When the Wall Falls, Everyone Pushes
It was late March.
The buying frenzy sparked by the Sega Mega Drive gradually subsided to a stable level after the initial surge.
The shelves of Nintendo Famicom, lacking a heavyweight third-party supplier like Konami, appeared unusually desolate and deserted.
This moment of deathly silence is brewing a storm far beyond anyone's imagination.
Hudson Corporation, President's Office.
A thick stack of market reports lay open on the table, the data and charts coldly presenting the current state of the market.
President Kudo Yuji's finger finally stopped on a weekly report on Sega Mega Drive software sales. Just as he had expected, the curve of the numbers, after climbing to an astonishing peak, began to show signs of fatigue.
"President, Sega's momentum has slowed somewhat, but it's still strong. Will our ' Fierce Battle Holy Warrior ' launch right now coincide with their second wave of attacks?" Marketing Department manager Tanaka looked worried, his forehead beaded with sweat. For the past two months, he'd been walking a tightrope every day, the company's entire bet on this game, and any slight disturbance made his heart race.
Yuji Kudo didn't answer immediately. He got up and walked to the window. Below, the traffic was bustling, and the hustle and bustle of Tokyo seemed to be shut out by the double-glazed windows. His gaze seemed to pierce through the buildings, seeing the long lines in front of the Sega console counter in the Akihabara electronics store, and also the Nintendo shelves on the other side.
"Tanaka, you're only seeing the surface." Kudo Yuji turned around, picked up the report, and tapped it lightly on the table. "Sega's games for the next month are all arcade ports. While they'll make some money, their market impact won't be nearly as strong as the combined releases during the initial month. Players' novelty is wearing off quickly. They're like a pack of hungry wolves, having finished their bones, now looking around aimlessly for the next piece of meat. What they need most right now is a masterpiece that truly satisfies their appetite."
He paused, then pointed to another report, "Looking at Nintendo, President Yamauchi is still fretting over Konami's betrayal and has no time for anything else. The market appears to be a battle between two giants, but in reality, one is exhausted and the other is overwhelmed with its own problems."
The air in the office seemed to freeze, and all eyes were fixed on Kudo Yuji. They then realized that the president's repeated delays in releasing the game were not out of cowardice, but rather because he was waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
A faint smile finally appeared on Kudo Yuji's lips, devoid of any warmth, yet it inexplicably reassured the core team present.
"Do you know when fishermen like to go out to sea the most?" he suddenly asked, a question that seemed unrelated.
Everyone looked handsome.
"It's when two ocean currents meet. It's dangerous there, but the fish are the most plentiful and fattest." He glanced around, his voice soft but clear, "Right now, Nintendo's cold current and Sega's warm current have collided, creating a whirlpool that no one dares to approach lightly. And we are that only fishing boat."
He sat back in the president's seat, leaning slightly forward, his eyes sharp as knives.
"Publicity Department, release all the games we've been holding back for three months! I want to make sure the Holy War is in every tram stop and every gaming magazine."
"Yes!"
"Sales Department, contact all distributors immediately and tell them that our game is here to turn things around. Double the PCEngine's first-week shipment volume!"
"Yes!" Tanaka's voice trembled slightly with excitement.
Kudo Yuji leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms in front of his abdomen.
"The Nintendo and Sega farce should end now. It's our turn to perform."
Soon, the PC Engine version of "Fierce Battle Holy Warrior" cartridge was quickly distributed to major electronics stores.
This game was developed around the same time as the canceled FC version, and its quality has long been polished to perfection.
Coupled with the tragic backstory circulating in some gaming media outlets, which claimed that it was unjustly banned by Nintendo, it piqued the curiosity and sympathy of players.
Players' curiosity, coupled with a rebellious attitude towards Nintendo's domineering behavior, propelled the game to the center of public attention.
Upon its release, the game's sales far exceeded everyone's expectations.
The smooth motion and exquisite visuals in the cartridge silently proved the capabilities of the PCEngine and also demonstrated Hudson's development prowess.
Following this, Hudson gave the market no chance to breathe, and they struck while the iron was hot, announcing in a high-profile manner that a brand new lighthearted and funny action game, <Kato Cha and Shimura Ken>, would be released in April.
This news acts as a reassurance, sending a strong signal to the entire market: PCEngine's content supply is continuous and diverse.
The chain reaction came faster than expected. IREM, which had switched sides with Hudson when the PC Engine was released, ported their arcade classic <R-TYPE> to PC.
The Engine platform followed suit and was released shortly after, making it another game that was canceled halfway through by Nintendo.
The game's graphics almost perfectly recreate the essence of the arcade version, generating a buzz among core gamers.
The <R-TYPE> became the best showcase of PCEngine's capabilities, prompting countless manufacturers and gamers who had previously held a wait-and-see attitude to re-examine this consistently underrated console.
The wind is quietly shifting.
Namco headquarters, senior conference room.
On the table in front of President Nakamura Masaya, there was the latest sales data for the PCEngine platform, and next to it was a success case analysis report on <R-TYPE>.
His last batch of NES games have fulfilled their release agreement with Nintendo.
Namco now has no more concerns.
He closed the folder, his movements quiet, but his voice commanded.
"The <Monster Journey> will be released immediately on the PCEngine platform."
He made a decisive decision to immediately release the action RPG "Monster Journey," which had already been developed internally by the company, on the PCEngine platform. This move was precise and fatal.
Thanks to Namco's prestigious brand and the game's high quality, "The Monster Journey" sold an astonishing 60,000 copies in its first week.
This number was like a resounding slap in the face to Nintendo.
It uses the most direct market data to prove to the entire industry that top-tier third parties can survive even without FC.
They could even live a better life.
PCEngine's sales were effectively boosted by this series of combined efforts, finally allowing it to gain a firm foothold behind Sega Mega Drive.
Konami Corporation, President's Office.
Kozuki Kagemasa looking at a market report on the rise of PCEngine, his eyes filled with an extremely complex light.
There was surprise, there was jealousy, but more than anything, there was a fierce excitement.
His original plan was to place all his bets on the Sega Mega Drive and engage in a high-stakes gamble with Yamauchi Haku.
Hudson's success with Namco, however, led him to a more radical strategy.
A strategy that could drag Nintendo into the abyss even further.
His plan underwent a transformation at this moment, no longer merely a business confrontation.
He wants to earn money while standing.
He also wanted to make Yamauchi Haku Utsugu watch helplessly as he earned even more.
Kozuki Kagemasa's thinking shifted from a high-stakes gamble of "single-point breakthrough" to a frenzied "all-out war".
Supporting a rival is nowhere near as satisfying as Nintendo on all sides.
His gambler's mentality was fully unleashed, and his goal escalated from "self-defense and counterattack" to "stirring up chaos in the world and seeking revenge."
An emergency meeting was convened immediately.
In the conference room, all the executives could feel the resolute aura emanating from Kozuki Kagemasa.
He made a decision that shook everyone to their core.
Konami has announced that its flagship IP, Gradius, previously banned by Nintendo, and its spin-off, Salamander, will be fully ported to PC Engine!
The news, transmitted via fax and telephone, was like a fiery spark thrown into a powder keg, instantly igniting the entire industry.
Everyone understood Kozuki Kagemasa.
He is not choosing the PCEngine camp.
He intends to use the prestigious Konami brand to personally stir up the waters of this situation.
He wanted to make it clear to all third parties that there was more than one path besides Sega Mega Drive to betray Nintendo.
There's also PCEngine.
And there will be even more in the future.
Inside the office of a small to medium-sized third-party game developer in Tokyo.
The president slammed the latest newspaper onto the table; it featured Konami's announcement of porting Gradius and Salamander.
The headline news.
The fear and worry he had felt earlier when facing the Nintendo ban had completely vanished from his eyes.
Instead, a flame flickered with greed and excitement.
Nintendo's domineering exclusivity clause is now as worthless as a piece of paper.
A massive industry battle sweeping across all manufacturers has officially begun.