Oguchi Hisao looked at the rejected project proposal.
"Haven't we learned enough from the box office failures in Japan?" Nakayama Takuya continued. "Last November, Shochiku spent a fortune on promotion, only to fail to even recoup their costs. Trying to force a work with such strong individualistic expression onto the mass-market theater circuit will only be counterproductive."
Oguchi Hisao took back the proposal.
"If we don't leverage the buzz of the movie release, it will be very difficult to schedule the game's promotional window," Oguchi Hisao said, explaining the difficulty. "May is the E3 exhibition. From June onwards, everyone's blockbusters will be crowding the market. Nintendo is planning a global synchronized launch for the N64 at that time. Our own first-party product line is already fully packed. If we jam 'Ghost in the Shell' into the summer release window, it will be drowned out by the noise of other blockbusters."
Even a good game fears the narrow bridge of a crowded market.
Nakayama Takuya leaned back against the sofa, his gaze fixed on the television screen, where 'Ghost in the Shell' was running.
"It's perfectly logical for you to treat Shigeru Miyamoto as your primary rival," Takuya Nakayama said, lifting his teacup and blowing the floating leaves from the surface. "But if you're only fixated on that old firm in Kyoto, then why aren't you worried about Capcom's Resident Evil?"
Hisao Oguchi was stumped.
His mind quickly raced through the data he had on Capcom.
"Resident Evil?" Oguchi's tone betrayed a hint of confusion. "That project spearheaded by Tokuro Fujiwara? I recall the producer is a newcomer named Shinji Mikami. The theme is just the tired B-movie zombie tropes that Hollywood has already exhausted. They couldn't manage full 3D environments, so they used 2D pre-rendered backgrounds with 3D character models. By current next-gen console war standards, that kind of technical spec doesn't even make it into the first tier."
In Hisao Oguchi's established view, Capcom's hallmark was 2D fighting games like Street Fighter.
For them to try their hand at a 3D adventure-puzzle game with a newcomer at the helm—Sega giving them a spring release slot for publicity was already a favor granted out of their many years of partnership.
Takuya Nakayama set down his teacup; the porcelain clinked softly against the glass coffee table.
"You are underestimating Resident Evil." Takuya looked Hisao Oguchi in the eyes. "Have you seen the final test version they submitted? Those fixed camera angles aren't there because the technology couldn't handle full 3D; they are a deliberate choice to cultivate a cinematic sense of voyeurism and the unknown. When a player opens a door, they have no idea what is hiding in the blind spots. The cutscene where the first zombie turns its head was so scary that even the veterans in our testing department dropped their controllers."
Hisao Oguchi recalled the brief submitted by the testing department.
The report specifically highlighted that awkward control scheme known as "tank controls."
"But this game incorporates quite a few action elements," Takuya Nakayama continued, dissecting the design. "Bullet counts are strictly limited, and recovery items are pitifully scarce. When facing zombies, players can't just mindlessly spray gunfire; they have to calculate their positioning and weigh whether to shoot or run. Who knows? Their action design might just be better than ours."
Takuya Nakayama extended a finger and tapped the table.
"Don't forget, Capcom's prowess in action games is almost on par with Sega's. From 'Street Fighter' in the arcades back in the day to 'Street Fighter II' later on, their fundamentals in impact feel, frame data, and action feedback are already ingrained in their bones. Even if Shinji Mikami is a newcomer, as long as he stands on the shoulders of Capcom's industrial system, the action feel of the game he creates won't be bad."
Hisao Oguchi followed this line of reasoning.
A game with top-tier action feel, combined with an extremely oppressive survival environment, plus an audiovisual presentation saturated with the gore and suspense of a Hollywood B-movie.
This was by no means an ordinary, run-of-the-mill third-party filler title.
"Survival horror," Takuya Nakayama tossed out a term. "They are pioneering an entirely new genre of games. This theme has a natural audience base in the Western market. Once word-of-mouth starts to spread, its explosive potential will exceed everyone's expectations."
Hisao Oguchi flipped open his carry-along schedule.
"'Resident Evil' is set for release in late March. Following the word-of-mouth growth curve you mentioned, April and May will be the peak of its popularity." Hisao Oguchi drew a circle on the schedule with his pen. "If we forcefully squeeze 'Ghost in the Shell' into this timeframe—"
"It'll die a horrible death." Takuya Nakayama took over the conversation. "Both games are targeting hardcore players, both emphasizing mature, deep gaming experiences. Players' wallets and time are limited. Players who bought Resident Evil to fight zombies in the mansion will find it hard to spare the energy to engage in hacker infiltration in New Port City."
Hisao Oguchi put down his pen. He understood the core of today's conversation.
This was not only a discussion about release strategy, but also a test of market acumen.
As the head of the Game Division, one could not just look at the fame of the developer and the scale of the investment.
The underlying logic of gameplay, the pioneering nature of the genre, and the grasp of player psychology were the keys to determining victory.
"Then, should we push back the release date for Ghost in the Shell?" Hisao Oguchi tentatively proposed a new plan.
Takuya Nakayama's gaze was unfocused as he stared at the ceiling.
"Change the track," Takuya Nakayama said. "Avoid theaters. Go find the audience that truly belongs to it."
"The North American videotape market," Takuya Nakayama stated.
Hisao Oguchi pondered this proposal.
"Manga Entertainment bought the distribution rights, but what they really cared about wasn't the box office from those few art-house theaters at all," Nakayama Takuya analyzed, revealing the trick behind it. "They were eyeing the North American video rental and retail network. Chain giants like Blockbuster were the real battleground for their distribution."
Nakayama Takuya sat up straight.
"Last year, when I was drinking with Director Oshii in Shinjuku, we talked about a topic," Nakayama recalled. "The limitation of theatrical films lies in time. The audience is locked in their seats, forced to absorb a massive amount of information in two hours. Mamoru Oshii pushed narrative density to the limit, so when the audience's brains couldn't process it, they would get sleepy and complain."
Oguchi Hisao nodded.
The poor box office performance domestically was indeed partly due to this.
"But home video is different," Nakayama Takuya tapped the table. "Those who buy the tapes are hardcore sci-fi fans, animation enthusiasts. They have plenty of time. When they encounter metaphors they don't understand, they can press pause. When they see a brilliant shot, they can rewind and watch it again. They will break it down frame by frame, analyzing the philosophical meaning behind every word Motoko Kusanagi says. That is the correct way to experience 'Ghost in the Shell'."
Oguchi Hisao's train of thought was opened up.
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