China News 2021

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(上海在线新经济)米哈游创始人刘伟：始于热爱才能一路接受挑战
(Shanghai Online New Economy) miHoYo Founder Liu Wei: Started with Passion and Accepted Challenges Along the Way

中新网上海5月14日电(记者 缪璐)“无论前方有多少险阻，我都会迎难而上。”这是上海米哈游网络科技股份有限公司推出的动作手游《崩坏3》中角色的台词，这似乎也代表了上海米哈游网络科技股份有限公司创始人、总裁刘伟及其合伙人创业过程中的心路历程。
Shanghai, May 14th, China News Service (Reporter Miao Lu) "No matter how many obstacles lie ahead, I will face them head-on." This is a line spoken by a character in the action mobile game *Honkai Impact 3rd* launched by Shanghai miHoYo Network Technology Co., Ltd. It seems to also represent the entrepreneurial journey of Liu Wei, the founder and president of Shanghai miHoYo Network Technology Co., Ltd., and his partners.

2020年9月底上线的游戏《原神》，不仅首月以2.45亿美元成为当月全球收入最高的手游，而且连续六个月稳居中国出海手游收入冠军宝座。2021年2月3日，1.3版本明霄升海平上线后，《原神》登顶27个国家APP Store畅销榜榜首。
The game *Genshin Impact*, launched at the end of September 2020, not only became the highest-grossing mobile game globally in its first month with a revenue of 245 million USD, but also consistently held the top position in China's overseas mobile game revenue for six consecutive months. On February 3, 2021, after the release of version 1.3, *Genshin Impact* topped the best-selling charts in 27 countries' App Stores.

而这场酣畅淋漓的成功，《原神》制作公司米哈游等了近九年。本科就读于上海交通大学的刘伟、蔡浩宇、罗宇皓，大学期间就开始在宿舍建网站、开发引擎，2011年，即将研究生毕业的三人决定开始创业，米哈游由此成立。
However, this resounding success was the result of a nearly nine-year wait for miHoYo, the company behind *Genshin Impact*. Liu Wei, Cai Haoyu, and Luo Yuhao, who studied at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, started building websites and developing engines in their dormitories during their university years. In 2011, just before graduating from their master's studies, the three of them decided to start their own business, and thus miHoYo was established.

米哈游是一家主要针对二次元玩家的公司。刘伟及其合伙人是典型的理工科宅男，出于对动漫的喜爱，他们把喜欢的东西称为ACG(指动画、漫画、游戏三者的简称，也代指二次元文化)。
miHoYo is a company mainly targeting the ACG (Anime, Comic, and Games) community. Liu Wei and his partners are typical tech otakus. Out of their love for anime, they use the term ACG to refer to the things they like (referring to anime, manga, and games, and also representing the subculture associated with them).

实际上，刚开始创业的时候，国内二次元这个词还不普及。“那个时候我们根本不敢想国产二次元游戏会有今天这么大的市场，当时只是一个很朴素的想法，就是会有一群人会跟我们拥有一样的兴趣爱好，我们就服务这样一群用户也挺好的。”刘伟说。
In fact, at the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey, the term "ACG" was not widely known in China. "At that time, we couldn't even imagine that domestically produced ACG games would have such a large market today. It was a simple idea that there would be a group of people with the same interests as us, and it would be great to serve them," said Liu Wei.

正是因为国内市场对二次元知之甚少，米哈游创业初期没有找到任何天使投资，最终的启动资金仅为上海市科技创业中心提供的10万元无息贷款和免费使用半年的50平方米办公室。2011年9月，米哈游第一款独立制作的游戏《Fly Me 2 The Moon》问世，在这一年年底公司拿到了100万元天使投资，这也成为米哈游从初创到现在唯一收到的投资。
Because the domestic market had little understanding of the ACG culture, miHoYo did not find any angel investments during the early stages of their business. The initial startup capital came from a non-interest-bearing loan of 100,000 yuan provided by the Shanghai Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Center and the free use of a 50-square-meter office space for six months. In September 2011, miHoYo released their first independently produced game, *FlyMe2theMoon*. By the end of that year, the company received 1 million yuan in angel investment, which remains the only investment miHoYo has received from its inception until now.

拿到天使投资后，现实却依旧骨感。2012年底，米哈游的第二款游戏《崩坏学园1》发售，售价6元。一边烧着投资人的钱，一边开发的游戏既不赚钱也没有获得用户的广泛认可，刘伟和伙伴们陷入了无尽的迷茫和焦虑，“那个时候看不清产业的方向，不知道未来要怎么走。”
After obtaining angel investment, the reality was still challenging. At the end of 2012, miHoYo released their second game, *Houkai Gakuen [2]*, priced at 6 yuan. While burning through the investors' money, the game they developed neither made profits nor gained widespread recognition from users. Liu Wei and his partners found themselves in endless confusion and anxiety, "At that time, we couldn't see the direction of the industry or know how to move forward."

刘伟和合伙人当时给自己开的工资是一个月4000元，而当时他们任何一个同学毕业后拿的工资，都比这个数高得多。“但是你最终还是会选择继续干这个事情，所以我说热不热爱这件事，它不是口头说了算，它是身体很诚实，越是做自己热爱的工作，就越能被自己感动，也就越能让你接受挑战，去面对那些很困难的时候。”刘伟说。
Liu Wei and his partners were paying themselves a monthly salary of 4,000 yuan at that time, which was much lower than what any of their classmates were earning after graduation. "But in the end, you would still choose to continue doing this, so when I talk about passion, it's not just empty words. It's something that your body honestly feels. The more you do the work you love, the more you are moved by it, and the more you are able to accept challenges and face difficult times," said Liu Wei.

最困难的时候，刘伟需要身兼多职，他开玩笑道：“我可能除了美术原画这个工作没有做过外，其他的所有工种，我早期几乎都做过。”而正是在做客服小妹的过程中，刘伟找到了米哈游一直未能突破的关键所在。
At the most difficult times, Liu Wei had to take on multiple roles. He joked, "Except for the job of art painting, I've done almost every other job in the early days." It was during his time working as a customer service representative that Liu Wei found the key to breakthrough for miHoYo.

囿于创业脱胎于学校这个象牙塔，刘伟和合伙人们开发的游戏更多的是基于自己的爱好，没有对游戏市场形成深刻的理解，而不考虑用户最直观的感受就是没有人买单。刘伟在做客服的过程中意识到，每一个用户背后，不只是一个数据，还是一个个鲜活的人，每个人都会有自己的需求，有自己的问题，而通过跟他们聊天，才能真真正正感受到玩家的喜怒哀乐，也才能真真正正对玩家有同理心。
As their entrepreneurship originated from an ivory tower, namely the school, Liu Wei and his partners developed games based on their own hobbies without a deep understanding of the gaming market. Not considering the users' most intuitive experiences meant that no one was willing to pay. During his time in customer service, Liu Wei realized that behind each user, there was not just data, but real individuals. Each person had their own needs and problems, and through chatting with them, he could truly feel the joys and sorrows of the players and genuinely empathize with them.

终于在2014年，米哈游等来了《崩坏学园2》的初步成功，《崩坏学园2》让米哈游被国内大量二次元玩家熟知与喜爱，也让米哈游在2014年年营业收入超过1亿元。
Finally, in 2014, miHoYo witnessed the initial success of *Houkai Gakuen 2*. *Houkai Gakuen 2* made miHoYo well-known and loved by a large number of domestic two-dimensional players, and in the same year, miHoYo's annual revenue exceeded 100 million yuan.

实际上，二次元文化一直不为很多人理解，认为都是虚拟的世界和任务，但刘伟认为，“我们的现实生活正因为有了虚拟世界那一部分，才变得更美好，能够让你去经历那些你在现实生活中所不能经历的人和事情，这个体验其实是能够丰富我们自己的人生阅历的。” "In fact, the two-dimensional culture has long been misunderstood by many, who perceive it as a virtual world and trivial tasks. But Liu Wei believes, "Our real life becomes better because of that virtual part. It allows you to experience people and things that you cannot experience in real life. This experience can actually enrich our own life experiences.""

而刘伟本人也从其中获益良多，2013年是米哈游创业最艰难的时候，刘伟体验了一款很独特的游戏作品，让他印象最深的是，当到达大雪纷飞的雪地时，玩家自己会倒下，这时候一定需要有队友，或者有其他一起联机的玩家，然后相互扶持前行，“尤其在最后的时候，在落日余晖的背景下一路开始飞翔，这对我感动非常大”。
Liu Wei himself also benefited greatly from it. In 2013, which was the most difficult time for miHoYo's entrepreneurship, Liu Wei experienced a unique game that left a deep impression on him. When reaching a snowy area with heavy snowfall, the player would fall down, and at that moment, they needed teammates or other players in the online game to support each other and move forward together. "Especially towards the end, when you start flying against the backdrop of the setting sun, it moved me deeply."

刘伟认为，很多时候你也会面临不知道往哪里去走的探索的迷茫，这个时候你会发现，有人跟你一起往前走，你就还没有山穷水尽，你的团队还在，还有人喜欢你的作品，你还有自己想做的东西，所以你还会往前走，哪怕在黑暗中，哪怕看到一点点的光亮，你就知道朝那个方向去走，因为往前走才有未来。
Liu Wei believes that many times you may face the confusion of not knowing where to go and explore. At such times, you will realize that there are people walking with you, and as long as you have not reached the end of the road and your team is still there, people still appreciate your work, and you still have things you want to do, so you will keep moving forward, even in the darkness, even if you see a little light, you will know to walk in that direction because only by moving forward can you have a future.

正如米哈游创始人们一直激励自己的鸡汤那样，“很多时候，不是因为看到了希望才坚持，而是因为坚持了才看到希望。”(完)
Just as the founders of miHoYo have always motivated themselves with inspirational words, "Many times, it's not because you see hope that you persist, but because you persist that you see hope." (End)