Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Console Wars
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1996 was an incredibly exciting year for the gaming industry.
The reason was none other than the console manufacturers rolling out their next-gen 32-bit systems, sparking a fierce three-way battle.
The first to charge ahead was Seton's "Neptune."
Released in November 1994—about two years ago—Seton's next-gen console, the Neptune, was selling briskly as if to prove they were number one without Nendo in the picture.
And not to be outdone, Uni's surprise entry into the console market, the flashy "GameStation," was off to a strong start despite everyone's doubts, hot on Seton's heels.
"A showdown between Seton and Uni? Who could've imagined it?"
"Probably no one. No one expected Nendo to make such a fatal mistake."
Square, the Japanese game developer hailed as an RPG powerhouse.
Square was renowned for masterpieces like Dragon Mission and the Final Fantasy series, which stood as twin pillars of JRPGs, along with last year's hit Chrono Trigger.
It was one of the top developers, blending massive commercial success with stellar gameplay.
And Satoshi, who led Square's game development team, was currently agonizing over a major decision.
The question was which platform to release their next title, Final Fantasy VII, on.
"In the old days, it would've been Nendo without a second thought."
"Going with Nendo now would be suicide."
Satoshi nodded in agreement with his subordinate's response.
Game developers typically favored releasing on the best-selling—or expected to be best-selling—consoles.
Simply put, a game on a console that sold ten million units could potentially sell up to ten million copies, but on one with only a million sales, a million was the ceiling no matter how well it did.
That's why most developers preferred Nendo's platforms.
No matter how high Nendo's royalties or the cost of ROM cartridges, it was still the platform that sold the most.
But the console market, which had seemed eternally stable, was changing rapidly.
"Introducing Nendo's next-gen gaming system, the 'Nendo 64'!"
A month ago, Nendo unveiled its new console, the Nendo 64.
As the industry leader, it drew massive attention at first—but that quickly turned to scathing criticism and backlash.
"ROM cartridges again for storage? Capacity's still crap, and the price is how many times that of a CD?"
The biggest gripe was sticking with ROM cartridges for storage once more.
Unlike Seton's Neptune and Uni's GameStation, both using CDs, Nendo clung to cartridges, drawing ire from developers.
The cartridges' only edge was faster load times; they were hopelessly outclassed in cost, capacity, and everything else.
This was purely Nendo's greed at work.
Most cartridges were manufactured in Japanese factories monopolized by Nendo, so every sale meant huge profits for them.
Thus, Nendo refused to abandon ROM cartridges.
Up to that point, it was somewhat understandable—but the real problem came next.
"Any developer releasing games on rival consoles before our new system launches will be permanently banned from Nendo's third-party support."
When the memo Nendo sent to Japanese developers leaked, the industry erupted in outrage.
Unlike Seton and Uni, who had already released hardware, waiting indefinitely for an unannounced Nendo system was borderline extortion.
Game studios' revenue models differed sharply from typical companies.
Sales peaked right after launch, then dried up until the next title.
In that context, holding out for Nendo's next-gen indefinitely was tantamount to telling them to go bankrupt.
"Screw it, can't deal with Nendo anymore."
"Heard Uni's offering huge upfront payments if you release on their platform."
"Seton and Uni have sold a ton without Nendo around. Plenty viable now."
Developers who once swallowed their pride for Nendo now had options.
While Nendo delayed its next-gen launch, Uni and Seton had already entered the 32-bit market.
Fed up with Nendo's bullying, developers ignored the warnings and flocked to Uni and Seton as third parties.
And so...
[Nendo 64 Launch: Historic Disaster?!]
Nendo, which had never lost top market share in Japan, was plummeting with catastrophic sales for the first time.
Inevitable, really—even Nendo fans knew that buying a Nendo 64 made you a sucker, with only two launch titles.
The console market had realigned into a Seton-Uni duopoly, forcing Square to pick a side.
"GameStation it is, then...?"
After weeks of deliberation, Satoshi made his choice.
"No helping it. The GameStation Pro is a revolution for developers."
What tipped Satoshi, torn between Seton and Uni, was Uni's newly released GameStation Pro.
The pros and cons were clear-cut.
Seton had history and prestige, ensuring a solid fanbase and stable sales—most Square execs favored it.
Uni had exceeded expectations but still trailed in total sales.
Yet Satoshi was drawn to GameStation's potential, not just raw numbers.
"The 3D graphics gap is huge..."
Final Fantasy VII, unlike prior entries, emphasized 3D graphics.
Seton's Neptune excelled in 2D but lagged in 3D among 32-bit consoles.
GameStation boasted strong 3D from the start, and the Pro upgrade stunned the industry.
"Uni went all-in this time."
Satoshi couldn't stop marveling at the GameStation Pro.
It upgraded the already potent 3D with more memory and VRAM, plus countless refinements—not just a "Pro" in name, but a whole new beast.
And it wasn't just power.
"The redesigned architecture makes development a breeze!"
Seton's Neptune was notoriously complex, tormenting developers.
The Pro? Developer-friendly to the core—whoever designed it was a genius.
Exaggerating a bit, even rookies could build games easily.
The clincher:
"GameStation Pro launch special: Original GameStation at 29,800 yen (down 10,000 yen), Pro at 39,800 yen!"
Uni slashed prices further on their already cheaper hardware.
Performance.
Developer ease.
Future growth.
Weighing it all, Satoshi was certain.
GameStation would rule the market, not Seton.
"Uni isn't a global giant for nothing. Who knew they'd hold back this monster as their ace?"
"Uni? Nah, it's Savior."
"Savior?"
The GameStation Pro was a smash hit.
Even old games ran smoother and sharper on it, tempting existing owners to upgrade.
Developers revived scrapped features, boosting overall quality.
Then Satoshi heard a rumor about the Pro.
"Savior designed it and handed it to Uni."
He dismissed it as nonsense at first.
"Sure, Savior's tech is impressive—but that's software, not hardware."
From Byte Office to physics engines, Savior's prowess was undeniable.
Their physics engine was sweeping the industry.
But hardware design was a different beast, so Satoshi wrote it off.
Until...
"That's right. No point hiding it. The GameStation Pro was fully designed by Savior Soft's CEO, Seon Woo-hyuk."
During a Final Fantasy VII contract meeting with Uni's console team leader, Agaraki, Satoshi had gushed over the Pro and asked who created it.
When Savior Soft and Seon Woo-hyuk's name dropped...
Satoshi was stunned speechless.
"He showed up with blueprints himself, saying they needed far better specs for Savior's upcoming games."
One thought haunted him since:
This incomprehensible monster mastered both software and hardware design.
What game was Savior brewing that demanded a forward-thinking console like the GameStation Pro?
The question lingered in his mind even now.