Monday 10 December 1997 Sonaya Offices in Japan.
Hikaru Kurata was in a good mood. The latest Sonaya project, a sports title called SFG: Sonaya Football Game, was nearing the end of development. Most of the company's main game development manpower had been shifted to support the project, signaling its importance.
In the meeting room, Hikaru sat relaxed, sipping coffee with a contented smile. He was joined by Junpei and Ken Kutaragi, the head and vice head of Sonaya's Video Game Department. The atmosphere was calm, but there was a quiet buzz of anticipation in the air. They were on the verge of something big, and Hikaru knew it.
"With this, we're definitely going to rise again in the video game sector. ZAGE isn't focused on sports games at all, and that gives us a huge opportunity," Hikaru Kurata said confidently, his eyes shining with ambition. "And we're not going to stop here. We're already moving forward with development on a basketball game, and even planning an American football title. Of course, our next signature baseball game is in the pipeline too. Our licensing team has already secured the official rights to use real team names and likenesses, so we don't have to worry about legal hurdles—we can now focus all of our energy on development."
He let out a chuckle before continuing, his tone full of pride. "But I must say, I'm genuinely impressed, Junpei and Ken. Under your leadership, we managed to build this entire football game in just around four months. That's almost unheard of. And with a solid marketing campaign in place, we're aiming for an early 1998 release."
Hikaru leaned forward, his voice dropping slightly, as if sharing a personal revelation. "And the quality… I mean it when I say, this is hands down the best football game I've ever played. It's fast, it's smooth, it's fun, and best of all—it runs beautifully on our Game Station console. I believe this is the game that will bring our console back into the spotlight."
He grinned, full of confidence and certainty. "I've already got a perfect marketing strategy lined up for SFG. With the right moves, we'll make a big splash—not just in Japan, but globally."
Ken Kutaragi bowed slightly and smiled. "Well, the Sonaya game development team is already experienced, and once we shifted all of our manpower, it became feasible to complete this kind of project within the timeframe."
Meanwhile, Junpei Hoshida couldn't shake his unease. He was quietly concerned about what Hikaru Kurata had referred to as the "Perfect Marketing" plan for the console. Something about it didn't sit right with him, and the memories of past missteps were still fresh in his mind.
"Boss, I'm sorry if this sounds rude, but your idea of 'Perfect Marketing' for SFG... does that mean you're planning to take shots at ZAGE again?" Junpei's voice was tense, not defiant, but genuinely concerned.
Hikaru Kurata chuckled and waved it off. "It's not about downplaying them. I'm just going to tell the truth. ZAGE isn't doing much in sports games. And honestly, Junpei, you don't need to worry about marketing—that's not your department."
Junpei frowned, sitting up straighter. "With all due respect, sir, haven't we been through this already? Did we not learn from our past mistakes? We antagonized ZAGE before, remember? When their ZEPS 3 hadn't even launched, we were the ones out there flaunting our 32-bit Game Station, acting like we had already won. We were cocky. We took jabs at them publicly, and it felt good—until it didn't."
He leaned forward, eyes locked on Hikaru. "And then what happened? They didn't respond. They didn't argue. They just waited. And when ZEPS 3 dropped, it blew us out of the water—cheaper, stronger, more powerful, and with a massive game library that made ours look like a joke. It was a clean, brutal counter. They humiliated us. We lost ground fast. People mocked us. The media crushed us. The public turned, fast."
Junpei took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Please, Boss, I'm asking you—don't let us repeat that mistake. ZAGE may not be focusing on sports now, but they're not sleeping either. Let's promote our strengths without waking a beast."
Hikaru Kurata frowned as memories of the past missteps flooded back—embarrassing headlines, underwhelming sales, and the sting of public criticism. He took a moment before replying. "Don't worry. I understand now. Like I said earlier, I won't make the same mistake again. No more reckless comparisons, no more empty boasts like during the Game Station incident. This time, we're doing it differently. I'll just state the truth—ZAGE doesn't have many sports games in their lineup, and that's a fact we can use to our advantage."
Ken Kutaragi nodded in agreement, his voice brimming with energy. "That's right, Junpei-san! We need to bring more fire to this campaign! We've got the tools, the momentum, and the talent to push this forward. With the power of Sonaya's marketing influence, we can spotlight the fact that our sports titles are simply superior to anything ZAGE has to offer. Hahaha!" He gave Junpei a playful nudge. "And you, Junpei—you're finally growing a pair of guts, huh? I like this side of you!"
He laughed heartily, but even his laughter couldn't completely drown out the slight tension still lingering in the room. Hikaru forced a small smile, masking the internal pressure he felt about leading Sonaya's comeback without provoking another disaster.
Junpei Hoshida sat in silence for a moment, the tension thick around him, before he finally dropped what felt like a bombshell. "Let's say this—hypothetically. I know it sounds unlikely, but ZAGE has proven time and time again that our predictions about them are almost always wrong. Every time we underestimate them, they come back with something we never expected."
Hikaru Kurata and Ken immediately turned serious, sensing the weight in Junpei's words. Junpei continued, his tone more direct now. "What if, right after we release our SFG, ZAGE suddenly launches their own sports game? Not just any sports game—but something leagues ahead of ours? What if it's smoother, deeper, and simply better than what we spent months building?"
He leaned forward, looking both of them in the eye. "Don't you think it'll be a repeat of the same joke we've heard before? The one everyone loves to throw around: 'Sonaya might always be first in console or sports games, but the one who actually wins is ZAGE.' That phrase is spreading everywhere already. Forums, message boards—even internally, some folks are starting to echo it. Especially on the ZAGE forum, it's becoming a kind of slogan now. If that kind of narrative catches fire again, it won't just hurt our game—it could do long-term damage to our entire reputation."
Hikaru Kurata frowned, his brow furrowing as he tried to lay out his reasoning. "It's unlikely they'll release a sports game anytime before next year. Think about it—right now, they're probably still trying to expand and diversify their library on the ZEPS 3. You might've noticed, their release frequency has slowed significantly. Back in the ZEPS 2 era, their 16-bit days, they used to pump out two to three titles every month, consistently. Now, we're seeing maybe three or four games every three to four months, if that. Doesn't that suggest they're putting their focus elsewhere? Possibly working on higher-budget, longer-term projects rather than frequent releases."
He paused for a moment, then grinned with renewed energy. "Besides, once we've built our first sports game, we're not starting from scratch each time. We can take this as a template—repurpose the engine, make improvements, update the rosters, tweak the gameplay a little, and we've got a new version every year. Just like that. If we get in early and build a loyal fanbase with this, then by the time ZAGE does decide to dip into sports, we'll already have a strong foothold. Maybe even dominance. And that's how we win, Junpei. Not by racing, but by establishing a reliable rhythm they'll struggle to match."
Junpei sighed and nodded slowly. "Let's hope that's the case."
Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. A quiet unease settled in his gut, the kind that didn't go away with logic or reassurance. Deep down, he feared that if they provoked ZAGE again, the consequences this time wouldn't just sting—they could be catastrophic for Sonaya's entire gaming division.
Although Junpei was only one of the higher-ups in the Video Game Department, he was fully aware of the stakes. Sonaya itself was a massive corporation, comprised of dozens of major departments and consistently generating huge profits across various sectors. But within those halls of corporate might, everyone knew the truth—Sonaya's Video Game Division wasn't just another branch. It was Hikaru Kurata's passion project, his pride, and his personal playground as both the CEO and a major shareholder. A failure here wouldn't just bruise the bottom line. It would be personal. And Junpei could already sense the storm forming on the horizon.
Well Junpei doesn't need to wait that long because an unexpected shockwave would ripple through the Sonaya offices. Junpei, Ken, and Hikaru—all confident in their current momentum—would be flabergasted by a sudden announcement Trailer from ZAGE.
To be continue
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