It was still the same office, still the same three people. But this
time, the old man wasn't angry. Instead, he crossed his legs and leaned
back in his chair.
The fat subordinate standing in front of him held a document and began
to read:
"Judging from the patent licensing fees we've received over the past two
months, game companies in North America are almost wiped out.
After Pac-Man release, North America market became incredibly
enthusiastic about the game. They love that little yellow figure racing through the maze, gobbling up
dots.
I personally like the ghosts, each with its own distinct personality,
chasing one another across the screen.
With more and more Pac-Man arcade machines being installed, other
companies don't even dare to launch new products. They're afraid that their boring games will just rot in the warehouse
once they're made."
These words made the old man smile and nod.
"The entire group wiped out? Oh, that's outrageous," he said with a
chuckle. "If someone had told me a few years ago that one game could
dominate the entire North American market, I wouldn't have believed it.
Video games are no different from movies or novels --- they're all
man-made creations. And because they're man-made, no single one can
appeal to everyone. People's tastes and hobbies are too diverse.
But... Pac-Man really is different.
When I first saw it --- when I heard the professors gasp in surprise at
the press conference --- I realized that this game was a true fusion of
inspiration and technology. Its appeal lies in both its creativity and
its technical execution --- something ordinary people had never
experienced before.
When inspiration and technology meet like that, this kind of market
response is perfectly natural.
No matter where they live, people are still people --- and people are
always curious. When the media hails something as a miracle, everyone
who hears about it wants to see it for themselves.
So with that advantage, Pac-Man's success was inevitable --- and of
course, impossible to copy."
The boss's words left the fat and thin subordinates stunned. They glanced at each other, both of them clearly surprised.
Though they tried to hide it, the old man noticed and smiled, still in
good spirits.
"What is it?" he asked lightly. "What's with those looks?
Can't I, as a human being, feel joy and admiration?"
"Yes!"
"Ethan Jones has ignored us several times before, but this time feels
different, doesn't it?
Back when Snake came out, it left us doubtful. Later, Ralph Baer kept
us from collecting royalties. But Pac-Man? It has nothing to do with
us. Isn't this a slap in the face to the entire industry?
And if everyone's been slapped, doesn't that mean no one's been singled
out?"
The old man spread his hands and smiled at the two of them.
His words left subordinates dumbfounded. But after only a moment's
hesitation, the fat man was the first to recover. He grinned and said, "Boss, I think you're right.
The people hit hardest by Pac-Man were the arcade machine makers. We make home consoles --- we haven't been affected at all."
The thin man's expression turned complicated. He even instinctively took
a step to the side.
Because right now, he felt as if his boss had gone mad --- and worse,
his colleague was infected too. It was as though the IQ of everyone in
the office had plummeted, leaving him the only sane one.
Of course, this awkward little movement did not escape the old man's
notice.
Seeing the different reactions on their faces, he stopped joking around.
Instead, he picked up the document lying on the table and shook it
lightly.
"Take a look at this. This is a document the chairman sent me a few days
ago --- a directive from our parent company, Philips.
When I read it, I finally understood why they've been keeping such a
close eye on us --- especially our home console business."
His words made the fat man stop teasing and the thin man straighten up,
suddenly serious.
Both stepped forward and took the document. When they opened it, their
brows furrowed. It read:
From Philips HQ Effective immediately, you must monitor
real-time changes in the North American game market and seek
opportunities to acquire game companies struggling due to the rise of
Pac-Man. This includes --- but is not limited to --- (publisher of
Tanks) and Midway Games (publisher of Asteroids).
"Boss... what does this mean?"
The subordinates looked at the old man, clearly puzzled. But the old man
didn't explain. He simply smiled and said, "Turn the page."
Following his instruction, the two men lowered their heads again. The
content on the second page made their pupils contract in shock:
Philips HQ Directive -- Continued We have strategically decided to discontinue the Odyssey 300 product.
You may continue selling existing stock, but you must also accelerate
the research and development of the next-generation console. While no
strict technical direction has been set, you may continue using ROM
cartridges as the storage medium.
However, we also expect you to design a LaserDisc interface for the
Odyssey.
When they read the word LaserDisc, both men immediately looked up at
the same time.
"What Philips means..." the thin man blurted out, , "...is that they
want our Odyssey to become a *multifunctional home entertainment
device?!"
The old man smiled and nodded. "Yes. You're absolutely right."
Philips wants to make our Odyssey a comprehensive home entertainment
system.
They looked at their superior, eager for more answers.
The old man wasn't trying to hide anything. Slowly, he rose from his
chair, using the armrest for support. As he walked toward the window and
gazed out at the world beyond, he began to speak.
"Actually, when the board of directors called me in a few days ago, my
reaction was the same as yours.
It was only then that I truly understood why Philips acquired our
company. Their core purpose was simple --- to use us as a vehicle to
promote their LaserDisc video technology across North America.
You've all heard of LaserDisc technology. It was developed from optical
video recording technology first introduced in 1963. By 1969, Philips
had already succeeded in developing it, and by 1972 they were ready to
bring it to market.
But you must understand --- a new standard faces countless obstacles
before it can enter every household. The very first barrier is the old
standard that already dominates the industry. A monopoly already exists,
and the only way for technology companies to break it is to push the new
standard themselves."
He paused, then turned slightly. "So, after much consideration, they
chose us.
And the reason is simple: LaserDisc relies on analog video signals ---
and until now, only Professor Ralph Baer's home console in North America
used video signals at all.
That natural compatibility pleased Philips, and so they moved to acquire
us back in 1974.
Their original plan was straightforward --- add a LaserDisc port to the
Odyssey console and use it as a way to bring their video disc products
into American homes.
But to make that possible, Odyssey itself needed to maintain a strong
presence in the market."
He stood in front of the window for a long moment, then suddenly turned,
smiling at his two subordinates.
"So..." he asked softly, "do you know why they're angry at Ethan Jones?"
The subordinates instinctively nodded. If they couldn't see the truth by
now, they really would be fools.
Why had Philips suddenly taken such an interest in Ethan Jones? Why had they started questioning the company's performance?
It was all because of the Snake Game's popularity. If Snake had been
developed by their own Magnavox Electronics, they could have used it to
push Odyssey sales to new heights.
And with Odyssey's sales soaring, Philips would have the perfect
platform to introduce the LaserDisc standard to the American market.
Once every household had an Odyssey console with a LaserDisc
interface...
Philips could start lobbying Hollywood studios to distribute films and
TV shows on LaserDisc.
At that point...Philips would control the entire home video market.
But unfortunately...Ethan Jones didn't belong to them. Losing the genius
behind Snake had made Philips furious.
After all, who would willingly throw away such a golden marketing
opportunity?
"So..." the fat man muttered, "Philips doesn't care if Ethan Jones signs
a deal with Nolan Bushnell?"
The thin man swallowed hard. "They don't care how much we've already
spent suing him?
Were all those interrogations just Philips venting their anger?"
The old man was silent for a few seconds. Finally, he shook his head and
said quietly,
"You're right... but you're also wrong.
Philips cares very much about Snake. That's why they're holding us
accountable for losing it."
But at the same time, they realized that losing Snake Game --- or
rather, the rise of Ethan Jones --- had actually given them, and
Philips, a better opportunity.
The subordinates exchanged confused looks.
The old man smiled and continued: "A few days ago, when the chairman
called me in, he told me that Philips is very happy right now.
Happy that there is now a single dominant force in the arcade market.
When Ethan Jones single-handedly dominates arcade games, every other
company with great ideas will inevitably struggle --- short on funds and
short on market share.
Some of them might try to follow in Ethan Jones's footsteps and develop
CPU-based arcade games.
But most will shy away, afraid of the high costs and technical
difficulties, and simply give up.
That's when we can swoop in, acquire those companies on the verge of
bankruptcy at very low prices, port their once-famous games to the
Odyssey, and bring those talented developers into Magnavox."
He paused, his voice gaining strength. "Right now, we're the only
company making home consoles on the market.
At the same time, there are countless game companies out there too
scared to make new arcade machines.
All we need to do is take their great ideas, put them on our consoles,
and we can invade every household in North America in no time!
And that---" he smiled, "---is exactly what Philips wants to see."
The subordinates couldn't hold back their laughter. They weren't just
relieved their jobs were safe --- they were thrilled.
Using North America as the foundation to set the global standard for
video playback?
If that worked, wouldn't Magnavox become an untouchable monopoly?
At that point, they'd just be lying back, and their own salaries and
benefits... would skyrocket!
"So, you're saying Ethan Jones releasing Pac-Man is actually good for
us?" the fat man asked, incredulous.
"He's disrupted the entire industry --- and given us a second life?"
Then he quickly added, "I'll start gathering information on game
companies --- find out which ones are planning to pivot and which are on
the verge of bankruptcy."
The thin man nodded vigorously. "I'll contact the technical department
and have them explore adding a LaserDisc port to our next-generation
console --- or even building a LaserDisc player directly into the
Odyssey."
Their decisiveness pleased the old man. He nodded with satisfaction,
then waved them off.
"Go. Get to work."
But just as they were about to leave, the thin man suddenly stopped, a
thought flashing in his mind.
"Boss, there are two more things."
"What is it?" the old man asked, still in a good mood.
"Will our next-generation Odyssey use a CPU?"
"Of course."
"Then..." the thin man hesitated.
The old man immediately understood and replied, "Choose Intel."
"Understood." The thin man nodded.
"What's the second thing?" the old man asked.
The thin man hesitated again before speaking, clearly uneasy.
"What if... Ethan Jones decides to make a home console too?"
Though he didn't want to bring up the worst-case scenario, someone had
to say it out loud.
"If Ethan Jones builds a console, all of us together might not be able
to stop him.
Because his creativity is just... too strong."
These words made the old man smile faintly. He nodded and said,
"Do you really think Ethan Jones can still keep producing brilliant
ideas after creating both Pac-Man and Snake?"
"Oh---Do you really believe what Steven Spielberg says?
Spielberg was clearly just flattering him. Ethan Jones is just a man,
not a god!
I'm certain he doesn't have any more brilliant ideas left in him!"
Those absolute words made the thin man swallow hard.
His hesitant expression made the old man chuckle and shake his head.
"Alright, alright. Philips has already prepared for the worst.
They've considered the possibility that Ethan Jones might come up with
new ideas.
But after their assessment, they concluded that while he does pose a
threat, it's not a major one.
Philips is currently developing a new technology with Sony that will
allow optical discs to store data.
Think of it as a CD version of a ROM cartridge --- with several times,
perhaps even ten times, the storage capacity.
When that technology arrives, no matter how creative Ethan Jones may be,
the entire industry will still have to use our platform.
So, all we at Odyssey need to do is hold on until that technology is
released.
And that shouldn't be too difficult, right? After all, Ethan Jones is
still busy having fun in the arcade industry.
And even if the North American market reaches its limit, there's still
plenty of opportunity for japan to expand.
If I'm not mistaken, Nintendo is the licensing agent for Snake Game,
isn't it?
Oh, this really is divine favor for us at Magnavox Electronics!
Go call our old friend Hiroshi Yamauchi. Tell him that Ethan Jones's
Pac-Man has swept across North America and is projected to earn over a
billion dollars.
Tell him the MOS 6502 he owns is the best CPU in the world for both
arcades and consoles.
And then..."
A bright smile spread across the old man's face.
"Trust me --- Yamauchi will be furious with him."
The subordinates couldn't help but grin as well.
Because they knew one thing for certain--- *the future looked very
promising.
Note:
① In reality, Philips acquired Magnavox with the goal of promoting its
own video disc standard. They secured the North American patent in 1978,
and Magnavox machines continued to be sold into the 1990s.
② CD-ROM technology was jointly developed by Philips and Sony.
③ You may have heard the story of the console war of the 1990s. In
short: Sony originally partnered with Nintendo to develop a game
console, intending to use it to promote their CD standard.
However, when Nintendo found the contract terms unfavorable, they broke
the deal and instead collaborated with Philips to work on a console
project. Sony, left on its own, developed its own console --- and the
PlayStation was born. Nintendo suffered a major loss, while Philips, who
played the role of "third party" in this drama, effectively lost its
chance to dominate the industry.
But in fact, long before this well-known story, Philips had already made
two attempts in the 1970s to set industry standards.
As mentioned earlier, Philips used Magnavox (actually PolyGram) to
promote both the video disc standard and the compressed optical disc
standard. In other words, the first company that tried to leverage video
games to set industry-wide standards was not Sony --- it was Philips.
So why did Philips fail?
There were two main reasons:
1. Bad luck: The Odyssey console simply couldn't compete with
Atari's dominance in the market.
2. Worse timing: When Philips introduced CD-ROM technology in 1982,
they planned to release a second-generation Odyssey in 1983. But the
infamous E.T. video game disaster of Christmas 1982 collapsed the
entire North American game market. Atari's downfall spooked Philips
so much that they canceled the Odyssey 2 project entirely.
Thus, by the time Philips partnered with Nintendo, it was already their
third attempt to set a new industry standard.