Wednesday, January 29, 1992
While
ZAGE
was preparing for its
February game releases
, their future competitor,
Sonaya
, was facing a major headache. Their upcoming console, the
Mugen Game Box (MGB)
, was almost ready, along with its lineup of launch titles. However, a crisis had emerged within Sonaya's executive ranks.
Inside a conference room, the
head engineer, Makoto Matsuda
, the
CTO, Aoyama Kagesu
, the
CEO and major shareholder, Hikaru Kurata
, and the
Head of Gaming Console Development, Zanichi Renkonan
, sat alongside
several technical employees
. They weren't focused on their own console at this moment. Instead, all eyes were locked onto
two CRT televisions
, each displaying a game running on
ZEPS
:
SpongeBob: Adventure of Bikini Bottom
and
Choujin Sentai Z-Man
.
Makoto slammed his hands on the table, his frustration evident. "
HOW!? HOW can ZEPS produce graphics and content of this level!?
The hardware shouldn't be capable of handling this! I know they must have modified their cartridges somehow, but
how!?
I still don't understand!"
Hikaru Kurata, Sonaya's CEO, remained seated, but his mind was racing. The
sheer quality
of these two games
far exceeded his expectations
. He took a deep breath before turning his gaze toward Zanichi.
"
Zaboru...
" Hikaru muttered. "
Your son is truly impressive, Zanichi.
You yourself have remarkable talent, but
he continues to surpass every expectation I have.
"
Zanichi maintained a
poker face
, but deep down, he felt nothing but
pride
. He had always known his son was talented, but seeing these
masterpieces in action
made him realize just how much
Zaboru had revolutionized gaming.
"
He is good, no doubt,
" Zanichi finally spoke. "
But our four games launching with the MGB have their own appeal. I'm confident they'll generate plenty of interest.
"
Hikaru nodded. "
They will.
But if
ZAGE and Zaboru can consistently produce games of this quality, they'll become a serious threat.
We need to
catch up—and fast.
"
Makoto, still unwilling to accept reality, grumbled, "
It could just be a fluke!
These are the
only two
games from ZAGE that look this polished. It doesn't mean they can consistently pull this off!"
Hikaru
shot a sharp glare
at Makoto. "
That's an incredibly naive assumption.
" He sighed. "
Even if these were flukes, the fact that they managed to develop and release two games of this caliber simultaneously proves one thing:
ZAGE's abilities are rapidly improving.
"
Makoto shrank back, murmuring, "
S-Sorry, boss.
"
Hikaru
stood up
, adjusting his suit. "
Continue working. The MGB launches in March. If we can't defeat ZAGE in Japan, we'll dominate them globally.
"
With a confident grin, he
left the room
, already strategizing ways to make Sonaya the dominant force in gaming.
Zanichi's Dilemma
One by one, the others left the room—
except for Zanichi.
He remained seated, his
eyes glued to the gameplay footage of Z-Man and SpongeBob
. He let out a deep sigh, resting his hands on the table.
'
I really can't keep up with you, son.
'
The sheer fact that
ZAGE developed these games with a development team of less than twenty people
was
beyond his comprehension
. How could they achieve so much
with so few resources?
It defied logic.
For the first time,
Zanichi truly considered lowering his pride
and
joining forces with Zaboru
.
'
No matter how brilliant he is, he can't do this alone.
Maybe it's time for me to stop being stubborn and support him properly.'
Zanichi's eyes then drifted toward the
four game titles
set to launch with the
Mugen Game Box
. These games were his
last stand
, his final attempt to prove himself before deciding his future.
Sheriff Juan
– A game that combined elements of
Mario
and
Mega Man
, but set in the
Wild West
.
Neon Racing
– A modern
racing game
featuring
day and night cycles
and a lineup of
realistic cars
.
Sun Knight
– An
action-platformer
in the style of
Ninja Gaiden
, but featuring a
knight wielding a sun-infused blade
fighting against monstrous foes
.
J-Yagyu
– A
baseball sports game
, a
risky gamble
, as it was the
only title not inspired by any ZAGE games
.
'
If these games sell well,
' Zanichi thought, '
I can leave Sonaya and join ZAGE with my head held high.
'
But if they
failed
...
'
Then I will leave in disappointment, knowing I should have helped my son sooner.
'
Regardless of the outcome,
one thing was certain
—Zanichi wanted
nothing more than to help Zaboru succeed
.
He felt
immense pride
in his son. Watching Zaboru
outshine the industry giants
, reviving dead entertainment industry, push boundaries, and create masterpieces that even
Sonaya's best engineers couldn't comprehend
made him feel like
the luckiest father in the world.
"
You've done the impossible, son.
" Zanichi murmured. "
You've made me prouder than I ever thought possible.
"
Then, as if remembering something crucial, his expression turned serious.
'
I need to warn Zaboru.
Sonaya is planning a
global-scale release
just one month after launching in Japan.'
He knew that if Sonaya
gained a foothold overseas first
, it could spell trouble for ZAGE in the long run.
Zanichi stood up, shaking off his hesitation. He had made his decision.
Tonight, when he went home, he would
inform Zaboru of Sonaya's plan.
And come
June
, he would know whether his journey at Sonaya would end
in triumph
—or
regret.
To be continued...
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