Launch Lineup Demonstration

The inspection trip to Hong Kong and Taiwan came to an end. Director Terauchi and Director Hatano returned to Japan with a relaxed air. The dust and grime on their faces could not hide the smugness in their eyes, as if they had gained a lot from the trip.

However, under the slightly inquiring gaze of Nakayama Takuya picked them up at the airport, they tacitly refrained from revealing any specific details.

"The relevant findings will be reported at the board meeting."

Director Terauchi responded simply, his tone calm yet carrying undeniable weight.

Director Hatano patted Takuya on the shoulder with a smile, a sly glint in his eyes.

With the return of these two key figures, Nakayama Takuya's million-dollar chip procurement plan was formally put on the agenda by the two of them at the board meeting.

In order to completely dispel the board's doubts about the million-chip order and secure their full support, a meticulously prepared launch event showcasing the new console's game lineup is about to begin.

Sega's various Development Department, as well as third-party partners such as COMPILE, Game Arts, and Square, all received the notification and responded positively.

They will be bringing their latest creations for the new console, although most of them are still early versions in development and have a long way to go before they are finally completed.

The demonstration was held in the conference room on the top floor of Sega Headquarters.

The board members arrived one after another and took their seats, the air thick with a complex atmosphere of caution and anticipation.

First up were several arcade ports from Sega's internal team, as well as <Joy Island Adventure> from Compile.

When the bright colors and adorable characters of "Joy Island Adventure" appeared on screen, the atmosphere in the meeting room noticeably relaxed a bit.

This is a collection of family-friendly party games. The lighthearted background music, along with the various fun mini-games on the screen, showcased diverse gameplay and incredibly detailed graphics that far exceeded the capabilities of the current FC (Famicom) processors, which impressed the board members present.

They seemed to have already seen the enormous potential of the new console in attracting a large home user base, similar to the SG-1000.

This contrasts sharply with the era's strategy of focusing on hardcore arcade porting.

After a brief moment of relaxation, the real main event is about to begin.

Square's Final Fantasy and Sega's hidden ace Phantasy Star, two heavyweight RPG masterpieces.

They will soon take turns appearing.

The screen quickly filled with images from Final Fantasy.

Compared to the childlike and cheerful nature of Dragon Quest, this work presents a more mature and profound quality.

The exquisitely detailed pixel art brings every character and scene to life.

The several scene transitions interspersed throughout the demonstration, with their camerawork and atmosphere creation, subtly convey a cinematic narrative feel.

A senior director, gazing at the classic job designs and crystal theme, murmured to himself, "This reminds me of the frenzy surrounding the release of Dragon Quest II."

That social phenomenon sparked by a game remains a legendary topic of conversation within the industry.

Finally, it was Sega's turn to develop Phantasy Star, led by Yuji Naka.

The atmosphere in the conference room reached its peak when the unique opening animation, which blended science fiction and fantasy elements, played.

The cold starships and ancient magic intertwine on the screen to create a wondrous and unprecedented visual experience.

The first-person perspective of the maze exploration creates a strong sense of immersion, as if you were personally in that perilous alien dungeon.

Its cutting-edge graphics and ethereal electronic soundtrack even impressed veterans of arcade games, who were accustomed to top-tier visuals. They had to admit that this complex game genre, capable of providing a deeply immersive experience, was indeed difficult for arcade platforms to perfectly support.

During the breaks between the two RPG demonstrations, Nakayama Takuya provided timely supplementary explanations.

"Distinguished board members, please take note that these two distinct RPG masterpieces are just one part of the role-playing game lineup we've prepared for the new console."

His voice was clear and steady, echoing in the quiet meeting room.

"The classic and Final Fantasy series, and the sci-fi exploration of Phantasy Star, each possess their own distinct style."

"We must carefully coordinate the development schedule of these two titles with the final release timeline."

"We need to create sustained peaks in market enthusiasm, rather than releasing them all at the same time, which would cause player fatigue and unnecessary internal competition. This is the only way to maximize our commercial interests."

Finally, Sega Development Group 8's <The First Super Robot Wars> made its appearance.

The fact that it dedicates all its functions to combat animation during battles, resulting in visuals far surpassing those of the NES, has silenced some of the critics who previously questioned the purchase of robot anime licenses.

Throughout the demonstration, regardless of the game, the arcade-level graphics, the smooth and natural character animations, and the visibly complex game mechanics and system depth clearly demonstrated to all the directors present that this was far superior to the old FC.

The performance advantages showcased by the new console, along with the rich lineup of games prepared for release in recent times, all demonstrated the board's confidence in the new console project.

The demonstration has finally come to an end.

Representatives from various game development teams and companies, their faces beaming with excitement and boundless anticipation for the future, left the conference room one after another.

Their work has been recognized by Sega's top management, which is a great encouragement to their efforts over this period of time.

Only Sega's board members remained in the spacious conference room.

The heated discussions that had taken place during the earlier demonstration gradually subsided.

The breathtaking game scenes that had just been displayed on the screen were still lingering in their minds.

"Amazing."

President Nakayama Hayao broke the silence first, his powerful voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible emotion.

"The initial lineup presented by the company's various development teams and partner developers has indeed given me greater confidence in the market prospects of the new console."

Director Hatano nodded emphatically, agreeing, "The president is right. Such strong software capabilities are enough to support the massive hardware inventory we discussed earlier. These games are capable of making players willingly spend money to buy new consoles."

His gaze swept over his colleagues, his tone brimming with confidence.

Director Terauchi cleared his throat and reiterated the profound strategic significance of the million-chip order.

"When Nakayama's executive director discussed this order with us, he mentioned that this million-dollar order was not just about minimizing current hardware costs."

"More importantly, it sets a price benchmark that is absolutely favorable to us for our subsequent chip procurement. Once Toshiba accepts this price, neither they nor other potential suppliers will be able to raise prices further."

You'll have to carefully consider your own capabilities.

"This is paving the way for Sega's long-term interests and to gain control of the supply chain."

The atmosphere in the meeting room became even more lively after these words.

Confidence, unprecedented confidence, is growing in the hearts of every director.

Amidst such high enthusiasm, Director Terauchi looked intently at everyone and proposed in a deep voice, "Now, regarding the proposal put forward by Nakayama Takuya to purchase 500,000 MC68000 chips and 500,000 Z80 chips from Toshiba, totaling one million chips, we will now proceed with a vote."

After he finished speaking, the meeting room fell silent.

A moment later, hands began to rise one after another.

The final vote was almost overwhelming.

Apart from two directors who were known for their conservative approach and unwilling to take on such a huge risk and abstained from voting, all the other directors present, including President Nakayama Hayao, cast their votes in favor without hesitation.

The proposal was passed with a high vote.

The board of directors ultimately decided to appoint Director Terauchi and Director Hatano to represent Sega Corporation and personally travel to Toshiba to conduct formal negotiations regarding the chip purchase order totaling one million units.