North American Storm

"Good."

He raised his eyes and looked at his subordinate.

"Contact the media outlets we know."

"It's time to give consumers and investors a reminder."

He paused, a hint of mockery in his tone.

"Do you remember the 'Atari Graveyard' in the Alamogordo Desert of New Mexico?"

His subordinate immediately understood.

"You mean..."

"Give them a hint."

David Rosen's smile deepened.

"Tell them history is always strikingly similar."

"Remind everyone to stay vigilant. What is the purpose of such evasive marketing? Don't let another E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial farce play out again."

He did not need to attack directly. He only needed to gently pluck the string called fear in the hearts of consumers and investors.

Atari's bones were barely cold; that was the most powerful weapon of all.

Over the following days, the smell of gunpowder in the media suddenly intensified.

Although most articles questioning NES's true identity had been bought off, scattered voices of doubt still surfaced from time to time, one after another.

Sega's "timely" invocation of the "Atari Graveyard" was like pouring a ladle of cold water into boiling oil, instantly igniting public opinion.

"Nintendo NES: Innovative Entertainment or the Next Atari?"

"Beware! The Ghost of Game Consoles Inside the Gray Box!"

"Warning from the Alamogordo Desert: Do We Really Need Another Game Console?"

Blinding headlines filled newspaper pages and television screens.

The phones at Nintendo's North American headquarters rang nonstop, and Minoru Arakawa felt pressure unlike anything he had faced before. Although the strategy of throwing money around to silence the media had achieved some results with most outlets, there were always a few that slipped through. And the reminder of the "Atari Graveyard" stirred up even more contrarian sentiment among readers. The tide of public opinion seemed poised to completely wash away the dam they had painstakingly built.

I have to do something. Minoru Arakawa pondered in silence. The situation before him was far from encouraging. His fingers lightly tapped against the desk as thoughts surged through his mind like a tide. In the end, he made his decision. "Arrange a press conference. I'll appear in person."

Minoru Arakawa swiftly gathered his team and arranged the details of the press conference, finalizing the time and location amid a flurry of activity. A few hours later, facing the flashing lights and the many reporters' cameras, he adjusted his tie and tried his best to appear calm and composed.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming." His voice rang out as he tried to take control of the room. The reporters raised their microphones one after another, eager to ask questions. Minoru Arakawa smiled faintly and silently encouraged himself, ready to meet the challenge.

"Mr. Arakawa, how do you view the media's doubts about the NES?" one reporter asked first, her gaze sharp as a blade. Minoru Arakawa took a deep breath and answered firmly, "We have always worked to make the NES a model of home entertainment. That was our original intention."

"But some commentators believe this is deceptive marketing. What do you say to that?" Another reporter pressed on, clearly unwilling to let him off easily. Minoru Arakawa frowned slightly, tension tightening in his chest, but he quickly steadied himself and continued. "We have not concealed anything. The NES is indeed a brand-new entertainment system, designed to bring joy to families."

"Are you concerned that this negative publicity will affect sales?" Questions surged in like waves. A light sheen of sweat appeared on Minoru Arakawa's forehead, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I believe consumers will judge with their own eyes. Our product will speak for itself."

At that moment, a reporter suddenly cut in. "Do you think the 'Atari Graveyard' comparison goes too far?" Minoru Arakawa smiled faintly, a flash of humor in his eyes. "The comparison is indeed somewhat exaggerated, but I hope everyone can see the NES's true value instead of being shrouded by the shadows of the past."

As the exchange continued, the atmosphere gradually eased, and Minoru Arakawa's confidence steadily grew. The reporters' questions became more rational, and some even began to show interest in the NES. Minoru Arakawa quietly felt relieved. It seemed his efforts had not been in vain.

"Thank you all for your questions. We will continue working hard to make the NES the first choice for family entertainment." He concluded with a faint smile on his face, though inwardly he let out a quiet sigh of relief. Perhaps today's press conference could bring a sliver of hope for their future.

"I know there has recently been some discussion about our Nintendo Entertainment System, even some... misunderstandings."

"What I want to emphasize is that the NES is not merely a game console."

"It is a brand-new home entertainment center, one that will deliver an unprecedented interactive entertainment experience."

"We have the highest-quality game software, created by the world's top developers. It is nothing like those shoddy products from the Atari era."

He tried to steer the conversation toward the product itself, emphasizing its innovation and quality.

However, the reporters were not about to go easy on a Japanese man. This was the height of Japanese products flooding the United States; the only reason they did not outright dislike him was because of the dollars. Their questions remained sharp.

"Mr. Arakawa, if it isn't a game console, why is the entire launch lineup game software?"

"How can you guarantee that the NES will not end up being abandoned by the market, like Atari?"

"Have any distributors contacted Nintendo?"

"Is the term 'entertainment system' merely a way to avoid consumers' resistance to game consoles?"

Despite Minoru Arakawa pulling out all the stops to display the NES's appeal and Nintendo's sincerity, once the seeds of doubt had been planted, they were difficult to uproot.

Many media outlets and consumers still believed Nintendo's explanation lacked sincerity and was more like a crafty play on words.

At Nintendo's headquarters in Kyoto, Japan.

Yamauchi Hiroshi listened to Minoru Arakawa's dispirited report over the phone, along with his complaints about the media and their competitors, his expression utterly calm.

Only after Minoru Arakawa had finished did he speak coldly.

"Enough."

The simple word instantly silenced Minoru Arakawa on the other end of the line.

"It is normal for someone to be pushing the media's noise from behind the scenes."

Yamauchi Hiroshi's voice revealed neither joy nor anger.

"Sega's little tricks aren't worth our attention."

"You think a few reports can stop Nintendo in its tracks?"

There was a trace of disdain in his tone.

"The publicity setbacks happened because they haven't truly experienced the joy of the NES yet."

"Words are pale. Games are the most powerful weapon."

Yamauchi Hiroshi's thinking was crystal clear.

"Stop wasting effort on the media."

"Immediately prepare offline NES demo events."

"Let those players, those retailers, touch it with their own hands, see it with their own eyes, and experience Super Mario Bros. for themselves!"

"Let word of mouth do the talking."

"Let the players' amazement and love drown out those voices of doubt."

Yamauchi Hiroshi hung up the phone, his gaze sharp.

The setback on the public relations battlefield was nothing more than a minor ripple.

The real victory or defeat would ultimately be decided by the product itself.

He believed that as long as players experienced the charm of the Famicom (NES), all negative publicity would collapse on its own.

The storm in the North American market had only just begun.