Meanwhile Monday. 12 October 2000.
Now at the University of Tokyo, one of the most popular courses in recent years is Computer Science, attracting students from all across the country who are interested in the rapidly growing world of technology and software development.
In recent years, this subject has seen a massive increase in demand, as more and more people begin to recognize the bright future within the computer-related industry, especially in software and digital creation. Among the various subjects offered, there is one that stands out in particular—"Video Game Design," a course that has quickly become one of the most popular choices among students.
At this very moment, the class is being led by Professor Iwao Hironaka, who is currently giving a lecture about video game design. Unlike a typical academic lecturer, Iwao is also an active lead developer in some video game companies in Japan, giving him both practical industry experience and academic authority. This combination makes his class especially valuable, as students are not only learning theory, but also gaining insight into real-world development practices and industry expectations.
There were already plenty of students gathered in the classroom, filling almost every seat, their conversations creating a low buzz of anticipation. It was clear that today's lecture wasn't just another ordinary session. As Iwao prepared to begin, he stood at the front with a noticeable smile, something that immediately caught the attention of the students who were used to his more composed demeanor.
He adjusted his posture slightly, looking across the room before speaking. "Okay class, like usual today we will learn about video games, and how to make them. As we all know, video games are one of the most advanced forms of computer software, combining logic, design, art, and interaction into one system."
The students listened carefully, but Iwao didn't stop there. His smile widened just a little. "But not just that… today is a little special."
A few students exchanged glances, sensing something unusual.
"I've invited a special guest," Iwao continued, his tone carrying a hint of excitement, "someone who will help you all understand video game development from a much deeper perspective. And I'm sure… you all already know who he is."
Iwao grinned, letting the anticipation build as the room slowly grew quieter, every student now fully focused on what was about to happen next.
Then footsteps echoed through the classroom as someone approached from outside. The door slowly opened, and a man stepped in, wearing a neat suit with a composed presence, glasses resting calmly on his face. The moment the students saw him, the entire room froze for a split second before erupting into disbelief.
"No way… right?" "Is that really him…?"
Whispers quickly spread across the class, turning into a wave of excitement that filled the entire room. Some students leaned forward, others straightened their posture, and a few could barely hide their shock.
Iwao raised his hand slightly, smiling as he looked at their reactions. "Yes… that's right."
He gestured toward the man standing at the front. "This guest is none other than Zaboru Renkonan himself… the pioneer of the video game industry."
Zaboru smiled as he stepped forward and shook Iwao's hand. "Hello, everyone," he said calmly, his voice steady yet carrying enough presence to instantly quiet the room.
The students responded with loud applause, the earlier whispers now turning into full excitement as they realized they were truly standing in front of him. Zaboru returned the gesture with a gentle smile, acknowledging them without arrogance.
The University of Tokyo had personally invited him to become a special lecturer for the Computer Science course, particularly for the Video Game Design subject. At first, Zaboru had only considered it briefly, but the idea of directly shaping the next generation of developers intrigued him.
In the end, he decided to give it a try.
And now, here he was—standing in front of one of the most talented groups of students in the country, not as a CEO or industry figure… but as a lecturer.
Zaboru began walking slowly among the rows of students, his presence immediately drawing their full attention. "Alright, class… I want to ask you something," he said calmly. "When you think about 'video games,' what is the very first thing that comes to your mind?"
He stopped near the front row and looked at a female student. She straightened slightly before answering, "Complex software."
Zaboru nodded, acknowledging her response without judgment, then moved a few steps further and pointed at another student, this time a male student. "And you?"
"Entertainment," he replied confidently.
Zaboru gave a small smile, then continued walking, asking more students one by one. The answers began to vary more.
"Profits." "Challenge." "Competition." "…Distraction."
Each answer reflected a different perspective, a different way of seeing the same thing.
Zaboru chuckled lightly as he listened, clearly amused but also interested. He didn't interrupt, allowing the students to speak freely, letting the diversity of their thoughts fill the room.
Then, as the answers slowed down, he turned and walked back toward the front, his pace unhurried. Without saying anything for a moment, he picked up a marker and began writing something on the whiteboard, letting the quiet anticipation build as all eyes focused on what he was about to reveal.
"Well… those are all interesting answers," Zaboru said calmly, glancing across the room as if weighing each response in his mind. "But you're all overlooking the most simple… and most important thing."
He paused deliberately, letting the silence settle before continuing.
"What truly defines a video game… at its core… is something very simple."
He turned toward the whiteboard and wrote a single word in large, bold letters.
"Fun."
Zaboru stepped slightly to the side, allowing everyone to clearly see it. "No matter how complex your systems are, no matter how advanced your technology becomes… if it's not fun, then it fails as a game."
He tapped the board lightly. "Everything else—graphics, mechanics, story… they all exist to support this one thing."
"You see, video games originally started when a group of nuclear physicists, who were simply bored, decided to create a simple tennis-like game. Why did they do it? Not for profit, not for fame… but because they were bored and wanted to have some fun.
At its core, that's how this entire industry began—not from business, but from curiosity and the desire to create something enjoyable. And from that small idea, it kept evolving, expanding little by little into something much bigger than anyone could have imagined at the time.
What started as a simple experiment… became an entire industry built around one idea—fun."
"The concept of 'Fun' itself is different from person to person. That's why we have something called 'Genre' in video games. A genre is simply a way to define what 'fun' means in a more specific direction. For some people, fun means competition. For others, it means relaxation, storytelling, exploration, or even pure chaos."
Zaboru tapped the board lightly as he continued.
"As video games evolve, genres evolve as well. They branch out, mix with each other, and grow deeper, creating countless variations. Each of those variations builds its own audience, its own fanbase, people who connect with that specific type of experience."
He glanced at the class.
"And that… is what makes video games so beautiful."
Zaboru gave a small smile.
"No matter how great you are as a developer, you will never be able to create something that satisfies everyone. And that's not a failure—it's simply the nature of 'fun' itself. Because what one person finds enjoyable, another might not."
He paused briefly before finishing.
"So instead of trying to please everyone… you should focus on understanding what kind of 'fun' you want to create—and who you're creating it for."
Zaboru then said again, "Then how do we define a video game genre? Well… there are really only two things that limit it—your imagination and technology.
He walked slowly across the front of the class as he spoke, letting the idea settle.
"Imagination… in theory, is infinite. You can think of anything—any world, any mechanic, any experience. There's no real limit to what you can design inside your head."
He tapped the board lightly.
"But technology… That's different. Technology is what decides whether your imagination can actually become reality."
Zaboru turned slightly, looking at the students.
"And the interesting part is… technology doesn't stay still. It evolves. Step by step, year by year, it removes limitations that once seemed impossible to overcome."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"So something that feels impossible today… might become completely normal in the future."
Zaboru gave a small smile.
"And that's exactly why genres evolve alongside technology."
He raised a finger slightly.
"Let's take a simple example. Back in the 8-bit era, it was nearly impossible for a developer to create a true 3D shooter game. Not because they lacked ideas… but because the technology simply couldn't support it."
A few students nodded, already understanding where he was going.
"But now?" Zaboru continued. "In the current generation, that problem has already been solved. 3D shooters are not only possible—they're everywhere."
He crossed his arms lightly.
"So when you think about genre… don't just think about what exists today. Think about what could exist tomorrow… once technology catches up to your imagination."
Zaboru then said, "This also leads to a somewhat sad reality. Back when technology was limited, developers were forced to rely heavily on their creativity to overcome those limitations. They had to think smarter, design better, and find clever ways to bring their vision to life despite restrictions. And because of that… they ended up creating many unique and memorable games.
"But I'm sure that one day, when technology is no longer a limitation, we might slowly forget how to use that creativity. Instead of solving problems, we might just throw everything we imagine into a project without restraint, simply because we can. And while that sounds good at first… it's actually dangerous.
"We're not fully there yet… but we're getting close.
"Every game still needs optimization. It still needs structure, discipline, and thoughtful design. If developers stop thinking about efficiency and balance—if they ignore optimization and only focus on adding more features—then the result won't be impressive… it will be frustrating.
"A game that has everything… but runs poorly, feels bloated, or lacks direction… will never be truly 'fun.' And in the end, that means it fails its most important purpose."
The lecture continued, and soon the students began raising their hands one after another. The atmosphere shifted from passive listening to active curiosity, as they realized this was a rare chance to ask directly.
A student near the middle stood up. "What is the most important skill for a game developer right now?"
Zaboru answered without hesitation. "Observation. Not just technical skill. You need to understand people—how they think, what they enjoy, what frustrates them. Technology changes fast, but understanding players… that stays valuable."
A few students around him nodded, and one whispered to his friend, "So it's not just coding…"
Another student raised his hand. "How do you decide if a game idea is worth developing?"
Before Zaboru answered, a girl nearby murmured, "Yeah, like how do you know it won't flop?"
Zaboru caught that and gave a small smile. "Good question. I ask one simple thing—can this idea stay interesting after the first hour? Many ideas sound good at first, but they don't sustain engagement. A good game idea needs depth, not just a strong first impression."
A student in the back added quietly, "So replayability matters…"
"Exactly," Zaboru replied, hearing him. "Replayability or sustained engagement—both come from depth."
A female student spoke next. "Is story important in games, or is gameplay more important?"
Another student beside her quickly added, "Yeah, like RPG vs action games—what matters more?"
Zaboru smiled faintly. "Neither is universally more important. It depends on the type of 'fun' you're aiming for. But one rule is constant—whatever you focus on, it must be executed well. A weak story in a story-driven game fails. Weak gameplay in a gameplay-driven game also fails."
A few students exchanged looks, clearly rethinking their assumptions.
Another voice came from the back. "What about online games? Do you think they are the future?"
A different student chimed in, "Like MMO or competitive games?"
Zaboru paused briefly before answering. "They are part of the future. Connectivity will continue to grow, and shared experiences will become more important. But single-player experiences will never disappear. People still value personal journeys."
"Balance, huh…" someone muttered.
A more technical student asked, "How important is graphics compared to gameplay?"
A classmate beside him whispered, "Graphics sell though…"
Zaboru chuckled lightly. "Graphics attract attention. Gameplay keeps players. If your game looks amazing but isn't fun, players will leave. If it's fun, they will stay—even if the graphics are simple."
A few students laughed quietly, clearly understanding the point.
Another student leaned forward. "How do you handle failure in development?"
The room grew slightly quieter at that question.
Zaboru's expression turned a bit more serious. "You don't avoid failure—you use it. Every failed system, every bad mechanic… that's information."
He looked around the room. "If you ignore it, you repeat mistakes. If you learn from it, you improve faster than others."
A student slowly nodded. "So failure is part of the process…"
Zaboru gave a small approving nod. "Not just part of it… it's one of your best teachers."
The questions kept coming, covering design, business, and even personal mindset. Zaboru answered each one calmly, keeping his explanations grounded and practical, always tying everything back to one core idea—understanding what makes something 'fun.'
By the end of the session, the room felt different. The students were no longer just listening to a lecture… they were thinking like developers.
After some time, Zaboru let out a quiet chuckle as he made his way back to the office, walking calmly through the streets while the earlier lecture still lingered in his mind. The energy of the classroom, the curiosity of the students, and the way they reacted to his words… it all felt unexpectedly refreshing.
"Heh… being a university professor isn't so bad after all," he muttered to himself with a faint smile.
Maybe… this kind of role isn't bad to have once in a while.
He adjusted his coat slightly as he continued walking, his pace steady and relaxed.
Still, the moment didn't last forever. As the familiar ZAGE building came into view, his expression naturally shifted, becoming sharper, more focused.
Work awaited him.
And without hesitation, Zaboru stepped back into his role, returning to the office once again.
To be continue
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