Invitation Secured

Nintendo Headquarters, Kyoto.

Yamauchi Hiroshi sat upright behind his broad desk, his fingers unconsciously tapping against its surface as he gazed out the window. The emerald bamboo in the courtyard swayed in the breeze, rustling softly as dappled light danced across it. A tranquil air filled the office, broken only by the occasional faint sound of papers being turned.

"Tetris..." he began, his voice quiet but carrying unquestionable weight. "It's stirred up something different in the arcades."

His subordinate stood respectfully at the side and promptly handed over a neatly bound market report. The papers made a soft rustling sound.

"President, these are the latest figures compiled from the major arcades in Akihabara," the subordinate said clearly and cautiously. "The proportion of female players has indeed risen significantly, particularly around Tetris."

"Go on." Yamauchi Hiroshi did not immediately look at the report. His gaze remained fixed on something beyond the window, as though weighing something.

The subordinate did not dare delay and immediately gave a detailed report. "In the past, women typically made up less than ten percent of arcade patrons, and the environment was relatively noisy and chaotic. But over the past week, feedback from several locations we have been closely monitoring shows that the proportion has generally exceeded twenty percent. At several of Sega's large game centers, it even approaches forty percent during peak hours. Many managers have reported seeing young women arriving in groups during afternoon tea hours and evenings, even office workers in business attire. They come with a clear purpose, heading straight for Tetris."

Yamauchi Hiroshi's fingertips paused. "Forty percent?" he repeated, his tone revealing neither doubt nor confirmation.

"Yes, President. And Tetris's coin-drop rate far exceeds that of any other game during the same period. The machines are hardly ever idle. One manager jokingly said his hands were going numb from collecting coins. More notably, its arrival seems to have boosted the play rate of some older games nearby. While waiting, or after playing, some female players will casually try the simpler games beside it."

"Hmm..." Yamauchi Hiroshi finally withdrew his gaze and picked up the report, flipping through it quickly. His sharp eyes seemed intent on digging something deeper from the cold numbers. The charts clearly showed the steeply rising curve and the changing proportion of female players across different time periods.

As he looked at the figures, his mind raced. The female market? Arcades? It seemed strangely incompatible with his usual image of places thick with cigarette smoke, sweat, and adolescent hormones. But data did not lie. What did this sudden craze signify? A flash in the pan, or a new point of growth?

"How do these... 'new customers' respond to other games? Our own Donkey Kong, for instance, or fighting and shooting games?"

"According to our observations, they generally show little interest in games with complex controls or intense competition. They seem to prefer games with intuitive rules, where they can continually challenge their own scores. Tetris also has an interesting social aspect. It is not direct competition, but friends comparing scores or cheering each other on."

"It boosted the play rate of some older games?" Yamauchi Hiroshi's finger stopped over a chart in the report. His brow lifted slightly as his eyes returned to that sharply rising curve.

His subordinate immediately stepped forward. "Yes, President. This was an unexpected development. Quite a few were male customers who rarely visited arcades, brought there by their girlfriends playing Tetris."

Yamauchi Hiroshi raised his brows slightly, seemingly surprised by the answer, yet as though he had expected it. He set down the report and leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands over his abdomen as he regarded his subordinate with interest, waiting for a fuller explanation.

The subordinate cleared his throat and continued. "According to feedback from arcade managers, many young couples come together. The girls are clearly there for Tetris. They're skilled players—obviously veterans. Their boyfriends may initially just watch from the side or play claw machines and the like. But once their girlfriends get into it, they inevitably drag them over to give it a try. You know how men are—they always want to show off in front of their girlfriends."

He paused, studying Yamauchi Hiroshi's expression before continuing. "As a result, many male customers who were originally uninterested in arcade games have begun trying relatively simple older games, such as Pac-Man and Breakout. Some managers even said that certain boys secretly practice these classic games so they can 'show off their skills' in front of their girlfriends and surprise them the next time they visit."

Yamauchi Hiroshi pressed his lips together slightly, as though considering something. This "side effect" was rather unexpected. They had only intended to observe the phenomenon of female Tetris players, yet it had also revived other games.

His fingers tapped lightly against the desk, making a steady thud, thud sound. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly raised his head and stared directly at his subordinate, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's. "How long can this trend last?"

He asked the question abruptly, his tone calm yet carrying an unquestionable authority.

After a brief consideration, his subordinate answered cautiously, "For now, its popularity is still rising, but the long-term effects remain to be seen. After all, the arcade market is unpredictable and difficult to forecast."

Yamauchi Hiroshi set down the report and leaned back slightly, falling into a brief silence. Only the rustling of bamboo leaves outside the window remained in the office. He thought of the portable handheld console still under development... If this sort of appeal could extend to homes and personal entertainment devices...

Yamauchi Hiroshi snorted, a trace of disdain appearing on his face.

"It's nothing more than a few petty tricks."

"Continue monitoring it," he finally said, his tone returning to its usual steadiness. "Expand the scope to the major arcades in Osaka and Nagoya. I want more detailed reports, including players' age groups, how long they stay, and whether they try other types of games. Report any unusual fluctuations immediately."

He placed the report on the desk and leaned back slightly, his gaze profound.

"Female players... in the end, they'll still be shut out by home consoles."

"Their needs in games are completely different from those of male players."

"They won't pay for all that fighting and killing."

"The ones who truly determine the direction of the gaming market are still the core players."

He paused, his tone firm.

"Nintendo's foundation lies in home consoles, in our own games, and among that vast base of core players."

"Even if Sega enjoys a brief moment of success with Tetris, it cannot shake our position."

Sega Headquarters.

Suzuki, head of the marketing department, walked into Takuya's office beaming.

"Nakayama-san, good news!"

he said excitedly, his voice even trembling slightly.

Takuya looked up, a hopeful smile appearing on his face.

"Mr. Suzuki, it looks like everything went smoothly?"

Suzuki nodded vigorously, his tone animated. "After the tireless efforts of our marketing department, we've finally secured meetings with Director Oba Kotaro and Masami Kurumada!"

"Really?"

Takuya's eyes lit up, with a hint of surprise in his voice.

"That's wonderful! Mr. Suzuki, your marketing department really came through!"

Suzuki said with a touch of self-congratulation, "Nakayama-san, you have no idea how difficult it was to coordinate the schedules of these two masters. Director Oba had fortunately just finished assisting with an animation production and had some free time, while Mr. Kurumada still has a manga serialization to keep up with. We went to extraordinary lengths to secure this opportunity."

"I know it couldn't have been easy."

Takuya spoke sincerely. "Mr. Suzuki, on behalf of Development Team Three, I thank you and the marketing department for your efforts!"

"It is our honor to serve you, Nakayama-san."

Suzuki hurriedly waved his hands, his tone humble.

"By the way, what are the exact time and place?"

Takuya asked.

"Next Tuesday at three in the afternoon, at Tatsunoko Studio in Musashino City."

Suzuki replied.

"Alright, I'll be there on time."

Takuya nodded, his eyes filled with anticipation.

"Mr. Suzuki, this meeting is crucial. We must make thorough preparations."

"Please rest assured, Mr. Nakayama."

Suzuki straightened his chest, his tone firm. "Our marketing department will give its full cooperation and ensure this meeting is a complete success!"