Time moved to late March.
The buying frenzy triggered by the Sega MD, after its initial explosion, gradually receded to a stable level.
The Nintendo FC's shelves, however, appeared exceptionally desolate and deserted due to the absence of heavyweight third-party developers like Konami.
This momentary silence was brewing a storm far beyond anyone's imagination.
Hudson Soft Co., Ltd., President's Office.
A thick stack of market reports lay on the desk, with data and charts coldly stating the current market situation.
President Kudō Yūji's finger finally stopped on a weekly report regarding Sega MD software sales. The curve of the numbers, as he expected, began to show signs of fatigue after climbing to an astonishing peak.
"President, although Sega's momentum has receded somewhat, it remains strong. If our 'gekitō sēnto wōriāzu (fist fight saint warrior)' is released now, won't it coincide with their second wave of attacks?" Tanaka, the head of the Marketing Department, looked worried, his forehead beaded with fine sweat. For the past two months, he had felt like he was walking a tightrope every day; the company's entire gamble rested on this game, and any slight disturbance made his heart pound.
Kudō Yūji didn't answer immediately. He stood up and walked to the window. Below, traffic flowed endlessly, and Tokyo's clamor seemed to be shut out by the double-paned glass. His gaze seemed to penetrate through layers of buildings, seeing the long lines of people queuing in front of the Sega console counter at the Akihabara electronics store, and also seeing the deserted Nintendo shelves on the other side.
"Tanaka, you're only seeing the surface." Kudō Yūji turned around, picked up the report, and lightly tapped the desk. "The games Sega plans to release in the next month are all arcade ports. While they might sell some copies, their market impact is far less than the initial month's combination punch. Players' novelty is rapidly fading; they are like a pack of hungry wolves, having gnawed on the bones, now looking around aimlessly for the next piece of meat. What they need most now is a masterpiece that can truly satisfy their appetite."
He paused, then pointed to another report: "Look at Nintendo again. Hiroshi Yamauchi, the President, is still troubled by Konami's betrayal and has no time to attend to other matters. The entire market, which appears to be a struggle between two strong rivals, is actually one running ragged and the other preoccupied."
The air in the office seemed to freeze, and everyone's gaze converged on Kudō Yūji. Only then did they realize that the President's repeated postponement of the game's release was not due to timidity, but rather to await a decisive moment.
A hint of a smile finally appeared at the corner of Kudō Yūji's mouth, devoid of any warmth, yet it inexplicably put the core team present at ease.
"Do you know when fishermen like to go out to sea the most?" He suddenly asked an unrelated question.
Everyone exchanged glances.
"It's when two ocean currents converge. Although dangerous, that's where the fish are most abundant and fattest." He scanned the room, his voice not loud, but every word clear. "Now, Nintendo's cold current and Sega's warm current have collided, stirring up a whirlpool that no one dares to approach easily. And we are the only fishing boat."
He sat back in the President's chair, leaning slightly forward, his eyes sharp as knives.
"Publicity Department, release all the GG we've held for three months. I want the Saint Warrior to be seen at every train station and in every game magazine."
"Yes!"
"Sales Department, immediately contact all distributors and tell them that our game for a comeback has arrived. Double the initial PCEngine stock!"
"Yes!" Tanaka's voice trembled with excitement.
Kudō Yūji leaned back in his chair, his hands clasped in front of his stomach.
"The farce between Nintendo and Sega should end. Now, it's our turn to perform."
Soon, the PCEngine version of the 'gekitō sēnto wōriāzu (fist fight saint warrior)' cartridge was rapidly distributed to major electronics stores.
This game was developed almost simultaneously with the aborted FC version, and its quality had already been polished to perfection.
Coupled with the tragic background of its alleged unjust ban by Nintendo, which circulated among some game media, it greatly piqued players' curiosity and sympathy.
Players' curiosity, combined with their rebellious attitude towards Nintendo's domineering behavior, collectively pushed this game into the center of public opinion.
As soon as the game was released, sales far exceeded everyone's expectations.
The smooth action and exquisite graphics in the cartridge silently demonstrated the PCEngine's capabilities and Hudson's development prowess.
Following this, Hudson gave the market no time to breathe. They struck while the iron was hot, high-profilely announcing the release of a brand new, light-hearted, comedic action game—"Kato-chan & Ken-chan"—in April.
This news was like a reassuring pill, sending a strong signal to the entire market: PCEngine's content supply was continuous and diverse.
The chain reaction came faster than expected. IREM, which had switched allegiance with Hudson when the PCEngine was released, ported their arcade masterpiece "R-TYPE" to the PCEngine platform, immediately following its release. This was also a game that had been cut short by Nintendo midway.
The game's graphics almost perfectly reproduced the essence of the arcade version, igniting a strong reputation among core gamers.
"R-TYPE" became the best showcase for PCEngine's capabilities, causing countless manufacturers and players who had previously adopted a wait-and-see attitude to re-evaluate this consistently underestimated console.
The tide was quietly turning.
Namco Headquarters, Executive Meeting Room.
On the table in front of President Masaya Nakamura were the latest hot sales data for the PCEngine platform, next to a success analysis report for "R-TYPE."
His last batch of FC games under his company had already fulfilled their release agreements with Nintendo.
Namco now had no further concerns.
He closed the folder, his movement light, but his voice left no room for doubt.
"Release 'yōkai dōchūki (spirit warrior)' immediately on the PCEngine platform."
He made a decisive decision, immediately releasing the action RPG "yōkai dōchūki (spirit warrior)," which had already been developed internally, on the PCEngine platform. This strike was precise and deadly.
Thanks to Namco's prestigious reputation and the game's extremely high quality, "yōkai dōchūki (spirit warrior)" sold an astonishing 60,000 copies in its first week.
This number was like a resounding slap, hitting Nintendo hard in the face.
It proved to the entire industry with the most direct market data: top-tier third parties could not only survive after leaving FC.
They could even thrive better.
PCEngine's sales were effectively boosted by this combination punch, finally gaining a stable foothold behind the Sega MD.
Konami Co., Ltd., President's Office.
Kozuki Kagemasa looked at the market report on PCEngine's rise, the light in his eyes extremely complex.
There was surprise, envy, but more than that, a fierce excitement.
His original plan was to bet everything on the Sega MD, engaging in a head-to-head gamble with Hiroshi Yamauchi.
The success of Hudson and Namco, however, showed him an even crazier strategy.
A strategy that could drag Nintendo deeper into the abyss.
His plan, at this moment, underwent a transformation, no longer merely a commercial confrontation.
He wanted to stand tall and earn money.
And he wanted Hiroshi Yamauchi to watch him earn even more.
Kozuki Kagemasa's thinking shifted from a "single-point breakthrough" gamble to a "full-scale war" madness.
Supporting one opponent was nowhere near as satisfying as making Nintendo beleaguered on all sides.
His gambler's mentality was completely ignited, and his goal upgraded from "self-preservation and counterattack" to "disrupting the world and seizing opportunities for revenge."
An emergency meeting was immediately convened.
In the meeting room, all executives could feel the resolute aura emanating from Kozuki Kagemasa.
He made a decision that sent shivers down everyone's spines.
"Konami announces that its ace IP 'Gradius,' previously banned by Nintendo, and its spin-off 'salamander,' will be fully ported to PCEngine!"
The news, transmitted via fax and phone, was like a hot spark thrown into a powder keg, instantly igniting the entire industry.
Everyone understood Kozuki Kagemasa's intention.
He wasn't choosing the PCEngine camp.
He was using Konami's prestigious name to personally enter the fray and completely stir up the waters.
He wanted all third parties to clearly see that there wasn't just one path to betray Nintendo—the Sega MD.
There was also PCEngine.
And in the future, there would be even more.
Tokyo, inside the office of a mid-sized third-party game developer.
The president slammed the latest newspaper onto the table. It featured the headline news of Konami announcing the porting of 'Gradius' and 'salamander.'
The fear and worry that had previously been in his eyes when facing Nintendo's ban had vanished without a trace.
In their place, flickering flames of greed and excitement shone.
Nintendo's domineering exclusivity clause, at this moment, was as good as waste paper (waste paper).
A grand industry melee, sweeping across all manufacturers, officially began.