Miyamoto's words exuded absolute confidence.
That was the self-assurance of a top-tier game producer.
"Regarding the launch schedule after the press conference," Hiroshi Imanishi continued his report, "we plan to officially release the N64 simultaneously in Japan and North America within two weeks of E3's conclusion. We want to convert the hype from the exhibition directly into sales before it fades. The inventory at the Uji Factory is sufficient to handle the first week's rush."
"Simultaneous release?" Genyo Takeda raised an objection. "Can the logistics channels and localization work in North America keep up? In the past, we always released in Japan first, tested the market response, and then pushed to overseas markets six months later. The risks of a simultaneous global release are too high."
"Times have changed," Imanishi retorted. "Sega got a taste of the benefits with the global simultaneous release of the Jupiter. If we delay any longer, the North American market will be completely carved up by Sega and Sony. President Minoru Arakawa at Nintendo of America has everything ready; warehousing, distribution channels, and retail stocking agreements are all in place. This is the time to seize territory; we can't afford to be conservative."
Yamauchi Hiroshi listened to the two of them arguing, his fingers tapping on the table twice.
The conference room fell silent.
"Proceed with Imanishi's plan," Yamauchi Hiroshi said, making the final decision. "Launch it simultaneously. Get the N64 into the hands of players as fast as possible. Don't give Sega or Sony any room to breathe. We are going to wage a blitzkrieg."
"In addition to TV advertising, we must also activate offline channels," Yamauchi Hiroshi instructed. "Every Walmart and Best Buy across the US must have an independent N64 demo area. I want every child who walks into those stores to see that black machine. We can make appropriate concessions on profit sharing with retailers; getting the machines out there is the priority. The installed base is the foundation of everything."
Gunpei Yokoi recorded these instructions on the side.
"Regarding the casing color scheme," Genyo Takeda said, pulling out a color card, "besides the launch charcoal black, the marketing department suggests subsequently releasing translucent colored versions. Apple's iMac has sparked a trend of translucence in industrial design, and young people are really into that."
"As a subsequent promotional method," Yamauchi Hiroshi agreed to the proposal, "we will concentrate production capacity on the black version during the initial launch phase to ensure a high yield rate. Once the installed base stabilizes, we will release the colored versions to stimulate repeat purchases."
The meeting drew to a close.
Yamauchi Hiroshi stood up.
Several executives also stood up.
"1996 is a year that will determine life or death," Hiroshi Yamauchi looked around at the veterans who had fought alongside him for many years. "Sega thinks that winning the first half means they can dominate the second. Sony thinks they can overturn the industry's rules with a few discs. Nintendo has been grinding in this industry for over a decade, surviving the Atari crash and weathering all sorts of challenges. Now, it's time to show them who really sets the rules."
The meeting room door was pushed open, and the executives filed out, each rushing to their respective posts.
The massive Nintendo machine began to operate at full speed.
Sega Headquarters Building in Ota Ward.
3:00 PM.
The door to the Executive Managing Director's office was open.
The low hum of a photocopier could be heard occasionally from the hallway.
Takuya Nakayama sat behind his desk, pen in hand, signing his name at the bottom of a document.
This was the last approval form that required his review for the day.
He capped the pen and pushed the document aside.
Ever since he transferred the coordination of the game development department to Hisao Oguchi, his desk workload had dropped off a cliff.
Hisao Oguchi had demonstrated extremely strong execution skills.
The preparation schedule for the E3 exhibition was packed, resource allocation was orderly, and there hadn't been a single slip-up.
At the same time, the Audit Committee under the Board of Directors was operating according to plan.
The new rules and regulations, spearheaded by Director Hoshino, had been printed into booklets and placed on the desks of every department head.
In the initial stage of implementing new systems, following the rules to the letter is the best way to maintain authority.
Takuya Nakayama understood this management principle.
He didn't need to get personally involved in the specific details of execution.
If there was any ambiguous or unauthorized approval, the Audit Committee would simply reject it and send it back to be redone.
Subordinates were testing the boundaries, and the system was being reinforced through their feedback.
He glanced at his watch.
There were two hours left before the end of the workday.
The internal phone on his desk hadn't rung once the entire afternoon.
The generals on the front line were charging into battle, while the civil servants in the rear were organizing provisions.
As the commander-in-chief, he had become the most idle person in the building.
He stood up and picked up his charcoal gray suit jacket from the coat rack.
Leaving early.
For an executive at a multinational corporation, this should have been a rare occurrence.
But at Sega as it stood now, it represented the initial success of decentralizing power.
The black Toyota Century drove into Minato Ward.
It was April in Tokyo; the cherry blossom season had just passed, and the street trees were sprouting fresh green leaves.
The temperature had warmed up, and the breeze coming through the car window was no longer biting.
The car came to a smooth stop in front of the Nakayama Mansion.
The driver got out and opened the door.
It was April in Tokyo, and the cherry blossom season had just passed. The street trees were sprouting fresh green leaves. The temperature had warmed up, and the breeze coming through the car window was no longer biting. The car came to a smooth stop in front of the Nakayama family mansion. The driver got out and opened the door.
Takuya Nakayama stepped out of the car.
He pushed open the entryway door.
The house was very quiet.
Hearing the commotion, Keiko walked out from the depths of the hallway.
She was still holding a white cleaning towel in her hand.
"Young Master, you're home early today." Keiko took his coat and hung it on the coat rack.
"There wasn't anything urgent at the company. Are Eri and the others upstairs?" Takuya Nakayama changed into his house slippers.
"The Young Madam and the Old Madam are in the nursery. Young Master Kazuki is there too," Keiko said, lowering her voice. "Miss Miki just woke up a little while ago."
He climbed the wooden stairs, his footsteps absorbed by the thick carpet.
The nursery door was left slightly ajar.
The room was covered with soft puzzle mats.
Sunlight spilled in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making the interior bright and warm.
Takuya Nakayama paused outside the door, not rushing to go in.
Through the crack in the door, he saw an interesting scene.
Kazuki, who was about to turn five, was kneeling on the mats.
He was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt with Sonic the Hedgehog on it, his little face tense.
In front of him was a crib with a waterproof mat spread out.
Less than three-month-old Miki was lying inside, dressed in a pink and white onesie.
In front of him was a crib lined with a changing pad.
Miki, not even three months old, lay inside, wearing a pink and white onesie.
Her tiny hands were curled into fists, resting by her cheeks, her eyes half-open.
Eri and Nakayama Miyuki sat on either side of her.
"Kazuki, be gentle when you take a wet wipe. Your sister's skin is very thin," Eri instructed.
Kazuki pulled a baby wipe from the box beside him.
His movements were very slow.
"I know, Mom. I was this small too, right?" Kazuki paused in mid-air, holding the wipe, and turned to ask his grandmother for confirmation.
"You cried even more than your sister back then. You were always kicking your legs when we changed your diaper," Nakayama Miyuki replied with a smile.
Kazuki turned back to look at his quiet sister.
"Good girl, little sister. Big brother is going to wipe your hands," Kazuki said, stretching out his short arm and gently touching her tightly clenched little fist with the wipe.
Please Support me by becoming my Patreon member and get 30+ chapters.
[email protected]/Ajal69
change @ with a
Thank You to Those who joined my Patreon