The global fervor of the DDR city championships added a hefty bargaining chip to Sega’s negotiations with Toshiba.
The deal was sealed.
Directors Terai and Hatano person...
2025-10-12 11:34:26 +0000 UTC View PostOn competition day, the Los Angeles downtown sports arena buzzed with a raucous crowd.
CBS’s broadcast van was already in place.
Mark Thompson sat at the anchor desk, ad...
2025-10-12 11:31:57 +0000 UTC View PostDDR’s resounding success held a mirror to Sega’s glaring weakness in home console distribution channels.
“The Mega Drive is our next-gen hope, carrying Sega’s future. We cannot...
2025-10-12 11:29:46 +0000 UTC View PostIn just two weeks, Sony and Sega’s promotional tidal wave crashed across the globe like a boulder dropped into a still lake, propelling *Dance Dancer Revolution* (DDR) to the forefront of major c...
2025-10-11 10:20:53 +0000 UTC View PostWhile the PC Engine’s initial sales were strong, it barely made ripples beyond gaming circles, remaining a “rich kid’s toy” among players.
The spotlight swung back to Sony.
... 2025-10-11 10:18:48 +0000 UTC View PostThe PC Engine’s first-week sales of 500,000 units reached Nintendo’s Kyoto headquarters like wildfire.
Hiroshi Yamauchi promptly summoned his executives for an urgent meeting.
<... 2025-10-11 10:16:15 +0000 UTC View PostOn October 30, the PC Engine, a joint venture by Hudson and NEC, hit the market after two weeks of intense promotion. Despite launching with only two games—Sunsoft’s *Shanghai* and Toei Animati...
2025-10-10 10:44:04 +0000 UTC View PostThe Hong Kong and Taiwan inspection trip concluded, and Directors Terai and Hatano returned to Japan, their weary faces unable to conceal a glint of triumph, hinting at a fruitful journey.
2025-10-10 10:41:54 +0000 UTC View Post
Amid the clamor of media and public fascination with the Sega-Sony alliance, another undercurrent was quietly gathering in the shadows.
The robot-themed fighting game, *Super Robot Rum...
2025-10-10 10:36:50 +0000 UTC View PostThe fervor from the Sega-Sony executive meeting lingered, and both sides moved swiftly, forming the joint organizing committee for the “Second Esports Tournament and DDR Global City Showdown” w...
2025-10-09 11:41:32 +0000 UTC View PostThe discussion on content direction stirred waves, but when the topic shifted to market launch, Takuya Nakayama dropped another bombshell.
Director Yoshikawa, still musing, said, “Su...
2025-10-09 11:38:58 +0000 UTC View PostAs Smith’s electrifying performance concluded, the pulsating music cut off abruptly, leaving only the faint hum of cooling fans and the heavy breathing of the captivated audience. Smith leapt off...
2025-10-09 11:35:39 +0000 UTC View PostJust then, LaVelle Smith Jr. walked forward with a smile.
"It seems it's time for a real professional to take the stage."
He took off his jacket and casually handed it to a young Sega...
On a sweltering summer afternoon, the kind of heat that felt like it could melt a person enveloped all of Tokyo.
Inside Sony Headquarters, however, a specially modified laboratory was as cool as...
"A handheld console?"
In the current year of 1987, although Nintendo had already tested the waters with its Game & Watch series, the market for a true handheld console—one with interchange...
Watching the taillights of Director Terai and Director Hatano’s cars merge into the traffic and vanish at the horizon, Takuya Nakayama finally withdrew his gaze and returned to the headquarters b...
2025-10-07 11:36:07 +0000 UTC View PostThe discussion circled back to the immediate matter of chip procurement.
“So, for the current MC68000 and Z80 sourcing, Takuya-kun, what are your specific thoughts?”
Director Tera...
Takuya Nakayama soon convened a meeting in the headquarters’ executive conference room with Director Terai and Director Hatano.
He placed a neatly printed cost analysis report gently befor...
When Hideo Kojima followed Takuya into Sega’s heavily guarded hardware development department, he was instantly captivated by the scene. The air carried a unique blend of solder fumes, circuit bo...
2025-10-06 11:27:10 +0000 UTC View PostIn the executive director’s office at Sega.
Takuya Nakayama smiled, extending a hand to gesture Hideo Kojima toward the opposite sofa. Kojima bowed slightly, a touch stiff in contrast to Takuy...
The new liaison, surnamed Nishida, always wore a professional smile—a stark contrast to Kazuo Okada’s bombast. He never slammed tables or raised his voice; his words were polite, yet they stifl...
2025-10-06 11:23:53 +0000 UTC View PostThe PC Engine’s promotional blitz had barely begun when Nintendo’s counterstrike unleashed a tidal wave.
Under Hiroshi Yamauchi’s iron fist, an invisible pressure swiftly enveloped Japan...
In the sweltering summer afternoon, Tokyo’s sky hung low under heavy clouds, the cicadas’ shrill cries nearly tearing the thin air apart, stirring restlessness. Inside Sony’s electronic devel...
2025-10-05 12:17:37 +0000 UTC View PostKyoto, Nintendo headquarters.
In the sweltering afternoon, the air in the conference room felt stifled, as if frozen in oppressive silence.
A detailed report on the PC Engine lay splayed on t...
“Mr. Suzuki, I’ve recently received some unverified intelligence.”
“What news?” Masao Suzuki instinctively straightened up.
Takuya spoke slowly: “Hudson and NEC seem to have unusu...
With Makoto Yamashina nearly convinced, the scales tipping in his favor, Takuya played his final, most tantalizing card.
“Additionally, if I may presume to mention one more thing…”
“W...
Wednesday arrived swiftly. Two black Crown sedans from Sega pulled smoothly into the parking lot of Bandai’s headquarters in Tokyo’s Taito district.
They were ushered into a spacious meeting...
In Chuta Mitsui’s private office at Sony’s headquarters, the tense atmosphere of the meeting room had dissipated, leaving only the delicate fragrance of premium gyokuro tea. Gone were the cold ...
2025-10-03 09:58:31 +0000 UTC View PostThe rustling of pages in the meeting room finally ceased.
Ken Kutaragi abruptly raised his head, his eyes behind his glasses glinting with near-obsessive fervor.
Without even glancing at Taku...
Night had fallen over the Setagaya apartment’s study. Outside, Tokyo’s skyline began to sparkle with vibrant neon lights.
Takuya reclined on the sofa.
An empty, high-end bento box was cas...