Defeat of the Empire: the richest man in generation what retired Lake? -Internet venture, Chen Tianqiao-IT information

Entrepreneurs can not escape "the new generation is replacing the old" fate.

On the two sessions this year, Li, MA remains the focus, the Department was like. Comparatively, the first representing the Internet at two sessions, 2008 elected CPPCC member Chen Tianqiao, almost no sense of place. After the meeting, he was alone on the bus to leave, few reporters covering his front.

Once China's richest man, King of media, and now "out of" 10 years, Chen Tianqiao and his Grand what?

Game developed, but hate the game

2004 China Internet Super years, Tencent, TOM, air mesh 11 Internet businesses this year landed in overseas capital markets. However, the other 10 IPO companies together, influence is nothing like the same year listed another enterprise--the Grand.

Royal listed a lot of records. It was the most valuable company, games of the world's most valuable company. Meanwhile, it also created the youngest richest man--his $ 9 billion, only 31 years old, Chen Tianqiao. China's richest man, 31, from scratch, this record is not only unprecedented, I'm afraid it will have come after.

Chen Tianqiao, was born in 1973, graduated from the Economic Department of Fudan University, school is the Youth League of the Communist Youth League. After graduation, he entered the Lujiazui group, quickly sitting to the position of Vice President, who later becomes Kim Shin, Director of the Office of the trust.

In 1999, Chen Tianqiao, the CDC got $ 3 million in financing, setting up a Grand network. His entrepreneurship do not go well, the animation community has no income, Royal has been in "burn death" rhythm.

In 2001, Chen decided to "bet" of life and death. Left of his $ 300,000 from Korea ACTOZ company take the legend of proxy. No well-known online game at home, not the industry. In order to uphold this decision, Chen Tianqiao and CDC broke, he looked for partners, but no one spoke to him.

Game results, Chen didn't expect. The legends of the game, Chen was changed, also changed the course of Chinese online games, or even the Internet. Today, China is still not a game can influence beyond the legend.

This game let Chen moon. Zhiqian, from CDC blessed him "waiting for death", not for two years, he cleared 1 million every day. Grand market in 2004, Chen Hong of China industrial and commercial sector, he is the youngest of the "annual economic figures" are "pioneers of the Internet in China".

But Chen is not inside of the legend, he said, the legend is a bad game, the Grand is a good company.

In fact, Chen not to look down on the legend, but did not play any games. He has no feelings on this, the game is just a tool to make money.

Chen failed to look up the game, because the game putting too much pressure on him. Today, most people still think that "Chen = games." That year, he was the culprit in the eyes of the community, parents, as if he alone all the electronic opium in China.

"My game was played to died of a heart attack, adolescents indulged in, the people's daily front page our name......" Moon comes as Chen Tianqiao was often awakened from sleep, public accusations and insults, drag him from the clouds to the ground. There is the legendary player for lost equipment into Chen's Office, pointing to his nose to lambaste. For the same reason, a Player attempts to set himself on fire at the Grand headquarters (attempt foiled).

Chen Tianqiao, has more than once said to a friend: online game is back with the original intention of him mainstream figure. Chen have national feelings in the world, online gaming cannot tolerate his dreams, he would like to transition, wants recognition of his value.

No one could understand Chen

On the transformation strategy, Chen Tianqiao scorn to reproduce patterns, he gave Grand paint a magnificent new way:

Game is not "the right way", but the entertainment is right, Grand collection of big game, casual games, movies, music, and other interactive content and integrated suppliers.

Few computer users, TV, big service entrance to be transferred from the computer to the TV, turn the living room into the family entertainment center.

In order to achieve the above objectives, a great software, operator, to become a software + hardware vendor, hardware for the entrance, depending on their contents and for profit.

Chen's strategy, integration + content is the essence of intelligent hardware, Le, millet, which is doing the right thing. Chen Tianqiao, 2003 began to think global, officially launched in 2004, more than 10 years earlier than other people.

But that time, few people understand his vision, only to see holding the money Chen spenders in the capital markets.

Its release in 2004, holding Chen Tianqiao, bought lots of dollars many companies, including the vast side (platform game), Winger (swimming), Actoz Soft (game), the starting point for the Chinese nets (novel). There was a time, he was still wrestling with Sina good, or buy a company?, he spent nearly 2 billion to buy shares of Sina 19.5%, becoming its largest shareholder.

China ushered in the first age of Empires on the Internet, public furor. Chen became the first "its players": the hard leveling equipment of others, after he saw and paid for a month away.

SINA the momentum of public opinion through RAID, Chen Tian Qiao before the change, and positive publicity. He stressed to the media, all the efforts and investments within the last 2 years, were aimed at a first concept: to create "network Disney" the Royal box as the core swept the PC, TV, mobile, movies, music, games, advertising, prepaid and nine business such as e-commerce.

Among them, shares of Sina, just to provide information support to the Royal box.

Royal box is "rigid-Flex" in the hardware, is the core of this strategy. Through the box, the user can play games on the TV, watching the news, stocks, movies, listening to music. Envisaged by Chen Tianqiao, box is essentially a three-network (telecommunications networks, television networks, Internet) Fusion product, which features more powerful than popular boxes.

Chen spent billions of in the capital markets, are to buy the box content.

His ideas were widely disseminated in the media, but harvested no applause, because most people do not understand what Chen said! in fact until today, there is still a lot of media coverage of the "triple play", "hardware entry + service charge" mode of muddle, it is conceivable that when Chen faced the public opinion Foundation.

Genius but arrived days

Outsiders do not understand Chen Tianqiao, not many people inside his grand, because Royal does not have any experience in hardware, brother Chen danian, President, Tang was the opposition.

But Chen iron heart, he said: "I sold a Grand stock to IPTV. "Internal meeting, table-pounding his anger:" this thing is not without problems, who don't do it, who fired questions. ”

Since then, the Royal box was Chen Tianqiao only care about things, he is like betting all in the legend, kept drawing blood to supply the item from the game business. He got nearly 1100 engineers twice times salary, savage from Huawei, Microsoft and other companies have poached.

Asking for money to give money, VIP people, Chen Tianqiao has never invested so much effort in other projects, its strong money supply, while stumbling in the box, but Grand in 2005 pulled out after all this time. Creating the online gaming era Chen seems to see and control the next era of big entertainment.

However, he saw this time, but failed to touch. Came into the world in advance of the box, and has never bloomed.

On "creative" question the company Chairman, Taiwan information industry founder Morris Chang, he replied: "we must innovate, but not too innovative. Too far, often in vain, wasting money and energy. The so-called innovative, TSMC's leading 3-year, and up to 5 years. ”

How many years ahead of Chen? boxes began to rise in nearly two years, triple play has not yet been achieved.

In innovative experiences, there is a well-known "half-step theory": innovation is not equivalent to creating business value, too much advanced scientific and technological innovation in the business to lose terribly. Consider a product advancement, the compatibility of certain market, the best other half step ahead.

Chen Tianqiao was running too fast, coming four weeks no enemy, there is no road, the conditions at that time, carrying his ambitions.

Market, Chen's plan is a big target customers from 100 million computer users to extend 400 million TV subscribers. This cart before the horse, as the Royal box network is required to use. In 2005, the total number of broadband users nationwide 28.33 million, this figure is the upper limit of the Royal box users.

Technology, now the boxes are based on Android, and low cost. In that year, Chen can only select Intel chips, Microsoft System, which led to initial the box and as big as the PC, more than 6000, for most consumers, the lack of sincerity at this price.

Grand sales team feedback data showed, the first buyers of the box, most legends and Chen "fan level" local tyrants, not ordinary people.

Chen Tianqiao also overestimated the market acceptance for new products. He has friends research, concluded that all of the boxes are very interested in and open to, Chen and therefore confidence. But he seems to forget he is rich circle of friends like you, their ideas and not representative of the market.

Indeed, in 2005, areas of consumer electronics, is also of general interest which MP3 quality, what brand of computer is durable. For the Royal box this "black science", most people skeptical, wait-and-see attitude.

People who are willing to try, have not been a good experience. Because the box is just a carrier of the content inside is the focus of consumer experience.

Content is the core of the film, television, and video resources, then these resources are scarce. Youku was founded in June 2006, the potato was established in April 2005, aiqi art is a product of 2010. Age of the Royal box, video resources on hand control on traditional television, broadcasting and telecommunications are still in "internal consultations" attribution of IPTV, how these resources will be transferred to the Grand?

In addition, in 2005, broadband users 80% users of less than 100 KB/s download speed, it is conceivable that even games and video resource is not a problem, so network conditions are difficult to support a better user experience.

Under these constraints, Royal box false starts few revenues. Chen Tianqiao, close battle genius, not more than days.

1 billion dollar lessons

In the corporate world, "death" was too innovative to examples of no commercial value in the same period, such as the Ganges, even down to the Internet category, cases are too numerous to list.

United States Xerox (Xerox), such as through a continuous take out the mouse, graphics system, such as "nobody knows what, now without it not survive" innovation, in the end, these inventions make jobs and gates, tortured by Fuji Xerox merger. Similarly there are SUN developed the Java language, SUN failed to make good use of Java,Java the success of the Android.

Powerful jobs, they have restrained their desire for the Prophet. He predicted early prospects for Ipad and smart phones, but until the touch-screen and wireless network technologies mature and after the large-scale commercial use, truly implemented.

As China's Internet hegemony, Chen a certain number of these cases such as family valuables. His predecessors, pioneers of the Internet in China, also gave him a warning.

In 1996, the ihw in Zhongguancun, China's first Internet company put up huge billboards: Chinese people are far away from the information superhighway--1500 meters to the North. The Billboard became one of the most-watched business event of the year, but the company, but in the announcement of a bankruptcy at the beginning of the new century.

"First run may not be won", the reason most people understand. Jay Chen, why go it alone, and what the strategy insists on the box?

In this regard, the strategy of Chinese businessmen | Chinese business Hall of Fame (app public: hstl8888) understanding is: Chen Tianqiao was looking "hardware entry charge +" prospect, hoping to "premature" ways to seize the initiative.

Rome was not built in a day, Wal-Mart was initially only a "small shops". Chen's plan is to sit, in improving products, cultivating audiences, technology development "uniform weights and measures", and Wal-Mart.

Therefore, although the box false starts but Chen still increase investment. He has 48 enterprises, partnership units, for box expanded.

Meanwhile, big for the box itself to continuously improve. In December 2005, Grand introduced a brief version of the box – EPRO (EZ Pod). This month, Chen appeared in Beijing, he said to the audience: Bill Gates and Paul Allen (Microsoft founder) are all trying to do this thing, have failed. Today, the Chinese came.

EZ Pod just slap, 458 for a set, which includes a remote control, a PSP and a set of software. Because the price is cheap, the first month, EZ Pod has sold 1 million units.

Previously the network, technology and resource constraints, EZ Pod is still not a good product, then arguing my opinion on this new value and drawbacks.

But Chen was excited, because his vision finally has the dawn. After a few months, sales of EZ Pod always hovering in the hundreds of thousands of, there is no breakthrough, but this new thing, after all, was partly accepted by the market.

However, there are boxes in the market, but touched the wards. Means that encroached on the traditional interests of the market, EZ Pod is a product of IPTV, radio and television and telecommunications competition battlefield.

This is Chen's blueprint for the most deadly part of unified the warring States-his vigorous plan has never been policy allows. So, plan vigorous fell in the box.

In 2006, the broadcasting of paper stopped all IPTV project, Royal box to an abrupt end. After that, Chen Tianqiao, never talk about this project.

Strategy of Chinese businessmen | Chinese business Hall of Fame (app public: hstl8888), Chen has invested nearly $ 1 billion in the project, only purchase cost 450 million dollars. These huge investment became a capital of the lesson.

Lessons from nature, is Chen Tianqiao, transcending practical ambition. His strategy beyond the present demand, and at the time was not ripe and the enemy radio and television markets. For entrepreneurs, the ambition needed, but restrained ambitions, is the real learning.

BAT's "Mentor"

Box gone, the Grand is still there. Although abnormal tragic ending in the box, but did not hurt the big foundations, Chen "network Disney" the dream lives on. Combined with the earlier acquisitions of resources, he gave Grand presents "video portal + literature + adapted + video IP games +bambook reader adapted" plan.

Many people do not know, in addition to the Royal box, Chen's "network of Disney" program has also implemented a series of transcendence:

In 2003, he started to make electronic payments, and in 2007 its platform.

In 2004, he saw the value of IP, integration with "start Chinese net" as the core of Shanda literature.

In 2004, he sing before, YY broadcast, making online k song of the stars of the game.

In 2005, creating the world's first, announced that all of its games for free, this "free play, buying props" model, been resisted by the industry at the time, now has become almost all online game "road to riches".

…………

He also has invested in China's first voice IM software TalkBox, later m chat, app is "referenced" developed.

To continue a Grand innovation gene, in 2008, Chen Tianqiao, creating innovation Grand hospital, recruiting more than more than 500 top engineers from around the country, "burning money" for their project development.

Innovation Grand hospital, was considered the most innovative phase of private enterprises in Shanghai, which cloud storage, voice recognition, and accumulated a large number of leading strength of the experts in the field. Therefore, the Br is widely seen as a Grand prospect.

The Grand can not shake like a BAT today. In fact, in some ways, Royal can be counted as BAT's mentor--today's Internet giants, followed Chen Tianqiao "network Disney's" old road.

Ali set up Ali pictures, bought YouTube potato, Alibaba launched literature. In order to catch up on the last loop, MA also tore up "to never throw the game to the bottom line" label, a stake in United States mobile game developers, Kabam.

Video + Baidu Baidu aiqi art, integration of the bookstore and the Panda book aspect in Chinese, Baidu, Baidu established games, in 2015 the set for the movie business.

Tencent has been in the areas of video, literature, games, film and television development effort. Big three also invest a lot of money to do research and innovation incubator program.

However, as you can see, this is the age of BAT, the Grand glory is no longer. Besides literature outside the plates, in other areas of innovation, pioneer big defeat in succession.

Then, leading everywhere, maneuvers of Chen Tianqiao, planting trees for the future generations what became the "hard work"?

Bridge's patience

If box strategy is day and the patient, the failures can only be due to the inevitable. Grand full defeat and have direct links to Chen Tianqiao.

From a results perspective, Chen Tianqiao is a great strategist, investor, but it is hard to claim to be one of the premier operators. His unparalleled ability to integrate logic, but often fail to perform. In short, he is only responsible for the project, as a result, link not to intervene.

Talkbox, for example. Chen Tianqiao, was the first to seek investors, in order to repay this "autobiography", Talkbox Guo Bingxin refused, the founder of Tencent. But the money, Grand and not the Talkbox as core business, Talkbox can be watched later seized the voice chat feature in the market is getting bigger.

And the Talkbox is similar to most industries, big money, not intensive. Chen in suits, to rely on checks against coming out of competitors, those caught in the struggle over the "entrepreneurial dog", this strategy ultimately proved to be a failure.

Chen Tian Qiao is starting from scratch, but he does not have the "same" mentality. He started no storm on the way, the day when millions, pony or money for the server to squirm. Chen Tianqiao, investment project fails, another vote. For competitors, without success, is dead, the fight between the two has made all the difference.

This investment mentality is Chen Tianqiao is doomed to lack "artisans" patience, which directly affect the Grand trend of innovation.

Innovation is often very time consuming, especially when it comes to basic research, but does not guarantee business results. Innovation Grand hospital 3 years "burning" lost hundreds of millions of money, creation of more than 50 projects, there is only one bambook. Chen began to slowly adjust the direction of innovation.

From the free project to undertake business development, then to "one server must be layers of approval", engineer's degrees of freedom are getting smaller. Innovation of a former engineer on the strategy of Chinese businessmen | Chinese business Hall of Fame (app public: hstl8888) said: "2-for-3 team, the bridge does not adhere to, products six months no improvement directly removed, the team disheartened. ”

Chen Tianqiao, intolerance, gradually move from internal to external: his cool 6, but video sites "burning money" cool 6 revenue no improvement for a long time, Grand began to adjust policy, reduced inputs, 6 therefore soon dropped the first echelon, until today totally uncompetitive.

In that sort of "consumed", big advantages continue to be eroded away, rise to the erosion of "driving the core", cause the fission of the fall of the Empire.

Lost Empire "heart"

A macro perspective, losing multiple fronts are not deadly to Grand. Chen failed to extend the Prophet for brilliant victories, can only be regarded as small giant "defeat".

In fact, every giant had defeat. Google and huge glasses, Tencent's microblog business "burned" several years of money, Baidu also tried to spoiler, Ali still social struggle ... ...

These failures, and not to waver in his influential. BAT is a BAT, because of its core industries. Search Baidu, Tencent has social, Ali merchant. These foundations are opened up Xinjiang soil of the power source.

Grand is the core of the Empire games, gaming profits are big rampaged through the capital for many years. However, the BAT's "nuclear" still, Royal's "heart" is lost.

As noted earlier, Chen Tianqiao, the game was not emotion, he smoked game blood to complement that of other industries. Giants, NetEase, Tencent and other newcomers making a dig when boss corners, Chen Tianqiao "contempt", the little brother, while focus is full of positive energy, ambition (network of Disney), until they lose the boss's position.

Decline of Shanda games has a clear path. Chen Tianqiao, the attitude of the game determines the Grand manner. For many years, Royal never established a team of industry leading research and development, after the world of legend, its self-developed games no one survived.

Lack of research and development at the same time, because of negligence and arrogance, Grand agent continues to decline.

At home, the game agent is rapidly emerging best practices. Grand legend Moon, nine agents of the world of Warcraft, Tencent, the rise of the Dungeon and fighter (DNF).

Grand is the boss of the online gaming community for many years, original and foreign companies on the agent is "lying". Wow, a DNF when China made a beeline for a gala, but Grand not willing to pay too much money so cheap, Kowloon City and Tencent.

Shanda games lightly, competitors, however, rulangsihu. Tencent keeping games as the strategic focus of the company, after being scored DNF, they also have access to the cross fire (CF) and of the League of Legends (LOL) proxy.

This trade-off between Grand lost token. In 2009, Tencent beyond the Grand became the overlords of the game industry. Soon, Tencent has developed into the largest and most the game companies to make money. 2015 results shows, and games for the whole company contributed revenues of close to 60%.

After the loss of dominance, Shanda games and counterattack not blew the Horn. Experience listing, delisting of privatization, and then return to backdoor rumors of a share of Shanda games, news, from the game into the capital game.

Shanda games industry no longer saddled with negative, Chen decided to "drop" the rich profession. In January 2016, the Grand statement confirms the rumors from the outside: in 2014, the huge group no longer holds any shares of Shanda games.

Chen must be very mixed feelings, "electronic opium maker" label once nagging him, now he can remove this burden.

He created the online game industry in China, and in its heyday left. Today, the game industry not only hit successive record profits, upstream and downstream, and peripherals industry, and even extending the esports industry has become a gold mine, but in the new converged, have no Chen towering figure.

Break-up the final layout

After stripping games, Grand once the layout rapidly disintegrated. Chen began the investors perspectives, looking at once to his infinite glory: once the valuation of a plate slipped from highs, was up for grabs.

Chen Tianqiao, the last plate shots, its "network of Disney" Shanda literature's most successful in the plan.

Shanda literature including start Chinese net, hongxiu network, romance novels, Jinjiang literary city, Banyan tree, fiction reading network, xiaoxiang Academy seven original literature Web sites as well as places shuwang pleasant reading network. In addition, it also had three planning books publishing company. Its industry dominance even beyond the peak of Shanda games.

Shanda literature used to be Chen's pride. In 2013, he shared one piece of data: 2 million writers, 7 million of original novels, 150 million users, more than 70% market share, generated 100 million words a day's work, according to the traditional novel even 500,000 words one measured, every day the equivalent of 200 new creation the traditional novel.

The past few years, the most influential novel, the majority from Shanda literature, even Chen more than 70 years old, the parents had never been exposed to the Internet, is Shanda literature's avid readers. The ghost blows, and the Zhen Huan, step and other popular TV shows and movies, is adapted from the form. Grand also offers a large number of online games, game industry page tour themes.

Chen for layout and integration of IP assets, not only far ahead of domestic and even international giants all deeply envy and admiration. Murdoch said Shanda literature like "milk" (milking), continue to contribute to China's cultural industry.

However, Chen Tianqiao of continually break-up big business trying to "cow". In March 2015, Shanda announced that Tencent and Shanda literature of literature formed a new company, literature by Tencent CEO Wu Wenhui served as CEO. This message sit in a disguised form the previous uproar, "Tencent will be 5 billion yuan" takeover rumors of Shanda literature.

In China business strategy | China business celebrity Hall (micro-letter public,: hstl8888) summary seems, Chen Tianqiao gave up Grand literature has several aspects of reasons: past of years between, Grand literature 4 degrees to beauty listed, are not success; hot novel "variable now" time had long, Ghost blows such of works, drag has 8 years only moved Shang screen; Grand stripping game industry, literature IP for group of value further reduced.

The most important reason is, Chen decided to leave the Internet. He said in an interview: in 2012, Grand began to transition to the investment.

After the sale of literature, Grand once the territory officially collapsed. Its website also became "toward becoming a world-class investment holding group and make unremitting efforts."

Website introduction quietly changed Internet Overlord, games and stories for countless teenagers to create dream worlds Chen Tianqiao, farewell.

Such people, sooner or later will come back

After the collapse of the Grand, public opinion said Chen Tianqiao, "retired Lake", and playing on the "failed" and "sadness" imprint. However, he can be regarded as a failure?

By conventional standards, Chen Tianqiao is a real winner in life. He has a perfect family, his wife and daughter are both beautiful. Chen loves his wife and daughters, the most busy time, his spare time with his family over the weekend. In order to protect the family, he moved to Singapore.

According to the capitalist's "only" judging standards--profits, Chen Tianqiao was the winner of the winner. Layout in investment for many years, he was rarely at a loss. Shanda literature's initial investment of only 20 million, Tencent makes 25 times for transfer times. Zhejiang media 3.18 billion spent to buy the winger, Chen earned 18 times ... ... Over the past 10 years, he invested nearly 150 projects, investment territory involving the cultural, financial, real estate investment, hedge funds four parts.

In 2012, Chen Tianqiao has said Grand sits on nearly $ 60 billion in cash assets. In recent years, along with the break-up its big industries, Chen Tianqiao holding real money more and more, just past 2015, he cashed of 6.2 billion yuan.

Under the staggering wealth of digital, media, why do they still "obstinate" Chen to be defined as losers? perhaps because, people who experienced the Grand Empire era, Chen had expectations for talent, much more than this.

Chen would not define themselves as winners. To this day, instituted when Chen Tianqiao, the majority of people still misunderstand "= his game." The 31-year old on top of wealth, 10 years ago to make magnificent layout, aimed at the family country world entrepreneurs, evaluation, will suffice to keep the wealth of interest, and thus fade into the background?

I doubt it. When sold in big game business, an Internet company CEO said: people like Chen Tianqiao, sooner or later will come back.

帝国败局：一代首富 因何退隐江湖？ - 互联网创业,陈天桥 - IT资讯

企业家也逃不过“一代新人换旧人”的命运。

今年两会上，李彦宏、马化腾依旧是焦点，所到之处必遭围追堵截。相较之下，第一位代表互联网出席两会、2008年便当选全国政协委员的陈天桥，几乎没有存在感。会议结束后，他独自上车离开，上前采访他的记者寥寥无几。

从曾经的中国首富、舆论之王，到现在“无人问津”，10年间，陈天桥和他的盛大怎么了?

靠游戏发家，却厌恶游戏

2004年是中国互联网的超级年，腾讯、TOM、空中网等11家互联网企业在这一年登陆海外资本市场。然而，其他10家IPO企业加在一起，影响力也比不上同年上市的另一家企业——盛大。

盛大上市创造了很多纪录。它是当时市值最高的中概股公司、全球市值最高的游戏公司。同时，它也缔造了中国最年轻的首富——拥有90亿资产、年仅31岁的陈天桥。31岁、白手起家的中国首富，这一纪录不仅前无古人，后恐怕也难有来者。

陈天桥生于1973年，毕业于复旦大学经济系，上学时是共青团的团委。毕业后，他进入陆家嘴集团，很快坐到副总的位置，后又成为金信信托的办公室主任。

1999年，陈天桥从中华网拿到300万美元融资，成立了盛大网络。他的创业不顺利，动漫社区没有收入，盛大一直处于“烧钱等死”的节奏。

2001年，陈天桥决定一“赌”定生死。他以仅剩的30万美元从韩国ACTOZ公司拿下《传奇》的代理权。当时国内没什么知名网游，勿论产业。为了坚持这个决定，陈天桥和中华网闹掰了，他四处找合作伙伴，但是没人搭理他。

赌局的结果，陈天桥自己都没有料到。《传奇》这款游戏，改变了陈天桥，也改变了中国网游、甚至互联网的进程。时至今日，中国仍没有一款游戏可以在影响力上超越《传奇》。

这款游戏让陈天桥一步登天。之前，脱离中华网庇佑的他“一直在等待死神”，没过两年，他每天净赚100万。盛大上市的2004年，陈天桥红极中国工商界，他是最年轻的“年度经济人物”，是“中国互联网的先驱”。

但陈天桥内心是看不起《传奇》的，他曾说：《传奇》是个烂游戏，盛大是个好公司。

实际上，陈天桥不是看不起《传奇》，而是看不起任何游戏。他对这个事业没有感情，游戏只是其赚钱的工具。

陈天桥瞧不上游戏，因为游戏给他带来了太多压力。今天，大部分人仍觉得“陈天桥=游戏”。当年，他更是社会、家长眼中的罪魁祸首，仿佛中国的电子鸦片全是他一个人生产的。

“有人玩我的游戏玩到心脏病发作身亡，青少年沉迷，《人民日报》头版都点过我们的名……”一步登天之际，陈天桥却常常从睡梦中惊醒，舆论的指责和辱骂，将他从云端拖至地底。有《传奇》玩家因丢失装备冲入陈天桥办公室，指着他的鼻子大骂。因为同样的原因，一位玩家企图在盛大总部自焚(未遂)。

陈天桥曾不止一次对朋友说：网游与他成为社会主流人物的初衷相背。陈天桥有家国天下的情怀，网游承载不了他的梦想，他想转型，想要社会承认他的价值。

没人能懂陈天桥

转型战略上，陈天桥不屑于复制他人模式，他给盛大描绘了一条宏伟的新路：

游戏不是“正道”，但娱乐是正道，盛大要变成集大型游戏、休闲游戏、电影、音乐以及其他互动内容的综合供应商。

电脑用户少，电视用户多，盛大的服务入口要从电脑转移到电视，将客厅变成全家人的娱乐中心。

为了实现上述目标，盛大要从软件、运营商转变成为软件+硬件供应商，以硬件为入口，靠内容来盈利。

陈天桥的战略，本质是内容整合+智能硬件，也就是乐视、小米现在干的事情。陈天桥2003年开始思考全局，2004年正式实施，比其他人早了十几年。

但那个年代，没几个人看得懂他的宏图，外界只看到手握巨资的陈天桥在资本市场上挥金如土。

2004年上市后，手握大把美金的陈天桥一口气买了很多企业，包括浩方(游戏平台)、边锋(页游)、Actoz Soft(游戏内容)、起点中文网(小说)等。有一段时间，他还在纠结是买新浪好，还是买腾讯?最终，他斥资近20亿买下新浪19.5%的股份，成为其最大股东。

中国互联网迎来第一个帝国时代，舆论为之哗然。陈天桥成了第一代“人民币玩家”：别人辛辛苦苦练级打装备，他看中之后，掏钱就拿走了。

借着突袭新浪的舆论势头，陈天桥一改前态，积极抛头露面。他向媒体强调，过去2年内所有努力和投资，都是为了一个首创的理念：打造“网络迪斯尼”，以盛大盒子为核心，包揽PC、电视、手机、电影、音乐、游戏、广告、预付费和电子商务等九大业务。

其中，入股新浪，只是为了给盛大盒子提供资讯支撑而已。

盛大盒子是“软硬结合”中的硬件，也是这一战略的核心。通过盒子，用户可以在电视上玩游戏，看新闻、股票、电影，听音乐。按陈天桥设想，盒子实质是一个三网(电信网、电视网、互联网)融合的产品，其功能比如今流行的各种盒子还要强大。

陈天桥在资本市场上花了几十亿，都是在给这个盒子买内容。

他的理念被媒体广泛传播，却没有收获什么叫好声，因为大部分人压根听不懂陈天桥在说什么!实际上直到今天，仍有很多媒体对“三网融合”、“硬件入口+服务收费”的模式懵懵懂懂，可想而知，当年的陈天桥面临怎样的舆论基础。

天才抵不过天时

外界不懂陈天桥，盛大内部支持他的人也不多，因为盛大没有任何做硬件的经验，胞弟陈大年、总裁唐骏都是反对派。

但陈天桥铁了心，他对外说：“我卖光盛大的股票也要搞IPTV。”内部会议上，他怒拍桌子：“这个事情不是做不做的问题，是谁不做，谁走人的问题。”

此后，盛大盒子成了陈天桥唯一关心的事情，他像当年豪赌《传奇》一样all in，不停地从游戏业务上抽血来供应这个项目。他一口气招了近1100名工程师，以两倍工资的方式，从华为、微软等企业进行野蛮式得挖角。

要钱给钱，要人给人，陈天桥从未在其他项目上投入如此多的心血，在其强大的金钱供给下，盒子计划虽然磕磕绊绊，但盛大终究在2005年拿出了这款超越时代的产品。创造了网游时代的陈天桥，似乎看到并掌控了下一个大娱乐时代。

然而，他虽然看到了这个时代，却未能触碰到。提前降世的盒子，从未绽放。

曾就“创新”问题请教台积电董事长、台湾信息产业奠基人张忠谋，他回答说：“企业必须创新，但又不能太创新。看得太远往往徒劳无功，白费金钱与精力。所谓创新，台积电一般能做到领先3年，最多5年。”

陈天桥领先了多少年?各种盒子近两年才开始兴起，三网融合至今仍未实现。

在创新经验中，有一条著名的“半步理论”：创新不等于创造商业价值，太多先进的科技创新在商业上输得一塌糊涂。考虑一个产品的先进性，一定要结合市场的兼容性，最好领先其他人半步。

陈天桥跑得太快了，快到四周没有敌人，也没有路，当时的各种条件，都承载不下他的雄心。

市场方面，陈天桥的计划是将盛大的目标客户从1亿电脑用户扩大至4亿电视用户。这个判断本末倒置，因为盛大盒子需要网络才能使用。2005年，全国接入宽带用户总数2833万户，这个数字才是盛大盒子用户数的上限。

技术方面，现在的各种盒子都基于安卓系统，成本低廉。而在当年，陈天桥只能选择英特尔芯片、微软系统，这导致初期的盒子和PC一样大，价格超过6000，对于大部分消费者而言，这个价格缺乏诚意。

盛大销售团队的反馈数据显示，盒子的第一批买家，大部分是《传奇》和陈天桥的“粉丝级”土豪，而非普通群众。

陈天桥也高估了市场对于新兴产品的接受度。他曾在朋友圈里搞调查，结论是大家都对盒子非常感兴趣且乐于尝试，陈天桥因此信心十足。但他似乎忘了，他的朋友圈非富即贵，这些人的想法并不能代表市场。

实际上，2005年的消费类电子产品领域，大家关心的还是哪款MP3质量好，什么牌子的电脑比较耐用。对于盛大盒子这种“黑科技”，绝大部分人持怀疑、观望的态度。

那些勇于尝试的人，也没有得到好的体验。因为盒子只是一个载体，里面的内容才是消费体验的重点。

内容的核心是电影、电视等视频资源，在当年，这些资源很匮乏。优酷创立于2006年6月，土豆成立于2005年4月，爱奇艺是2010年的产物。盛大盒子的年代，视频资源把控在传统电视台手上，当时广电和电信仍在“内部协商”IPTV的归属，又怎肯将这些资源转给盛大?

除此之外，2005年宽带用户中，80%的使用者下载速度低于100 kb/s，可想而知，即使游戏和视频资源不成问题，如此网络条件也难以支撑上佳的用户体验。

在上述因素的制约下，盛大盒子出师不利，营收寥寥无几。天才陈天桥的出关之战，没能胜过天时。

10亿美金的教训

在全球企业界，“死”于太创新而没有同期商用价值的例子如恒河沙数，即使缩小到互联网范畴，案例亦是不胜枚举。

美国施乐(Xerox)曾如穿越般连续拿出了鼠标、图形处理系统等“当时没人知道有什么用、现在没了它活不下去”的创新，最后，这些发明成就了乔布斯和盖茨，施乐惨遭富士兼并。同理还有SUN研发的java语言，SUN没能用好java，java则成就了安卓。

强大如乔布斯，也得克制自己的先知欲望。他很早就预见Ipad和智能手机的前景，但直到触屏和无线网络技术成熟并投入大规模商用后，才真正实施。

作为中国互联网霸主，陈天桥一定对这些案例数如家珍。他的前辈、中国互联网的开创者，也给他了警示。

1996年，中国第一家互联网公司瀛海威在中关村竖起硕大的广告牌：中国人离信息高速公路有多远——向北1500米。这个广告牌成为当年最受关注的商业事件之一，但这家公司，却在新世纪初便宣告倒闭。

“先跑未必赢”，这个道理大部分人都懂。人杰陈天桥，又为何一意孤行、执意将盒子战略进行到底?

对此，华商韬略|华商名人堂(微信公众号：hstl8888)的理解是：陈天桥前瞻了“硬件入口+内容收费”的广阔前景，希望以“早产”的方式，抢占先机。

罗马城不是一日建成的，沃尔玛起初也只是一间“小商铺”。陈天桥的谋划是先占座，在改善产品、培育受众、等待技术发展间“统一度量衡”，做成沃尔玛。

因此，虽然盒子出师不利，但陈天桥依旧加大投入。他先后同48家企业、单位达成合作，为盒子扩充内容。

同时，盛大也针对盒子本身不断改进。2005年12月，盛大推出了简略版的盒子——盛大易宝(EZ Pod)。这个月，陈天桥出现在北京，他对台下说：比尔-盖茨和保罗-艾伦(微软另一创始人)都想做这个东西，都失败了。今天，一个中国人做出来了。

EZ Pod只有巴掌大，458元一套，它包含一个遥控器、一个掌机和一套软件。因为价格便宜，第一个月，EZ Pod便卖出了100万套。

受前文所提到的网络、技术和资源的制约，EZ Pod依旧算不上一件好的产品，当时的舆论都在争论这个新鲜事物的性价比和弊端。

但陈天桥很兴奋，因为他的宏图终于有了曙光。此后几个月，EZ Pod的销量始终徘徊于几十万，没有实现突破，但这个新鲜事物，终究被部分市场所接纳。

然而，有了市场的盒子，却触碰到了生死线。有市场意味着侵占了传统利益，EZ Pod是IPTV的产物，是广电和电信角逐的战场。

这是陈天桥的宏伟蓝图中最致命的部分——他轰轰烈烈一统战国的大计，从未得到政策的允许。于是，盒子计划轰轰烈烈得倒下了。

2006年，广电一纸文书叫停了所有IPTV项目，盛大盒子戛然而止。这之后，陈天桥再也没有谈过这个项目。

华商韬略|华商名人堂(微信公众号：hstl8888)统计，陈天桥投入了近10亿美金于该项目，仅购买内容就花费了4.5亿美金。这些巨额投入，变成了一个大写的教训。

教训的本质，是陈天桥超越现实的雄心。他的战略超脱了当下需求，又在时机不成熟之际与强敌广电争夺市场。对于企业家而言，雄心必须有，但克制雄心，才是真正的学问。

BAT的“导师”

盒子没了，盛大还在。虽然盒子结局异常惨烈，但并未伤及盛大的根基，陈天桥“网络迪斯尼”的梦想犹在。结合此前收购的资源，他给盛大提出了“视频门户+文学创作+影视IP改编+游戏改编+bambook阅读器”的规划。

很多人并不清楚，除了盛大盒子，陈天桥的“网络迪斯尼”计划还实现了一系列超越：

2003年，他就开始搞电子支付，并在2007年将其平台化。

2004年，他就看到IP的价值，整合以“起点中文网”为核心的盛大文学。

2004年，他先于唱吧、YY直播，制作了在线K歌的游戏《巨星》。

2005年，他创全球先河，宣布旗下所有游戏免费，这种“免费玩、买道具”的模式，在当时被业界所抵制，现在却成了几乎所有网游的“致富之道”。

…………

他还投资了中国第一款语音IM软件TalkBox，后来的米聊、微信都是“参照”其发展起来的。

为了延续盛大的创新基因，2008年，陈天桥创立盛大创新院，从全国各地招聘了500多位顶尖的工程师，“烧钱”供他们立项研发。

盛大创新院时期，也被认为是上海民企最具创新活力的阶段，它在云储存、语音识别等领域积聚了一大批具有国内领先实力的专家。因此，外界普遍认为盛大霸业犹在，前景可期。

当时的盛大就像今天的BAT般不可撼动。实际上，在某种程度看，盛大可以算作BAT的导师——如今的互联网巨头，正沿袭陈天桥“网络迪斯尼”的旧路。

阿里成立阿里影业，买了优酷土豆，推出阿里巴巴文学。为了补上最后一环，马云还撕掉了“以永不投游戏为底线”的标签，入股美国移动游戏开发商Kabam。

百度有百度视频+爱奇艺，整合了纵横中文网、百度书城和熊猫看书，设立百度游戏，还在2015年成立电影业务部。

腾讯也相继在视频、文学、游戏、影视等领域发力。三巨头同样投入了大量资金做研发创新的孵化项目。

但是，如你所见，这是BAT的时代，盛大荣光不再。除了文学板块外，在其他创新领域，先行者盛大相继落败。

那么，处处领先、纵横捭阖的陈天桥，因何成了替后人栽树的“苦工”?

桥哥的耐心

如果说盒子战略是天时人和之患，那接连失败只能归结于必然。盛大全线失利，和陈天桥有着直接关联。

从结果上看，陈天桥是一个伟大的战略家、投资人，但很难称得上是一个卓越的经营者。他有无与伦比的逻辑整合能力，但往往疏于执行。简而言之，他只负责定项目、要结果，中间环节不怎么过问。

以Talkbox为例。陈天桥是第一个找上门的投资商，为了报答这份“知遇之恩”，Talkbox创始人郭秉鑫拒绝了腾讯。但是投了钱之后，盛大并没有将Talkbox作为核心业务，Talkbox只能眼睁睁看着后来者抄走语音聊天功能，在市场上越做越大。

和Talkbox类似，大部分产业，盛大只投钱，不精耕细作。西装革履的陈天桥，希望靠支票来对抗冒出来的对手、那些夹缝中挣扎过来的“创业狗”，这一策略最终被证明是失败的。

陈天桥虽然也是白手起家，但是他不具备“同类”的心态。他创业路上没有大风浪，其日入百万之时，马化腾们还在为服务器的那点钱寝食难安。对于陈天桥而言，投资项目失败，换一个再投即可。而对于竞争者而言，不成功就是死，两者之间的战斗欲望有着天壤之别。

这种投资心态也注定了陈天桥缺乏“工匠”的耐心，这一点直接左右了盛大创新院的走向。

创新往往非常耗时，涉及基础研究时尤甚，而且不保证出商业成果。盛大创新院3年“烧”掉了数亿资金，立项50多个项目，成果却只有一个bambook。陈天桥开始不耐，慢慢调整创新院的方向。

从自由立项到承担业务研发，再到“一台服务器都必须层层审批”，工程师的自由度越来越小。一位前创新院工程师对华商韬略|华商名人堂(微信公众号：hstl8888)说：“2年换了3个队伍，桥哥不坚持，产品半年没起色直接撤掉，团队上下心灰意冷。”

陈天桥的不耐，逐渐从对内转移到对外：他收购酷6，但是视频网站更“烧钱”，酷6营收长期不见起色，盛大开始调整方针，减少投入，酷6因此很快掉落第一梯队，直至今天彻底失去竞争力。

在诸如此类的“无谓消耗”间，盛大的优势不断被磨灭，逐步衍生了侵蚀“驱动核心”、导致帝国陷落的裂变。

帝国失“心”

宏观上看，多条战线失利对于盛大而言并不致命。陈天桥没能将先知能力扩大为辉煌战果，只能算是巨头的小“败局”。

实际上，每个巨头都有败局。Google巨资做眼镜、腾讯在微博和电商“烧”了几年的钱、百度也曾试图搅局电商、阿里至今仍在社交挣扎……

这些失败，并不能动摇其江湖地位。BAT之所以是BAT，是因为其核心产业。百度有搜索、腾讯有社交、阿里有电商。这些根基，是其开疆拓土的动力之源。

盛大帝国的核心是游戏，游戏利润是盛大横冲直撞多年的资本。但是，BAT的“核”还在，盛大的“心”却丢了。

如前文所述，陈天桥对游戏没什么感情，他一直抽游戏的血来补充其他产业。巨人、网易、腾讯等后来者挖空心思挖老大墙角的时候，陈天桥一边“藐视”着这些小弟，一边集中精力实现充满正能量的抱负(网络迪斯尼)，直至失去老大的位置。

盛大游戏的衰败有着清晰的路径。陈天桥之于游戏的态度，决定了盛大的态度。多年间，盛大从未建立起一支行业顶尖的研发团队，《传奇世界》之后，其自主研发的游戏无一生还。

研发不力的同时，因为疏忽和傲慢，盛大代理也持续走下坡路。

在国内，游戏代理是快速崛起的最佳方案。盛大靠《传奇》一步登天，九城曾代理《魔兽世界》，腾讯则崛起于《地下城与勇士》(DNF)。

盛大是国内网游界多年的老大，最初和国外公司谈代理都是“躺着谈”。魔兽、DNF来中国时直奔盛大，但是盛大不愿意支付太多钱，于是便宜了九城和腾讯。

盛大轻视游戏，对手们则如狼似虎。腾讯长年将游戏作为企业的战略重心，在拿下DNF后，他们又相继获得《穿越火线》(CF)和《英雄联盟》(LOL)的代理权。

此消彼长之间，盛大丢失了权杖。2009年，腾讯超越盛大成为国内游戏业霸主。很快，腾讯又发展成为全球最大、最挣钱的游戏公司。2015年的财报显示，游戏为整个腾讯贡献了接近60%的营收。

失去霸主地位后，盛大游戏并没有吹响反攻的号角。经历分拆上市、私有化退市，再到借壳回归A股传闻的盛大游戏，其相关新闻，从游戏变成了资本游戏。

盛大游戏雄风不再、负面缠身，陈天桥决定“丢弃”这个发家致富的老本行。2016年1月，盛大的一份声明证实了外界的传言：2014年起，盛大集团已经不再持有盛大游戏的任何股份。

陈天桥的心情想必很复杂，“电子鸦片制造者”的标签一度令他困扰不已，如今，他可以卸掉这个包袱了。

他缔造了中国的网游产业，又在其最鼎盛时期黯然离开。如今，不仅游戏产业接连创下利润新高，其上下游、外设产业，乃至延伸出的电竞产业都成了金矿，但新一轮的风云际会中，已经没有了陈天桥巍峨的身影。

拆卖最后的版图

剥离游戏业务后，盛大曾经的版图迅速解体。陈天桥开始更多站在投资者的角度，看待这些曾经带给他无限荣光的产业：一旦某个板块的估值从高点下滑，便会被他待价而沽。

陈天桥出手的最后一个板块，是其“网络迪斯尼”计划中最为成功的盛大文学。

盛大文学旗下包括起点中文网、红袖添香网、言情小说吧、晋江文学城、榕树下、小说阅读网、潇湘书院七大原创文学网站以及天方听书网和悦读网。另外，它还拥有三家图书策划出版公司。其行业统治力甚至超越巅峰期的盛大游戏。

盛大文学曾是陈天桥的骄傲。他在2013年分享了一组数据：200万名作家、700万部原创小说、1.5亿个用户、超过7成的市场份额、每天新产生1亿字的作品，按照传统小说哪怕50万字一本来衡量，每天相当于新创作200部传统小说。

过去数年间，最有影响力的小说，大部分出自盛大文学，就连陈天桥70多岁、从未接触过互联网的父母，都是盛大文学的狂热读者。《鬼吹灯》、《甄嬛传》、《步步惊心》等红极一时的电视剧、电影，都是由其改编而成。盛大还为游戏产业提供了大量网游、页游的题材。

陈天桥对于IP资产的布局与整合，不仅遥遥领先于国内，就连国际巨头都深感艳羡与钦佩。默多克称盛大文学就像“milk”(挤奶)，源源不断地为中国文化产业贡献力量。

但是，不断拆卖盛大业务的陈天桥，不想再养“奶牛”了。2015年3月，盛大宣布，腾讯文学和盛大文学联合成立新公司，由腾讯文学CEO吴文辉担任CEO。这个消息变相坐实了此前闹得沸沸扬扬、“腾讯将以50亿元”收购盛大文学的传闻。

在华商韬略|华商名人堂(微信公众号：hstl8888)总结看来，陈天桥放弃盛大文学有几方面的原因：过去的几年间，盛大文学4度赴美上市，都未成功;热门小说“变现”时间过长，《鬼吹灯》这样的作品，拖了8年才搬上银幕;盛大剥离游戏产业，文学IP对于集团的价值进一步降低。

最重要的原因则是，陈天桥决定离开互联网。他在一次采访中说：2012年起，盛大开始向投资转型。

出售文学产业后，盛大曾经的版图正式瓦解。其官网介绍也变成了“向着成为一家国际级的投资控股集团而不懈努力”。

随着官网介绍悄然变更，一代互联网霸主、靠游戏和小说为无数少年创造梦想世界的陈天桥，就此告别。

这样的人，迟早会回来

盛大瓦解后，舆论称陈天桥“退隐江湖”，并为其打上了“失败”和“悲情”的烙印。可是，他能算是一个失败者吗?

按照常规标准评判，陈天桥是不折不扣的人生赢家。他有完美的家庭，妻子和女儿都很漂亮。陈天桥很爱自己的妻女，最忙的时候，他都会在周末抽出时间陪伴家人。为了保护家庭，他还迁居新加坡。

按照资本家的“唯一”标准——利润来判断，陈天桥更是赢家中的赢家。多年布局投资中，他鲜有亏本。盛大文学的初始投资仅2000万，转手腾讯赚了25倍。浙江传媒花31.8亿买下边锋，陈天桥赚了18倍……过去的10年间，他投资近150个项目，投资版图涉及文化、金融、不动产投资、对冲基金四大板块。

2012年，陈天桥曾透露盛大坐拥近600亿现金资产。近年来，随着其不断拆卖盛大产业，陈天桥手握的真金白银越来越多，刚刚过去的2015年，他便套现62亿元。

令人咋舌的财富数字之下，媒体为何仍“执迷不悟”地将陈天桥定义为失败者?或许是因为，经历过盛大帝国时代的人，对雄才大略的陈天桥所抱有的期待，远不止此。

陈天桥恐怕也不会将自己定义为成功者。时至今日，在提起陈天桥时，大部分人仍会误解“他=游戏”。这位31岁走上财富之巅、10年前便做出宏伟布局、以家国天下为目标的企业家，会甘于如此评价、安于财富利益、并就此退居幕后吗?

应该不会。在盛大出售游戏业务的时候，一位互联网企业的CEO说：陈天桥这样的人，迟早会回来的。