Adding CD Playback

Norio Ohga stared at the tightly packed word "PlayStation" on the whiteboard. The spaces were removed, and so was the Nintendo logo.

"Since we've decided to do it, let's not leave ourselves any way out." Norio Ohga stubbed out his cigar with a resolute motion. "Chubachi- san, notify the Finance Department to recalculate the budget. What we're making isn't an upgraded version of the SFC, but a completely new species."

Ryoji Chubachi nodded, but he was more concerned with the specifics of the technology's implementation. He looked at Ken Kutaragi was still in a state of excitement. "Kutaragi- kun, now that the cartridge slot has been removed, the hardware architecture is no longer restricted. You just mentioned wanting to work on 32-bit, so what's the specific direction? Are we continuing to strengthen our strengths in 2D sprites, or are we taking a gamble on that—polygons?"

This question instantly silenced the meeting room.

All eyes were on Ken Kutaragi.

As the core of the technology, his judgment will determine the flow of these tens of billions of Japanese yen in R&D funding.

Ken Kutaragi frowned, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table.

The Virtua Fighter that Sega had recently showcased came to mind.

It was something developed based on the Model 1 Board. Although it was indeed 3D, in his opinion, the characters made up of rough polygons looked like Lego figures with arthritis, with stiff movements and ridiculously rudimentary textures.

"To be honest, I have reservations about current 3D technology." Ken Kutaragi sighed, speaking frankly, "I've seen Sega's Virtua Fighter. Technically, it's certainly a breakthrough, but the visual presentation is terrible. Can those boxy, square objects really replace the exquisite, detailed hand-drawn 2D graphics? Players might not buy it."

He paused, then walked to the whiteboard and drew two lines.

"The current technological bottleneck is that achieving a decent level of 3D polygons could be a bottomless pit in terms of cost. If our new console were to force a high-performance 3D architecture, the price could soar to over 100,000 Japanese yen, which wouldn't be selling a game console, but a luxury item."

"So you mean, focus on 2D?" Nobuyuki Idei asked.

"Not entirely." A shrewd glint flashed in Ken Kutaragi's eyes. "We need to prepare for both scenarios. The architecture needs to support 3D computing, and the extent to which performance improvements are made can be determined based on the development of 3D technology. But for now, I think we should first ensure detailed 2D visuals. Utilizing the large capacity of CD-ROMs, we can cram in a large number of cutscenes and high-fidelity sound effects, which is an experience that Nintendo cartridges can never provide."

Upon hearing the word "sound effects," Ryoji Chubachi's eyes lit up.

"Since we've brought up CD-ROMs and sound effects," Ryoji Chubachi interjected, "Why don't we include Sony's core competencies?"

You mean—

"CD playback function." Ryoji Chubachi spread his hands. "We have a ready-made solution for the audio decoding chip, and the cost is almost negligible. With just a simple decoding circuit added, this game console can be transformed into a high-quality CD player."

These words gave the executives present pause for thought.

In the early 1990s, a decent CD player was not cheap.

If the PlayStation can play next-gen games and also function as a CD player, it would definitely give parents who control the family finances another reason to buy it.

"Buying a game console is for the kids, buying a CD player is for the whole family." Norio Ohga instantly grasped this selling point, a satisfied look on his face. "That's a great idea. That's Sony's advantage; those toy-making bumpkins at Nintendo will never understand what a family entertainment center is."

"Technically, there's absolutely no problem." Ken Kutaragi quickly jotted down a few notes in his notebook. "Add a data type recognition mechanism; if it's a game disc, run the program; if it's a music disc, call up the playback interface. This doesn't even require additional CPU processing power."

"Then it's settled." Norio Ohga stood up, straightening his suit. "Remove the spaces from the name, remove the cassette slot, and add CD playback functionality. As for graphics processing—"

He glanced at Ken Kutaragi: "Kutaragi- kun, go and do some more research. Even though Sega's version is ugly, don't underestimate the potential of 3D. I don't want to find the world has changed by the time our machines come out."

"Yes! Don't worry, President." Ken Kutaragi immediately replied.

The smoke in the meeting room had dissipated somewhat, but the atmosphere remained tense.

Nobuyuki Idei hadn't said much; he was listening and observing. Only now did he gently cap the pen in his hand, making a crisp sound.

"Kutaragi, passion is important, but we have to face reality." Nobuyuki Idei's voice was as calm as a glass of ice water, instantly extinguishing the excitement from the CD playback function. "Sony has made radios, televisions, Walkmans, and all sorts of electrical appliances. You could say Sony is one of the world's top electronics manufacturers. But even Sony has never developed a 32-bit game console from scratch. That's on a completely different level compared to the difficulty Nintendo faced developing an 8-bit console. If we make a wrong choice in hardware architecture, tens of billions of Japanese yen will go down the drain."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "We need a knowledgeable guide. Is there any way to bring in a partner with extensive experience in arcade or console hardware? Someone who can share the risk and compensate for our lack of experience in architecture design."

This is an extremely pointed question. Technicians usually get furious when they hear this kind of question, feeling it's an insult to their abilities.

But Ken Kutaragi did not.

Instead, he nodded readily.

"Idei- san is absolutely right." Ken Kutaragi pulled out a pre-prepared list from the bottom of the folder. "We are indeed outsiders, so we need to find an expert who is also willing to cooperate with us in developing the console and has solid technical skills. Currently, there are only four companies on the market that are worth considering: Konami, Capcom, SNK, and Namco."

"One by one," Norio Ohga said succinctly.

"First up is Konami." Ken Kutaragi pointed to the first name, a hint of disdain on his face. "They're top-notch at making software, but in terms of hardware, they stopped evolving back in the late 80s. Now they basically just use Sega, Capcom, or Namco's board systems for development. Their technology and experience are outdated, so I suggest not considering them."

He ruthlessly drew an X on the whiteboard for Konami.

"What about SNK?" Ryoji Chubachi asked. "Their NEOGEO arcade machine is very powerful, and they've also released a home version."