were too focused on accuracy and missed the accessibility angle. The kids' market is the main battlefield. We'll draft a new proposal and have it on your desk in three days."
"Good. I want a balance. Simplified doesn't mean ugly. Don't go to the other extreme," Alex emphasized.
He didn't want a Transformer that transformed in one click but looked like a brick.
"Don't worry, Mr. Morrison. We'll get it right."
"Excellent."
After the meeting, Alex signed a flurry of contracts.
Top luxury automotive brands. Global sportswear giant Nike. Several major banks proposing co-branded credit cards.
The Transformers IP was making capitalists worldwide wake up to its value.
The merchandising empire was just getting started.
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