Tokyo Video Game Tycoon.

Zhu Youxing has been quite busy lately, dealing with company matters during the day, and now he only has the opportunity to research game development in the evenings.

Upon seeing the person enter, Zhu Youxing glanced at the guest list on the table.

"Is this Mr. Ishimura, the business manager of Kubonki Entertainment Co., Ltd."

"Yes, my name is Ishimura Mino. I have already asked Mr. Ota to contact you."

As he introduced himself, Ishimura Mino walked to Takeyusei's desk.

"Please have a seat. I heard your company is interested in getting involved in game development?"

"That's right. Our company has been developing software systems for devices such as dance machines, pachinko machines, and portable karaoke machines for a long time, so we have some experience in this area."

As he spoke, he placed the documents he was holding on Zhu Youxing's desk and pushed them over.

Zhu Youxing picked up the documents and began to look through them while listening to the other person's introduction.

“We are currently seeking a business transformation and looking for a breakthrough. We came across your company’s development and production of a game console, and you have publicly welcomed anyone to join in making games, which piqued our interest.”

"At the same time, didn't your company recently add your first third-party game to your console lineup? And those people were just newcomers to the field. Our company was thinking that perhaps with our technical capabilities, we are also qualified to join."

The documents handed over by Mino Ishimura contained all the basic information about their Kuppenki Entertainment Co., Ltd.

As he just mentioned, it's a company focused on entertainment systems and software development, which is actually a relatively young industry in Japan today.

“I welcome this very much.” Zhu Youxing closed the document and nodded. “Our game consoles definitely need more video games, and we also need more individuals or corporate groups to join this platform.”

Mino Ishimura said happily, "That's great! We've actually created several demo games, but we can't run them on the Famicom without a license. Are there any requirements for obtaining a license?"

Mino Ishimura was arguably the first outside company to actively seek to join the Famicom camp, so he was not clear about the conditions required to obtain the Famicom license.

"So fast?"

This company acts incredibly quickly, which surprised Zhu Youxing.

Zhu Youxing pondered for a moment and then asked, "On which platforms can your game currently run?"

"The PC platform is fine, and we plan to release the game on the PC platform in the future. But as you know, the price of personal computers has not come down completely yet, and only a minority of people actually own a personal computer. I think the focus will definitely still be on game consoles."

In Japan, computers generally cost over 70,000 yen. Of course, if you want to build a second-hand computer, that's fine too, as it will be half the price.

However, if an average family doesn't have any special needs and just wants to play games, then a game console is obviously more cost-effective.

The Famicom now costs only 7,000 yen, and a game costs 3,000 to 5,000 yen.

Under Japan's strict copyright laws, even if you buy a PC, you still have to spend money to buy genuine games and software, so it's really more cost-effective to just buy a game console.

Especially after the bubble burst, people became even more careful with their spending in all aspects.

Zhu Youxing nodded: "Then let me see the demo content first, and then we'll make a decision."

"Okay, I've brought the demo content over."

Ishimura Mino immediately pulled a disc from his bag. The names of the demo games were written on the discs with a black marker. All he had to do was insert the disc into his computer and install it to run and play the demo.

Chapter 76 Spreads Nationwide

In short, the games made by Kubonki Entertainment are similar to those made by Surui Electronics; they are playable, but definitely not fun, the kind you'd only find unappealing for killing time.

But at least you can tell that the demo was made with care. Apart from not being fun, the basics are pretty good, with no serious bugs or annoying glitches.

Zhu Youxing gave it a quick try, then tapped the table and said, "Let me be blunt, these games are still far from meeting the standards for being listed on our platform."

Bamboo Star doesn't intend for every game on the Famicom to be a masterpiece, but at least they should be playable. The current demo is simply not enough.

"So, what do you think are some areas for improvement?" Ishimura Mino asked.

"If your company is really interested, you can choose to join our course program. Of course, you will have to sign an agreement after completing our course."

"Does this mean we can't switch platforms freely until a game that meets the standards is listed on your platform?"

"Yes."

What Zhuyouxing wants is to be bound.

Sometimes you have to be a little domineering.

It's fine if you want to come and learn; we can be good teachers. But we also need to leave something behind.

If people from Su Rui Electronics come to learn, he will accept them without hesitation. However, after completing the training, you still have to work for our Youxing Electronics Entertainment first, so that I can make some money.

Su Rui Electronics had previously been interested in Youxing Electronics Entertainment's courses, but after seeing the agreement in the course, they didn't ask any more questions.

How could I do something so shameful as to work for a competitor?

Even poaching someone with a hefty sum would be better than this.

However, the employees of Surui Electronics are very cohesive and unwilling to give up their current jobs easily, so even a large sum of money may not be enough to poach them all.

One or two won't work, and dozens would be too costly, so it doesn't seem worth it.

“This condition is a bit harsh,” Ishimura Mino said thoughtfully.

That's exactly why he came here today. He wants to talk to this young president face-to-face and see if he can compromise.

The agreement only ends when a satisfactory game is made and released on the Famicom. But what if we keep failing to meet the requirements? Would I just keep wasting manpower? That's a bit absurd.

Mino Ishimura felt that to reach the level of the Famicom game that Takeyusei was expected to be released on, it would probably have to be a game of at least the caliber of Bomberman, which he played for three days and three nights.

"It's not harsh, because we can show you how to play video games and help you avoid detours. But actually, I think in another year or two, the system will be established, and then our teaching will be less meaningful."

The meaning of "Bamboo Star" is quite clear.

Learn from me now, and you can start earning money sooner and grasp the essentials of game development sooner.

If you don't follow us, you'll waste one or two years of your transformation time.

Time is sometimes money. Today your company may be thriving, but the next second a wrong decision could leave you heavily in debt. Sometimes good opportunities shouldn't be missed.

Even if this opportunity comes with some constraints.

In fact, Zhu Youxing felt that his conditions were already quite lenient; it was already very good that he hadn't tied you to his chariot.

"Is this point unacceptable?" Ishimura Mino asked.

"We cannot compromise."

Ishimura Mino had prepared a lot of speeches, and he wanted to emphasize his company's advantages in this area.

But Zhu Youxing rejected their game from the very beginning, nipping his idea in the bud.

He also had to admit that all the games on the Famicom were really fun, and to make them, it seemed that you really needed a unique mind and creativity, as well as time. Apart from Zhu Youxing, there was no one else who could lead a team to produce a high-quality game in a month.

To this day, Mino Ishimura is still focused on making games quickly and has no intention of slowing down. He's aiming to release at least one game a month, right?

They still simply regarded it as an industrial product.

But regardless of whether Ishimura Mino could make the decision, they seemed to have no right to refuse these conditions.

The Famicom (NES) now holds true dominance, and even if you play games on the Famicom for a long time, it's still worthwhile.

In the end, Ishimura Mino agreed to the terms.

They will send professional staff to come and learn.

In fact, it's not difficult to make a game that meets the standards of Bamboo Star.

One of the simplest methods is to create a new game category before Youxing Electronic Entertainment.

BambooStar hasn't made any games like rhythm games, basketball games, or first-person shooters yet.

The Famicom's performance was rather poor, but it wasn't impossible to make more types of games if you really wanted to.

After all, even the Doom Slayer can run on an electronic pregnancy test, so what's impossible?

However, these people seem to be limited to the game categories created by Zhuyouxing, and it seems that they cannot break out of this circle for the time being, and no one has thought about creating new categories.

Over the next month, Surui Electronics seemed to suddenly go quiet, and the previous advertisements were gradually withdrawn. The advertising prices also returned to the average level. Zhuyouxing decisively invested again to expand its influence.

The Famicom also experienced a sales boom at this time, selling over 50,000 units per week, and game sales also soared.

Currently ranked first is Super Mario Bros. 3, followed by Dragon Quest, and then Contra and Tetris are tied.

These two games, one geared towards casual gameplay and the other towards action, each have their own dedicated audiences and are evenly matched.

This month, Yusei Electronics Entertainment launched a Japanese shogi game, which filled a gap in the Famicom's product lineup. Sales were just enough to break even and even generate some profit.

At the same time, another third-party game was also launched, a role-playing game created by another group formed during the learning course.

At this time, role-playing games are very engaging and popular with children.

They usually have very little pocket money, which limits the number of games they can buy and play, so they will definitely choose games with more content and more replayability.

Priced at only 4,000 yen, it's 1,000 yen cheaper than Dragon Quest, with content comparable to Dragon Quest, and adds some of their own creative gameplay, earning extra praise.

The game sold over 40,000 copies in its first week, which is quite astonishing. This has further convinced those who were hesitant to join in.

Children really enjoy playing the role of heroes and warriors. During summer vacation, the streets and alleys are filled with children running and playing with small wooden swords, pretending to be warriors. It seems that playing the role of a superhero has become a thing of the past.

This is somewhat similar to the period in later times when anime about traveling to another world and becoming a hero became very popular.

From now on, games for the Famicom seem to be experiencing a surge in popularity.

Those who initially taught game development methods gradually formed their own teams and became small-time gold diggers on the Famicom.

Of course, the biggest beneficiary is Youxing Electronic Entertainment. They don't need to contribute anything; they only need to provide game cartridges to earn 30% of the game's profits, resulting in incredibly healthy cash flow.

The Famicom (Nintendo Entertainment System) seems to have an unstoppable momentum, sweeping across Japan at an increasingly rapid pace.

Now, even the most remote areas of Japan have begun to see the Famicom (Nintendo Entertainment System).

The Famicom (Nintendo Entertainment System) gradually became a topic of conversation at people's dinner tables.

If we're talking about who's having the most troubles right now, it's probably the TV stations.

Chapter 77 A Huge Black Pot Thrown from the Television Station

In this technologically advanced world, ten years ahead of the previous life of the Bamboo Star, the internet has gradually become widespread and a common thing.

The number of internet users is gradually increasing, and it is taking away viewers from television.

By this time, television had already fallen from its golden age.

A well-made hit TV series could once achieve a viewership rating of over 40%.