The Situation

Nakayama Hayao's office was filled with a somewhat heavy atmosphere.

The senior manager of the Marketing Department stood before the desk, reporting the latest market data with a grave expression.

"President, this is the latest home console market report."

"Nintendo's Famicom still holds an absolute dominant position."

"Their Super Mario Bros. has already broken three million copies sold and continues to top the charts."

"Kung Fu and Antarctic Adventure are also selling hot."

"Sega's SG-1000 has seen its market share shrink even further, and has already been left far behind by Nintendo."

"And Nintendo has already resolved the hardware defects in its early units through replacement upgrades. On top of that, Konami, Namco, and a host of other software developers are making games for the Famicom. At the level of 8-bit game consoles, the Famicom basically has no shortcomings left."

The Marketing Department manager's voice was low and helpless.

Nintendo's powerful performance in the home console market left competitors like them feeling deeply powerless.

Nakayama Hayao's face was dark as his fingers tapped the desktop again and again.

He picked up the market report and quickly flipped through the data and charts inside.

The shocking numbers made his brows knit tightly together.

Nintendo's Famicom was like an impassable mountain, stretching across the path of every competitor.

Their efforts at Sega in the home console market seemed to have all become futile.

"Nintendo... Nintendo..."

Nakayama Hayao murmured to himself, a trace of anger and unwillingness in his tone.

Kyoto, Japan, Nintendo headquarters.

Unlike the heaviness permeating Sega's office, the air here drifted with a powerful confidence that seemed almost only natural.

Yamauchi Hiroshi sat behind his broad office desk, an unlit cigarette between his fingers, his gaze sharp as a hawk's as it swept over the subordinate standing respectfully before him.

"Speak. How were this month's results?"

His voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority.

The subordinate bowed slightly, his tone carrying excitement he could not suppress.

"President, the Famicom's sales momentum remains strong."

"Konami's ports of Antarctic Adventure and Kung Fu have continued to sell well since release, and cumulative shipments for both have already exceeded one million."

"Namco's Pac-Man, Hudson's Lode Runner, Taito's port of Super Dimension Fortress Macross... these major third-party titles have greatly enriched our game library and further consolidated the Famicom's ruling position in the home console market."

The name of every hit game was like a medal, bearing witness to Nintendo's glory.

The subordinate opened the report in his hands and continued.

"The software lineup for the second half of the year is even more worth looking forward to."

"Konami's Salamander, Hudson's Bomberman, Capcom's 1942... these highly anticipated arcade-port masterpieces, along with Namco's Battle City, will all arrive on the Famicom platform one after another."

"At the same time, even more third-party manufacturers have expressed a strong desire to cooperate, hoping to join the Famicom camp."

Yamauchi Hiroshi listened, the corner of his mouth curving in an almost imperceptible arc.

Everything was within his grasp.

The Famicom dynasty in Japan itself was unshakable.

He moved his gaze away from the report and thought of another key point.

The North American market was a crucial part of his global strategy.

The shadow of the Atari Crash still loomed over the North American game market; that was a lesson from the overturned cart ahead.

"Hmph." Hearing this, Yamauchi Hiroshi gave a light snort, as if mocking Atari for playing a good hand straight into a pit. Atari truly had been too arrogant. What made them think players would buy into that pile of shoddy games of theirs? Especially when, taking advantage of the movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial being a massive hit, they had frantically rolled out GG. A good movie plus a fun game could have been double the joy, yet just as players were about to open that exquisite cake box, you went and took a dump inside it!

At this thought, Yamauchi Hiroshi shook his head, casting aside that line of thinking, and gestured for the subordinate—interrupted by his disdainful snort—to report on the situation in North America. "Over in North America, how are the preparations for the NES coming along?"

The subordinate immediately straightened, his speech speeding up.

"President, please rest assured. Everything is proceeding strictly according to your instructions."

"In our external messaging, we have always emphasized that the NES is the 'Nintendo Entertainment System,' a home entertainment system, and not simply a 'Video Game Console,' a game machine."

"The exterior design also uses a subdued gray, with a form closer to a VCR, in order to minimize North American consumers' resistance born from the Atari Shock."

The subordinate added.

"At present, after the Atari Shock, the game market in the United States is in a huge vacuum period."

"Consumers have already been completely disappointed by shoddy games, but in reality, they also long for truly high-quality entertainment products. Our surveys in arcades in major cities such as New York, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas have confirmed this: good games are still welcomed by players."

"This is precisely the perfect opportunity for our NES to enter and occupy the market."

"The relevant market promotion, channel rollout, and launch game lineup preparations are all proceeding at full speed."

Yamauchi Hiroshi slowly nodded.

Avoid the risks and strike straight at the pain points.

This was exactly what he wanted.

Just as the report was about to end, his subordinate seemed to remember something and added another sentence.

"By the way, President, regarding our competitors..."

"There have been some rumors in the market lately. Sega seems to be making a few small moves."

"I heard they spent 'no small price' to buy the rights to a... mm... puzzle game from the Soviet Union."

His subordinate's tone sounded rather casual, as if this were nothing more than insignificant market noise.

"Sega?"

Yamauchi Hiroshi's brow creased almost imperceptibly, like he had been briefly bothered by a fly.

"The Soviet Union?"

"A puzzle game?"

With those keywords put together, he felt a hint of absurdity.

That Sega, which had been defeated time and again in the home console market, had actually placed its bet on a game from the Soviet Union?

He almost laughed out loud.

A mere little game—how could it possibly shake the position of Super Mario Bros.?

How could it possibly be mentioned in the same breath as those gorgeous major titles Konami and Namco were about to release on the Famicom?

Whether in terms of quantity or quality, Yamauchi Hiroshi believed the outcome held no suspense whatsoever.

In his view, Sega's struggle was nothing but the futile flailing of a drowning man. Sure enough, bringing in third parties ahead of everyone else had been the right move.

Yamauchi Hiroshi cast aside that fleeting thought and refocused on the grand blueprint before him.

"No need to pay it any mind."

He waved a hand, his tone carrying unquestionable decisiveness.

"In the home console market, Sega no longer poses a threat."

"Our current top priority is to ensure the NES makes a sensational debut in the North American market, thoroughly establishing Nintendo's leadership in the global home console market."

"As for everything else... it is nothing more than irrelevant noise."

He rose and walked to the window, looking down over the streets of Kyoto.

"Continue to monitor market trends closely, especially the feedback from North America."

"Follow our plan and advance steadily."

"Yes!" his subordinate answered with his head lowered, then withdrew from the office.