Tokyo, Sega Headquarters.
While Minoru Arakawa was still franticly coordinating phone calls with the Kyoto headquarters over how to respond to the impact of Metal Slug, another heavy punch had already been thrown—quietly and without warning.
The English version of Final Fantasy IV, deliberately held back by Takuya Nakayama for nearly three months, was officially rolled out across the North American market.
As early as late July, both the Japanese and English versions of Final Fantasy IV had been completed simultaneously. According to Square's original plan, the two versions should have launched at the same time.
But Takuya Nakayama had sought out Square's president, Masashi Miyamoto, as well as the game's core creators, Hironobu Sakaguchi and Nobuo Uematsu.
"Executive Nakayama, you mean—to delay the English release?" Sakaguchi asked, puzzled. As a shareholder, Sega should have wanted the game to spread globally as quickly as possible to seize market share.
"It's not a delay. It's about building momentum," Nakayama said, seated in Square's reception room with three cups of hot tea set before him. "I want Final Fantasy IV's debut in North America to be more than a routine release. I want it to be a grand celebration. Sega also has a series of plans for the North American market in October."
He didn't issue commands as a shareholder. Instead, like a sincere partner, he swept his gaze over the two creators—each with a different expression—and openly laid out some of Sega's plans to Square's executives.
"Sakaguchi-san, Uematsu-san—what do you think Final Fantasy is?"
The question caught both of them off guard.
After a moment of thought, Sakaguchi replied, "It's a story—a fantasy world about crystals, love, and betrayal."
Uematsu adjusted his glasses. "It's a series of melodies, carrying the joys and sorrows of the characters."
"Well said," Nakayama nodded. "But to me, it's a work of art. And a work of art shouldn't be confined to a small cartridge."
He turned to Uematsu. "Uematsu-san, the music you composed for the game is truly outstanding. After finishing the game, aside from the story, what echoes in players' minds are your melodies. Don't you think it's a shame to let that music play only once through a television's speakers?"
The words struck Uematsu deeply.
What composer wouldn't want their work to be heard more widely?
"You mean—"
"An OST," Nakayama said, voicing a term still unfamiliar to much of the gaming world at the time. "An Original Soundtrack.
"Produce a soundtrack album, so players can enjoy it anytime, anywhere. And even—"
He deliberately paused, watching Uematsu's eyes grow brighter, before tossing out an even more astonishing idea.
"Even write lyrics for the 'Theme of Love,' bring in a professional singer, and release it as a single.
"Let it be not just game music, but a pop song that can climb the charts."
"W–What?" Uematsu nearly sprang up from the sofa. The idea sounded like sheer fantasy—yet it made his blood burn with excitement.
Nakayama then turned to Sakaguchi. "Sakaguchi-san, the beautifully crafted character designs, monster compendium, and world maps in the game represent countless hours of effort from you and the art team. Why not compile them into a setting book? Let players dive deeper into every detail of this world."
He cited Hideo Kojima's Urgent Crisis and the earlier Metal Gear as examples.
"We've just witnessed the 'Kojima effect.' Players will even rush out to buy military novels just to follow a creator's train of thought. What does that prove? It proves that Final Fantasy fans are a core audience with taste, purchasing power, and a willingness to spend more on what they love. What they want to know goes far beyond what the game alone can present."
The words hit the softest parts of the two creators' hearts with pinpoint accuracy.
Sakaguchi and Uematsu exchanged a look, both seeing the same barely contained excitement in each other's eyes.
This was no longer a business discussion—it was a conversation about how to present their life's work to the world in its most perfect form.
Nakayama's proposal felt less like a commercial plan and more like a kindred spirit mapping out the most glorious future for their creation.
"I get it!" Uematsu slapped his thigh, feeling as though he had met a true confidant. "Executive Nakayama, don't worry—I'll start rearranging the music immediately. I'll make sure we produce studio-quality versions!"
Sakaguchi nodded firmly. "Leave the setting book to me. I guarantee the content will satisfy every player."
Square's president, Masashi Miyamoto, who had initially harbored concerns about delaying the release, watched his two key creators brimming with excitement. Hearing Nakayama describe the combined sales model of "OST + setting book + game," his worries vanished instantly.
Wasn't this simply repurposing development materials to generate additional revenue?
And at the same time, massively boosting brand value?
He slammed his hand on the table. "We'll do it exactly as Executive Nakayama says! Square will fully cooperate!"
Thus, an agreement was reached—one that ostensibly traded increased promotional resources, but in reality mapped out an entirely new commercial landscape for the Final Fantasy series.
From top to bottom, Square was thoroughly convinced by this Sega executive. As a group of "easygoing partners," they responded perfectly to this approach of respecting art and sincere collaboration.
And now, after months of careful preparation, this combination blow finally crossed the Pacific and landed with full force.
Final Fantasy IV cartridges appeared simultaneously on the most prominent game counters of major North American retailers—alongside exquisitely produced soundtrack CDs and a thick official setting book.
A war for the living room had already begun, before Minoru Arakawa could even recover from the shock of Metal Slug's sudden assault.
The English version of Final Fantasy IV, deliberately held back by Takuya Nakayama for nearly three months, officially flooded the North American market.
Those core players who had already uncovered nearly every hostage location and hidden vehicle trait in Metal Slug—and were starting to feel that the thrill of twenty-five-cent coins was growing repetitive—were just looking for something new when they suddenly ran straight into Final Fantasy IV.
"Hey, Jesse—what's that?"
A teenage boy who had just walked out of an arcade nudged his companion with his elbow, pointing toward the display window of the game shop across the street.
There, in the most prominent position, stood a logo they had only ever seen on glossy magazine pages, with a matching poster hanging beside it.
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