Saturday February 8 1999
It has now been approximately two weeks since the highly anticipated release of ZAGE's January lineup, which featured three notable titles: Trails in the Sky: First Chapter, Bishi Bashi Special, and Medal of Honor. All three games were met with generally positive reception and showcased ZAGE's diverse strengths across genres. However, it's Medal of Honor that has taken center stage—not just because of its quality as a game, but due to the wave of controversy it has sparked, unlike anything seen before in ZAGE's recent history.
In the game's initial launch week, discussions erupted about its highly alternate take on World War II. Many players commented that the storyline felt like a complete departure from the real-world historical narratives they were familiar with. Despite the fact that the game itself clearly states on its opening screen, "This is fiction based on an alternate timeline," there were mixed reactions. Some expressed mild disappointment in what they expected to be a more authentic depiction of history, while others seemed indifferent, simply enjoying the gameplay and cinematic presentation. On the ZAGE forums—which is the primary hub of conversation for dedicated fans—most discussions remained casual, even neutral.
However, that sentiment began to shift dramatically during the second week. Threads started to appear with titles like "ZAGE is Disrespecting History," accusing the company of trivializing or rewriting the painful realities of World War II for entertainment purposes. A heated debate followed, with users clashing over the boundaries between creative liberty and historical responsibility. And as more voices joined the discussion, the conversation escalated, turning what was initially a niche concern into a broader controversy that was beginning to spill out of fan spaces and into public discourse.
There are multiple threads now flooding the ZAGE Forums with incendiary titles like "ZAGE Disrespected History," each gathering momentum as the controversy spreads. The turning point came when a so-called historical expert appeared on a national television segment, claiming that ZAGE had "dishonored the real story" by releasing a game with an alternate World War II storyline. This broadcast was clipped and shared widely across news, igniting further outrage among casual observers who hadn't even played the game. The accusations were, of course, absurd—especially to long-time gamers—since this wasn't even the first time ZAGE had dabbled in alternate history, nor was it unique to them.
In fact, alternate timeline storytelling has been a staple in video games for decades. ZAGE itself has produced critically acclaimed titles like Fallout and Command & Conquer, both of which revolve around speculative or altered historical events. These games also received backlash, but nowhere near the level of vitriol Medal of Honor is facing now. The difference this time feels artificial, as though someone is orchestrating the outrage from behind the scenes. The narrative against the game seems too well-timed, too coordinated, and strangely focused compared to similar controversies in the past. Veteran forum users have started to notice the pattern: newly created accounts stirring debate, coordinated downvotes on any defense of the game, and unusual media alignment.
It's becoming increasingly clear that there's a deliberate campaign being waged—one that isn't just about dissatisfaction over a game's content, but about undermining ZAGE's credibility as a cultural force. As suspicions grow, some users are now digging deeper into who might be fueling this backlash, convinced that this isn't just another internet outrage cycle, but the beginning of something more calculated and personal.
In one of the more modest suburban homes tucked away in a quiet neighborhood in the United States, someone sat grinning in front of her old desktop computer, eyes glued to the TV interview and scrolling rapidly through the heated forum threads accusing ZAGE of disrespecting historical truth. Her name? Karen Josh. Yes—that Karen. The very same woman who once ran the controversial propaganda service known as the "ANTI-ZAGE Program," a self-proclaimed initiative aimed at "rescuing children" from what she called the brainwashing effects of video games. She'd built an entire pseudo-career around demonizing ZAGE, calling their creations 'poison for the youth' and offering counseling sessions and recovery kits to concerned parents—all of which were later exposed as exploitative scams. Her enterprise came crashing down when vocal ZAGE fans—and allegedly, even enforcers from the Giordano family, a known mafia syndicate rumored to have ties to ZAGE—intervened to silence her operations.
Since then, Karen had fallen into a pitiful obscurity. Once a media provocateur raking in easy money from worried parents desperate to 'cure' their kids, she now worked part-time as a supermarket clerk. The fall from grace was devastating, but not enough to extinguish her obsessive hatred toward ZAGE. Even when her long-time boyfriend tried to convince her to let it go, warning her repeatedly that she was playing a dangerous game, Karen stubbornly refused. She was so determined to get revenge that she eventually dumped him, declaring that nothing—not even love—would stop her mission. And now, with this new controversy brewing, she saw a golden opportunity rising from the ashes. She had never stopped monitoring ZAGE's movements, always lurking in the shadows, waiting for her chance. In her eyes, the time had come to strike again.
With a gleam of obsession in her eyes, Karen leaned forward in her chair, feeling alive for the first time in years.
So, driven by spite and the sudden resurgence of public controversy, Karen decided to take action. She began crafting a new series of propaganda threads on various forums, injecting them with carefully manipulated outrage. But this time, she wasn't acting alone. She reached out to one of her old connections—a washed-up historical 'expert' desperate for relevance—whispering promises that if he publicly criticized ZAGE, his name might suddenly gain traction and recognition. Enticed by the possibility of a media revival, the so-called expert took the bait, setting the wheels of a smear campaign in motion. With his cooperation, Karen had a new weapon: academic credibility, however questionable, to mask her vendetta.
Karen had always possessed a sinister talent for twisting words. Her skill in crafting emotionally manipulative articles that resembled genuine journalism had once fooled dozens of parents, educators, and gullible watchdog groups. Now, she applied those same tactics with renewed fervor, shaping her posts and pieces to sound like heartfelt concern rather than calculated sabotage. She expertly positioned herself as a victim of 'corporate recklessness,' playing on sympathy while lacing her commentary with veiled accusations. In the real world and on the digital page, Karen had a gift—she could wrap venom in a cloak of vulnerability. That was her weapon, and it worked frighteningly well on those who were less informed, less critical, or simply eager to join a cause that made them feel morally superior. Even people who didn't know the full story began parroting her talking points, unknowingly becoming pawns in her scheme.
Like in one of the more elaborate threads posted from her fake account in ZAGE Forums, Karen posed as the grieving granddaughter of a decorated World War II veteran. In the carefully crafted post, she claimed to be deeply heartbroken and personally offended by ZAGE's supposed disrespect toward the memory of her late grandfather, who, according to her story, had fought bravely and sacrificed everything. She recounted tearful memories of his war stories and claimed that seeing Medal of Honor twist the past in such a "disgraceful" way was like spitting on his grave. She even added a dramatic twist, saying that she used to be a devoted ZAGE fan who loved their games and praised their innovation, but now—after witnessing this so-called historical betrayal—she could no longer support them.
Her post quickly garnered significant attention. While a large number of users saw through the melodrama and mocked the story as obviously manipulative, there was still a substantial group of readers who were emotionally swayed. Some users expressed genuine sympathy, others echoed her outrage, and a few even began to question their own opinions about the game. It was a textbook example of Karen's manipulation: blending emotional appeal, personal tragedy, and a moral stance to manufacture dissent and confuse the narrative. Her lies were working exactly as intended, and she could feel the tide slowly beginning to shift.
She sat hunched over her old computer, her fingers twitching with anticipation as she grinned at the screen. "Hehehe… the momentum is gaining," she whispered to herself, her eyes glinting with manic satisfaction. "I only need to wait for the wave to build—just a little more—and then I'll strike with full force." The grin on Karen's face widened as she muttered aloud, "If this goes the way I planned, my 'Anti-ZAGE Service for Young Children' will finally regain its legitimacy. Parents across the country will start to panic again. They'll see ZAGE as the toxic force I've always claimed it to be… something evil that needs to be eradicated."
She leaned back in her squeaky chair, savoring the illusion of control. Yet, in the back of her mind, an old memory clawed its way to the surface: her ex-boyfriend's warning. His voice echoed in her thoughts—calm, serious, and filled with concern. "The Giordano family won't mess around, Karen. They're surprisingly tolerant at first, always giving fair warnings to their enemies. But if someone ignores those warnings… they won't hesitate."
But Karen scoffed, brushing the thought aside with a flick of her hand. "Please," she muttered, her voice filled with arrogant dismissal. "They won't touch me. The mafia's grip is weakening. They're all bark now—no bite." Her confidence bordered on delusion, but it was all she had left to cling to. What started as petty revenge had become an obsession, and her vendetta against ZAGE was now tied to her entire sense of purpose. She believed she was on the verge of redemption—not just for her failed scam, but for her own broken image. And nothing, not even the threat of a powerful mafia, would make her back down.
"They won't touch me. The mafia is already weakened to the core now," Karen declared with unshakable confidence, her voice filled with reckless pride. "I will destroy you, Zaboru—even if it's the last thing I ever do." Her eyes narrowed with spite, her grin twisted into something darker, and she slowly licked her lips, relishing the taste of her delusions. "Maybe... just maybe," she purred to herself, "if Zaboru wanted to be my little toy—someone I could control, someone who would beg me for forgiveness—maybe then, just maybe, I'd let ZAGE off the hook. Hehehe... because that guy is one dangerously handsome devil."
Karen wouldn't even try to lie about it. Despite her burning hatred for everything he stood for, Zaboru was absolutely her type. The charisma, the mystery, the sheer dominance he exuded—it was intoxicating. And in her twisted mind, she fantasized about breaking him. She loved imagining the day he'd be humbled before her, asking for mercy, pleading like everyone else eventually did. The thought alone was enough to send shivers down her spine and make her wet.
"But not yet," she whispered, her voice low and trembling with anticipation. "Right now, I wait. I let the flames build. I wait for the perfect moment to strike—and when I do, I'll get everything back. My name. My money. My power. ZAGE will be just the first domino."
Then, throwing her head back, Karen laughed—loud, manic, and unstoppable. It echoed through the small, dimly lit room like a siren, a sound not of joy, but of a woman slipping deeper into obsession, madness, and delusion.
It was Karen's delusions—her toxic mix of pride, obsession, and misplaced confidence—that led her down this path. She failed to realize that ZAGE's support network went far beyond just passionate gamers and even beyond the shadowy protection of the Giordano family. There was something larger behind ZAGE: a web of influential allies, powerful corporate partners, loyal fans in high places, and silent backers who had much more at stake than just the success of a video game company. Karen had no idea what kind of hornet's nest she was truly poking into—and by the time she did, it would already be too late.
To be continue
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