Core Insights - The article discusses the tumultuous history of the game "Uncharted Waters Online" (大航海时代OL), highlighting its significant impact and the challenges it faced due to multiple changes in its operating rights and management issues [1][3][10]. Group 1: Game History and Impact - "Uncharted Waters Online" was first introduced in 2004 and achieved a record of 400,000 concurrent users during its initial launch [7][10]. - The game has gone through three closures and three relaunches, earning the title of "the online game with the most closures in Chinese history" [3][14]. - The IP has been influential in China, ranking second in popularity among Koei's titles, following the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" series [2]. Group 2: Operational Challenges - The game has faced significant operational challenges, including a lack of understanding from Japanese developers regarding the needs of overseas players, leading to repeated crises in its management [7][22]. - The first operator, Shengxuanming, lost the rights due to various disputes, including profit-sharing disagreements and management issues, which led to a loss of player trust [10][11]. - Subsequent operators also struggled, with user data loss and server shutdowns occurring multiple times, resulting in a two-year hiatus before the game was relaunched by Tianxi Network [12][14]. Group 3: Game Design and Player Experience - The game features a complex economic system and over 50 character classes, which can be challenging for players unfamiliar with its mechanics [20][22]. - The design philosophy of Japanese developers often disregards the preferences and expectations of international players, leading to a disconnect between the game and its audience [15][17]. - The article emphasizes that successful operation requires collaboration among developers, operators, and players, which has historically been lacking in the case of "Uncharted Waters Online" [22][31]. Group 4: Future Prospects - New projects based on the "Uncharted Waters" IP are emerging, including "Uncharted Waters: Sea Overlord" and "Uncharted Waters: Legend," with varying degrees of development and potential for success [25][29]. - The article suggests that the current environment for game development in China is more mature, with better collaboration between developers and local companies, which may lead to more stable operations for future titles [31][33].