Kyoto, Nintendo Headquarters, President's Office.
The air in Hiroshi Yamauchi's office was even colder than in Hudson's president's office a few days prior, as if the lingering heat of early September was completely shut out.
A report on the first-week sales of "Metroid" lay quietly on his desk; the numbers were not bad, but they were far from his expectations.
Gunpei Yokoi stood before the desk, his expression calm, but his tightly pressed lips betrayed the turmoil within him.
"Metroid," which he had personally developed, had an excellent reputation, with praise from players even surpassing some major titles released at the same time.
However, the market did not respond with equivalent enthusiasm.
"Yokoi-kun."
Hiroshi Yamauchi's voice was deep, devoid of discernible emotion, yet it carried an undeniable authority.
"The 'fatal fury' grand finals reportedly set a new record for daytime program viewership on Fuji Television."
He did not directly mention the sales of "Metroid."
Gunpei Yokoi slightly lowered his head.
"Yes, President. Sega's combination of publicity and business for this competition was indeed very successful. Besides Sega itself, some other sponsors and distributors also truly reaped their benefits; it wasn't Sega unilaterally losing money to gain a reputation."
Hiroshi Yamauchi's fingertips tapped lightly on the expensive wooden desk, producing a dull sound.
"Players' attention is limited."
"Our products, no matter how excellent, will be drowned out if they cannot capture their eyes immediately."
"What I need are works that can shake the entire market, works that can completely suppress opponents, and at the same time, the promotional methods must keep up. Don't be afraid to spend money; there is no company in the industry that can make more money than Nintendo."
Gunpei Yokoi's heart tightened.
The President's meaning was clear: this was not only indirect dissatisfaction with the market performance of "Metroid" but also dissatisfaction with the performance of Nintendo's publicity department, and even more so, it placed higher, even harsh, demands on the development department he led. He had not been reprimanded by the President like this for a long time, especially after the success of the FC.
Sega's successful operation this time was like a thorn, deeply embedded in Hiroshi Yamauchi's heart.
Almost at the same time Hiroshi Yamauchi was reprimanding Gunpei Yokoi, in Tokyo, at Hudson Headquarters.
Inside Kudo Hiroshi's office, the atmosphere was gloomy and bleak.
"Takahashi Meijin's Adventure Island" was finally released as scheduled in early September, strictly adhering to Nintendo's reduced allocation.
Kudō Yūji walked into the office with a heavy step, holding the latest sales brief.
That thin piece of paper felt as heavy as a thousand pounds in his hand at that moment.
He gently placed the brief on his brother Kudo Hiroshi's desk, making a dull, soft sound.
"Brother…"
Kudō Yūji's voice carried a hint of imperceptible hoarseness, making him seem like a different person from his usual capable and decisive self.
Kudo Hiroshi's gaze returned from the window and fell on the brief.
Every word on it was like a red-hot needle, fiercely piercing his eyes and his heart.
The air in the office was even more desolate than the early autumn outside the window.
"Speak," Kudo Hiroshi's voice was calm, not betraying much emotion.
Kudō Yūji took a deep breath, as if trying to dispel the pent-up frustration in his chest.
"The situation… is worse than we expected."
"Those largest electronics stores in Akihabara have all called to complain, saying that players are furious because they can't buy 'Adventure Island'."
"Some store entrances even had long queues, only for people to be told 'no stock today,' and players immediately started arguing with staff on the spot."
"There were even harsher comments, saying whether we, Hudson, were no longer capable, unable to even keep up with cartridge production capacity."
"Some retail channels also reported that because they couldn't buy 'Adventure Island,' some players turned to buying Nintendo's own title 'Metroid,' which was released at the same time."
Kudo Hiroshi's eyebrow unconsciously twitched. A bitter smile, uglier than a cry, appeared on his lips.
Kudō Yūji continued, "Brother, this blow is too great."
"Players' patience is limited. Once negative impressions like 'Hudson is no longer capable' or 'Hudson is a big bully' are formed among players, it will be extremely difficult to win them back later."
"The huge publicity investment and Takahashi Meijin's tireless offline activities that created such a fervent atmosphere now seem to have become a sharp blade that backfired on us."
"The greater the expectation, the stronger the disappointment and anger when it falls through."
Kudo Hiroshi's tightly clenched fists had knuckles that turned a frightening white from excessive force. "It seems my unfortunate prediction came true. Cough…"
He slowly exhaled a turbid breath, the anger and frustration in his chest churning endlessly.
The rage in his eyes gradually gave way to a cold resolve.
"Nintendo is forcing our hand."
His voice was not loud, but every word was clear, carrying a chill.
"They think by cutting our allocation, they can make us completely submit, forever be their docile sheep, counting money for them?"
Kudo Hiroshi's lips curled into a cold, sharp arc.
"Dream on."
He suddenly lifted his head, his gaze like a knife, looking directly at his younger brother.
"Yūji, we can't wait for NEC anymore."
"Hiroshi Yamauchi wants to strangle us with the FC rope; we will break free and show him!"
"Tell them our sincerity and our determination."
"We've worn this 'golden fillet' for too long; it's time to take it off and breathe properly."
Kudo Hiroshi stood up and walked to the window, looking down at the endless stream of traffic below.
"The glory of the FC may last for some time, but Hudson's new chapter must be written by our own hands."
A trace of uncontrollable excitement and determination flashed in Kudō Yūji's eyes as he nodded heavily.
"I understand, Brother!"
He immediately turned, walked quickly to the desk, picked up the phone, and swiftly and accurately pressed a series of numbers on the dial pad.
The call connected quickly.
"Hello, this is Kudō Yūji from Hudson."
He paused slightly, listening to the voice on the other end of the line.
"Yes, Mr. Ishihara? I'm truly sorry to bother you during your busy schedule."
Though Kudō Yūji's tone remained respectful, his voice carried an undeniable excitement.
"Regarding the cooperation proposal your company made last time, our president, Kudo Hiroshi, has made a final decision."
He took a deep breath, as if even uttering this decision had cost him immense effort.
"We accept."
"Hi! Yes, all conditions, we accept them all."
"For the subsequent specific matters, we will have to trouble you and Chief Engineer Fujimoto a lot. Please be sure to send him our regards."
"Please rest assured, we will demonstrate two hundred percent sincerity and determination."
After hanging up the phone, Kudō Yūji let out a long sigh of relief, his tense nerves finally relaxing for a moment, and a long-lost smile appeared on his face.
He turned to Kudo Hiroshi, his voice carrying a sense of lightness and relief.
"Brother, NEC is very pleased. Mr. Ishihara said he would report to the higher-ups immediately and proceed with the subsequent cooperation matters right away."
Kudo Hiroshi also turned around, the lines on his face softening slightly.
"Very good."
"Nintendo closed a door on us; we will carve open a window ourselves. No, we will build a ship that can brave the winds and waves!"
The secretly conducted cooperation talks between Hudson and NEC, at this moment, were regarded by the Hudson brothers as the only ray of hope to escape Nintendo's shadow and regain glory, and their progress suddenly accelerated.
A storm capable of shaking the entire gaming industry landscape was quietly brewing in another corner of Tokyo.