MSS 19🍓

Malicious Sniping Stream (19)

Why do game companies entrust advertising to streamers?

Simple.

Because nine out of ten internet stream viewers are potential customers who want games.

Not only is the advertising cost relatively cheap, but unlike TV commercials where even getting 30 seconds is hard, streamer ads can run for an hour or more as part of the program.

“So, wouldn’t you say a game company that advertises through a streamer is very trendy and clever?”

「SnipingKingSphinx has donated 1,000 won!」
▶ What are you saying! Are you calling Project AD stupid for wasting money on TV ads?

「Gasp」
「Whoa」
「LOL Project AD again?」
「This guy’s sniping right from the start hahaha」

…Huh?
Is the conversation heading that way again?

“No, that’s not it. I just meant that choosing streamers is clever—it doesn’t mean other choices are bad.”

「Project AD has a lot of money from plagiarism anyway, cheers~」

Hmm…
I wanted to casually let people know that I’d gotten an ad deal, but the mood is turning weird.
If this flows like I’m badmouthing other companies, that’ll be a problem. Maybe I should change the subject?

「xxx has donated 1,000 won!」
▶ Sphinx, I just joined but I’m chat-banned. Can you check?

“Oh, a chat ban? Probably because you used offensive language last stream. The MCN told me they reviewed all chat logs from the past week.”

「??」
「Wait, MCN?」
「No way, you joined an MCN already?」
「Crazy, you’ve only streamed for a few months haha」
「Which MCN is it?」

Did I only post a notice?
It’s not like I need to hide it.

“It’s Cheongseol MCN, a new startup.”

「Hmm…」
「Ah, a startup…」
「Too bad, if it’s you, you could’ve joined a better one」

As expected, most chat reactions were negative.
Which is natural.

There are tons of startup companies jumping into streaming without much knowledge.

‘It’s not that I don’t understand the viewers’ worries…’

But I’ve weathered my share of storms in life.
Sometimes they treat streamers like naïve kids who don’t know the world.

「xxx has donated 1,000 won!」
▶ LOL garbage company. Typical startup, banning over nothing…

The donation voice cuts off mid-sentence—Cheongseol MCN’s manager, with admin powers, banned the donor.

…Damn, that annoys me.
I wanted to ban him myself, but they beat me to it.
They’re fast with their hands, huh?

Deleted messages pile up.

「The fun of chat is being silenced by brainless bans lol」
「MCNs are just here to leech money」
「No-name MCN, cheers~」

Even though offensive language gets banned quickly, sarcastic remarks slip through.

Fans are still uneasy, despite the manager filtering the chat.

But would a big-name MCN have handled bans any differently?
The issue is that I drew in viewers through controversy.
The MCN isn’t the problem.

‘In the end, it’s just that they don’t trust a new company.’

If fans are uneasy because of bans and because the MCN is new…

“Then, let’s watch a video uploaded today.”

That’s enough to show why I chose Cheongseol MCN.

「?? When did this go up?」
「LMAO that thumbnail looks insane」

—The title hidden by three characters: Shin Yu Seong.
A video of devastating quality.

No need for me to brag—just hitting play will explain everything.

The video begins with a City Mafia tutorial cutscene.
A wanted poster flutters in the wind.
A mafia character looks at the camera, lips moving.

―What mindset do you have while streaming?

Subtitles over muted audio.

―I don’t really think about anything specific. But there is at least one thing I hold onto.

The character smirks.

―Never losing. That’s my stream.

Cue anime OST.
Game highlights roll in.

“I am the almighty star, Victor.”

Clearing the hidden route first in the world.
Defeating bosses without star-force buffs.
Punching a black hole powered by Gemini’s strength.

The moment when Sphinx made a name for himself.

“This is a bulletproof coat, you son of a bitch!”

The famous Sphinx Bomb that changed City Mafia’s meta.

Explosions. Kill logs filling the screen.

“What are you talking about? You’re just a cheater using hacks!”

The battle with Kang Bulldozer flashes by, with sad music.

Then a tearful interview with Makshin:

“If Sphinx hadn’t cleared my false cheating accusations, I’d still be suffering in secret today.”

A video that only someone with deep affection for the streamer could make.

「Wow… what is this?」
「Holy shit」
「GODSPHINX」
「How much did they pour into this??」
「No joke, this feels like a movie」

The montage builds to a climax—fast cuts, pounding music, highlight after highlight.

「EmperorSwordCrusher has donated 1,000 won!」
▶ LMAO wait, this wasn’t outsourced? The MCN made this? These guys are insane hahaha

Fans erupt in applause.

「Who called them a startup again?」
「Carefully shouting: DAE CHEONGSEOL」

Then another donation chimes in:

「xxx has donated 1,000 won!」
▶ All this hype for one video? They can’t keep that quality up weekly. What’s the point?

Does this person seriously not get it?

“You’re right. Not every video can be that quality. But the reason I chose Cheongseol MCN wasn’t just the videos.”

「Wait what??」
「That wasn’t the main point??」
「Did they pay you a huge signing bonus?」

“Signing bonus? Something like that, yeah. They got me an ad deal—with Mystery Circle.”

「?? Did I hear that right?」
「Mystery Circle gave an ad deal to a streamer??」

「StarWarNewbie has donated 1,000 won!」
▶ No way. Isn’t this the first time Mystery Circle ever gave an ad deal to a streamer?

Fans usually hate ad streams.
The strength of streaming—authentic reactions—disappears once ads come in.

But depending on the game being advertised, a streamer’s reputation can skyrocket.
Like a celebrity modeling for a luxury brand.

「Holy shit, Mystery Circle??」
「Not even big MCNs got that one!」
「So you’re saying: I just asked, and they gave it to me? LOL」
「This so-called startup MCN is GOAT」
「Shout it out: DAE CHEONGSEOL」

「But what game is the ad for??」

“The game? Let me update the stream title real quick.”

He carefully types:

[Ad] Kagero: Shadow Live Twice. First in the world, hidden route attempt.

And then—something strange happens.

「??? Wait, Kagero ad??」
「Mystery Circle gave that too??」

Instead of viewers leaving as usual for an ad stream, more people join.

( Viewers: 5,287 )

What the hell… why so many?

“I didn’t look it up to avoid spoilers, but is Kagero really that famous?”

「Kagero LOL worst game of my life」
「Great combat, but the story made me choke」
「Game tanked the franchise」
「But if Sphinx is playing it? I’m hyped」

So that’s it.
People are here because they’re expecting a hidden route—just like Star War, which recovered from bad reviews after a hidden route was found.

「StarWarNewbie has donated 1,000 won!」
▶ Wait—are you saying Kagero also has a hidden route???

Excitement surges.

「xxx has donated 50,000 won!」
▶ Sorry to ask, but… when will you start?

…My first-time viewer just dropped fifty thousand won?!

“Oh wow, thank you for the 50,000 won! I was planning to chat a bit more and start on the hour.”

「xxx has donated 1,000 won!」
▶ …You’re kidding. We have to wait 30 more minutes??

The chat spams pleas for me to start early.
My hands itch, remembering the Star War hidden route hype.

Fine. Phone call time.

“Hang on, I’ll contact the advertiser and ask if we can start earlier.”

「GODSPHINX」
「Only you care about us like this ㅠㅠ」

Right then—my phone vibrates.

“Ah, manager says they already spoke to the advertiser—it’s fine to start now. So let’s begin the game!”

「DAE CHEONGSEOL」
「Best decision ever」

Compliments to Cheongseol MCN flood the chat.

「SnipingKingSphinx has donated 1,000 won!」
▶ But what about people who join at the official time?

「LOL that’s their loss」
「Should’ve come on time」
「Where’s the official notice anyway?」

The chat trolls new viewers again.

Well, whatever. Time to dive in.

“Alright. Kagero ad stream—let’s begin!”

The start screen appears:

Kagero: Shadow Live Twice
(The Shadow Lives Twice)

A deep breath.
My first ever advertisement stream.

It begins.