Getting on Track

Shigeru Miyamoto's words carried absolute confidence.

It was the assurance that belonged to a top-tier game producer.

"The release schedule after the press conference," Imanishi Hiroshi continued reporting. "We plan to officially launch the N64 simultaneously in Japan and North America within two weeks after E3 closes. While the heat from the show still hasn't faded, we'll convert it directly into sales. The stock prepared at Uji Factory is enough to handle the first-week buying frenzy."

"Simultaneous launch?" Genyo Takeda raised an objection. "Can North America's logistics channels and localization work keep up? In the past, we always launched in Japan first, tested the market response, then pushed overseas half a year later. The risk of a transnational simultaneous launch is too high."

"Times have changed," Imanishi Hiroshi countered. "Sega's Jupiter tasted the sweetness of a global simultaneous launch. If we delay again, the North American market will be carved up cleanly by Sega and Sony. President Minoru Arakawa has made preparations at Nintendo of America. Warehousing, channels, retailer stocking agreements—everything has been opened up. Now is the time to seize territory. There's no room for even the slightest conservatism."

Yamauchi Hiroshi listened to the two of them argue, then tapped his fingers twice on the tabletop.

The conference room fell quiet.

"Proceed according to Imanishi's plan," Yamauchi Hiroshi decided. "Simultaneous launch. Get the N64 into players' hands as fast as possible. Don't leave Sega and Sony any breathing room. We're going to fight a blitzkrieg."

"Besides TV GG, the offline channels need to move too," Yamauchi Hiroshi instructed. "Every Walmart and Best Buy across America must set up an independent N64 demo area. I want every child who walks into a supermarket to be able to see that black machine. We can make appropriate concessions on retailers' profit shares.