Inspecting the North American Headquarters

Having secured Kunihiko Yuyama and tied the animation director to the "Pokémon Pokémon System" bandwagon, Nakayama Takuya immediately flew to San Francisco, United States.

His purpose in coming here was to represent Sega Headquarters to inspect the performance of the North America branch and see how Tom Kalinske, whom his father had poached from Universal Matchbox, was actually doing.

Looking at the pile of reports faxed back to Tokyo, the sales figures seem pretty good, but for the rest, I'll have to come and see for myself.

After all, in Japan today, the bursting of the economic bubble is a foregone conclusion, and the entire market is permeated with a downward trend.

North America is currently the most important and lucrative battleground in the global gaming industry, bar none.

Last year, the sales share of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and "Sonic the Hedgehog" in the North America market proved everything.

The plane landed at San Francisco International Airport, where a car sent by the North America headquarters was already waiting.

The car sped along the Bayshore Freeway and finally stopped in front of the Redwood City hotel.

Takuya checked in at around 5 p. m.

Takuya stood in front of the hotel's floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the city skyline under the setting sun, wondering whether he should go out for a walk.

But then I think of the futuristic joke, "Gunfights every day, free America."

Hmm, I think I'll pass on the idea of going for a walk tonight; my life is more important.

He grabbed a quick bite at the hotel restaurant, then returned to his room and casually turned on the TV.

The screen switched between several channels before finally settling on ABC.

A sitcom is playing on the screen, depicting a lively United States family, several children, and an open-minded couple, bickering over trivial matters in the living room.

The familiar scene startled Takuya for a moment.

Isn't this just like "Growing Pains"?

He remembered; this was the time when the show was a huge hit across America.

He vaguely remembered that the show ran for seven seasons, and that Leonardo DiCaprio was incredibly young and fresh-faced.

He began to read with great interest, but as he continued, a detail made him frown.

The living room in the drama is fully equipped with a sofa, coffee table, carpet, and paintings on the wall, and a video recorder is placed on the TV cabinet, but one thing is missing.

Game console.

A thought flashed through Takuya's mind in an instant—they had overlooked a huge market blind spot, a publicity platform that everyone had ignored.

He immediately pulled out his notebook from his suitcase and wrote down his discovery.

He turned off the TV, took a quick shower, and went to bed early, but his mind was already conceiving a completely new plan for the meeting the next day.

The next morning, Takuya left the hotel.

Not far along the lakeside promenade, a building with a blue "SEGA" logo came into view.

Tom Kalinske was already waiting in the lobby, his signature booming voice and enthusiastic embrace exuding American exuberance.

This former Mattel marketing guru is now a prominent figure in the North America gaming industry.

"Takuya! My friend! Welcome to Redwood City!"

Kalinske first gave Takuya the North America headquarters to familiarize him with the environment.

Then, the two sat down in the president's office.

"Takuya, you won't believe what we've accomplished in the last six months!" Kalinske rubbed his hands excitedly, pulling a report from a drawer. "As of last week, the Mega Drive's total sales in North America have surpassed eleven million units! GamePocket sales have also exceeded five million units!"

We're utterly crushing Nintendo!

Kalinske's face was filled with pride.

In the six months since he took office, the most impressive thing he has done is expand distribution channels.

Without his extensive sales network, Sonic, the blue hedgehog, could never have run so fast.

Takuya nodded, acknowledging the achievement.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table and asked, "Tom, what are our main GG deployment methods right now?"

"Of course it's TV GG! SegaScream!" The screams of "SegaScream!" are now being imitated by kids all over America! And there are posters in malls, displays in toy stores—we're everywhere! "We've done everything you can think of!" Kalinske rattled off the list.

Takuya nodded, and after he finished speaking, he slowly posed a question.

"Tom, where are we when the TV show ends and the main series begins?"

Kalinske was stunned. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, where are we in those TV shows and movies, in the living rooms of United States families?"

Kalinske was a little confused and didn't immediately understand Takuya's meaning. He shook his head. "This—it seems, no."

Takuya smiled.

"Tom, have you ever thought about what the biggest obstacle is when a child pesters their parents to buy them a game console?"

"Do your parents think that playing with toys is a waste of time and energy?"

"No, that's the mindset of Asian families. Parents from other ethnic groups generally don't deprive their children of basic playtime." Takuya held up a finger and shook it. "It's that parents feel that playing video games isn't a 'normal' form of entertainment for a family. It's not mainstream enough. Kids should be playing baseball, football, basketball, or even going to someone's house for a party."

We need to change this mindset.

Takuya leaned forward slightly, looking into Kalinske's eyes. "I want Sega's game consoles to become a part of everyday United States life, just like Coca-Cola and bacon."

"I suggest contacting TV and movie production teams across the US. Whenever there's a scene in a family living room, try to get them to put an MD player on the TV cabinet. Whenever characters are outdoors, waiting for a car, or traveling, try to get them to pull a Game Boy from their pockets."

Pocket.

"We want all viewers to subtly accept the fact while watching TV—play the MD at home, and take a Game Boy with you when you go out."

Pockets are a perfectly normal, even very trendy thing.

"And when Christmas comes, giving children a game console, or the latest game, as a Christmas present would be the most natural thing to do."

Kalinske's excitement and pride froze instantly, replaced by a look of shock and sudden realization.

He was a marketing genius and immediately understood the weight of Takuya's words.

He slapped his thigh suddenly. "My God! Implanting a penis! How could I have forgotten! This is genius!"

He instantly understood the terrifying nature of Takuya's plan.

This isn't just about being gay; it's about defining a lifestyle!

"That's right! We're going to Hollywood!" Kalinske stood up excitedly, pacing back and forth in his office. "Let's go now! Hollywood's right next door, full of movies and stars! We can find some big productions and stuff our game consoles into them!"

By the way, are there any good movies we could adapt into a game?

Looking at Kalinske, who was completely engrossed, Takuya leaned back on the sofa, a slight smile playing on his lips.