A Knife Straight into Sony's Kidneys

The CES exhibition has been over for more than two months.

The dazzling array of amazing equipment showcased at the exhibition remains a hot topic of discussion.

Especially the Pokepal pet machine, this exquisite little gadget.

No one expected that after holding back for so long, Gamenova would actually release a tiny 8-bit machine.

And yet, it's fucking so much fun!

However, CES is, after all, an exhibition that brings together the world's top manufacturers.

Besides gamenova, there was another thing that everyone was talking about at this exhibition.

[Sony PlayStation] (There is a space here)

A compatible console based on the Nintendo SNES, also known as the Super Nintendo SFC.

Equipped with Sony's own core patented technology, CD-ROM, it's a SNES-compatible console capable of independently releasing CD game software.

This matter...

It's small in some ways, but big in others. At least for players, it certainly offers another new option.

The SNES is good in every way. Although it doesn't have the exaggerated hardware performance of the Gamenova, thanks to Nintendo's equally impressive development capabilities, it is still a good console.

It enjoys a good reputation globally.

However, it has a major flaw: it lacks native CD compatibility.

Nintendo is not Gamenova; it does not have its own proprietary disc format.

In fact, Gamenova did not have a complete patent for optical disc drives.

To this day, for every NX sold, money has to be paid to the cross-patent pool of Philips and Sony.

Gamenova actually solved the problem of disc specifications.

At least they use their own technology and specifications to rip the discs, so there's no need to spend any extra money.

But Nintendo has none of those things.

If you want to get rid of the pitiful capacity of floppy disks and cassettes, the only option is the CD.

The collaboration between Sony and Nintendo was almost inevitable. And it did happen.

In January 1990, led by Ken Kutaragi, Norio Ohga and Hiroshi Yamauchi formally signed a treaty, marking the beginning of comprehensive cooperation.

The landmines had already been planted at that time.

The agreement with Sony allows Sony to distribute software in CD format for the Sony PlayStation without having to pay royalties under Nintendo's unfair terms.

This means that Sony has officially acquired the licensing rights to CD games, creating a third-party ecosystem that nominally belongs to Nintendo but is actually its own.

Similarly, they also gained control of the platform.

This Sony PlayStation, which is touted as an "NS-compatible machine," is fully capable of being a standalone game console.

It's even a better gaming console than the NX.

NX is too old.

The positioning of the Sony PlayStation is very clever.

It seems to have learned well from 3do's failures and integrated the strengths of both Gamenova and Nintendo.

While ensuring cost control, it emphasizes the large storage capacity offered by CD-ROM while retaining many advantages of SNES. For both developers and gamers, this is a worthwhile purchase.

Especially now that the economic bubble is bursting, talk of "the Japan economy is doomed" is rampant.

Consumers are generally becoming less willing to accept expensive machines.

Panasonic's 3DO is facing increasingly difficult circumstances, while the Pokepal, a small gadget that sells for just over ten dollars, is selling exceptionally well.

This made Ken Kutaragi and his group more cautious.

This PlayStation perfectly inherited SNES' cost control, and of course, also incorporated a great deal of Sony's own industrial design experience.

If the collaboration continues smoothly, this is destined to be a resounding victory for Sony in its entry into the gaming market.

at the same time.

Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, Nintendo Headquarters.

An inconspicuous figure walked out of the magnificent Nintendo building and quickly disappeared at the end of the street.

Unlike Sony's high-profile actions recently.

Nintendo did not choose to market this excellent new machine as aggressively as Ken Kutaragi and his team. After all, in this collaborative project, Nintendo was undoubtedly the one who suffered a loss.

There's really nothing to be proud of about this.

The then-president, Hiroshi Yamauchi, kept replaying videotapes from the CES exhibition.

Seeing Ken Kutaragi's excited expression, Hiroshi Yamauchi felt a chill run down his spine.

Nintendo is the Japan king of Japan.

They've always been the ones signing unfair terms and conditions with others.

I never expected to be bullied by Sony today.

Perhaps Sony is indeed wealthy and powerful.

But is Nintendo really so easy to mess with?

"The contract hasn't even been resolved yet, why are you in such a hurry to make it public?"

"Slap"

He slammed his Table with a hint of anger. Such blatant mockery was undoubtedly unbearable for a powerful, ruthless company president who had connections in both the legal and illegal worlds.

And he certainly didn't intend to endure it.

"We'll hold a press conference to introduce our new friend to everyone."

Tokyo Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo.

As a major center of Japan's electronics industry, Shinagawa Ward is home to a large number of consumer electronics companies from all over Japan.

It's not just manufacturers like NEC, Mitsubishi, Bandai.

Sega and Sony are also here.

Thanks to its advantageous geographical location, Shinagawa is close to Tokyo Bay, has a large number of well-established and convenient transportation lines, and is adjacent to the core area of Tokyo.

This is not a commercial metropolis, but it is a good place for these companies to set up their offices and headquarters.

Sony is here too, of course.

Inside the Sony-SNES project office, Ken Kutaragi's cheeks were flushed, and he was in a state of extreme excitement.

PlayStation was a collaboration he spearheaded, and it's something he's proud of.

As a Nintendo fan and a loyal Sony enthusiast, nothing could make him happier than bringing the two companies together.

Ken Kutaragi has been a typical Nintendo fan since the Famicom era.

He's not a game developer, but he's definitely a loyal gamer.

He had a vague feeling that video games would definitely become the absolute mainstream of the entertainment industry in the future.

This is why, despite widespread skepticism among Sony's top management, he still insisted on pushing forward the cooperation between the two parties.

Two chefs are overjoyed!

The two joys combined brought him even more joy.

For Ken Kutaragi, this period was an absolutely dreamlike and blissful time.

If only we had a little more time.

Let's wait until PlayStation is completely finished.

This historic machine is about to usher in a new era!

Gamenova has been sitting on the throne for far too long!

"This station reports"

"Nintendo recently held a press conference at its headquarters."

At the meeting, President Hiroshi Yamauchi publicly announced that a formal partnership had been established with Philips.

Philips will develop a dedicated CD-ROM system for SuperFamicom.

"This is a report from our reporter..."

Nintendo has abandoned Sony!

The large, bold title was displayed starkly across the television screen.

"Huh?"

I was here first, even though it was all about CD-ROM collaboration, developing new models, and Support industrial technology.

Why did it turn out this way?

Compared to the quietly brewing internet storm.

The love-hate relationship between Sony and Nintendo has become a signal flare attracting attention.

The news that Nintendo betrayed Sony was like a bombshell, instantly igniting the entire gaming industry.

Just a year ago, their collaboration was considered a landmark event in gaming history.

In the blink of an eye, the relationship between the two sides began to deteriorate rapidly.

Nintendo didn't even notify Sony, unilaterally announcing a partnership with Philips and ending negotiations with Sony.

For a time, Ken Kutaragi's impassioned speech at CES was seen as Joker sycophancy.

The fact that the vast amount of R&D funding invested so far has gone down the drain is the least of the costs.

The mere fact that Sony was "abandoned by Nintendo" was enough to cause stock market turmoil for days. For Sony, which was in the final stages of a bubble economy, this was definitely not a good thing.

It wasn't just Ken Kutaragi who was embarrassed.

The then-president Norio Ohga, was furious on the spot.

Damn it!

Has Sony been doing too poorly lately?

Gamenova and MJ openly challenged each other, and they certainly have the right to do so.

Panasonic is, after all, a consumer electronics giant that is larger than itself.

But does this damn Nintendo dare to turn its back on us?

How many pages is in the family genealogy? How dare you be so arrogant?

He suddenly wondered if Sony had been too lenient lately, and people were taking them for a fool?

On the day of the incident, Norio Ohga immediately convened a closed-door meeting, Ken Kutaragi, who was directly involved, was naturally also called in.

At the board meeting, Ken Kutaragi sat below, looking at the imposing figure in the main seat, and didn't dare to utter a sound for a long time.

He took on this whole thing entirely on his own initiative.

There were dissents within Sony at the time.

He argued forcefully and managed to save the project, and all the responsibility fell on his shoulders.

In a sense, he had personally carried a basket of manure and poured it on his own forehead.

The moment he saw the news, his blood ran cold.

After calming down and reviewing the contract, it's not hard to understand why Nintendo chose to switch to Philips, the "other woman."

They honestly drew a clear line and had no intention of interfering in Nintendo's game business, so naturally there was no conflict of interest with Hiroshi Yamauchi.

But that's all hindsight.

The question is, what should we do now?

"The matter is simple: we withdraw, and before the losses escalate further, we cut the Sony-SNES division."

One executive was the first to speak out, saying, "Video games have never been Sony's business. Focusing on televisions, audio equipment, and cameras is the way forward. We shouldn't waste money on unnecessary things, especially not competing with Nintendo for the children's market."

If this continues, Sony will inevitably need to further increase its investment.

Without Nintendo this time, they will have to pay a much higher price than before to have any chance of saving this project.

To be honest, it's not worth it.

These remarks clearly resonated with many people present.

Norio Ohga didn't rush to speak. Instead, he let out a long breath and silently looked at Ken Kutaragi, who was sitting at the end of the table.

This guy was practically curled up into a ball, his face contorted with a complex expression; he was probably already imagining himself being sunk into Tokyo Bay.

Kutaragi, what are your thoughts? Giving up PlayStation?

Ken Kutaragi struggled and slowly raised his head.

This young man, who was once moved by Super Mario and had unwavering faith in the power of video games, is now experiencing the most intense internal struggle of his life.

Nintendo devotee, a gamer, Sony engineer, the head of the PlayStation project... countless identities were constantly intertwining and flowing through his mind.

I tried to persuade him, and to convince myself to give an answer.

Give him an answer that truly reflects his inner thoughts.

This was not an answer to compromise with reality, but one he truly believed in from the bottom of his heart.

After a long silence, he suddenly spoke:

We must do it! And we will succeed!