Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Cinematic Trailer
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TV.
In the future, its influence would wane, but even then, television played a major role as one of the key mediums of media.
So what about the 1990s?
No words were needed.
It was an era when all sorts of companies hauled in tens of millions of dollars just to snag a single ad spot during prime time.
TV in the '90s transcended mere media—it was woven into people's daily lives, an inseparable part of existence.
- It’s the cheesiest!
"Why do Mac and Cheese ads always pop up right at this hour? Making me hungry."
21:00.
The golden hour when typical American families finished dinner and gathered on the living room couch to watch TV.
Ronald, like any other night, was watching his talk show when an ad break hit. He stared at the screen blankly.
Just then, Kraft's Macaroni & Cheese commercial came on, stirring up his appetite. He pondered if there was anything edible in the fridge, his eyes glued to the TV.
- The legend never sleeps. Now, the tip of your blade awakens the myth.
Suddenly, the TV screen went pitch black.
Ronald, who had been staring at it out of habit, wondered if he'd accidentally sat on the remote again. But then a voice emanated from the TV, drawing his focus back to the screen.
- What stands before you is no monster. It is a tale forsaken by the gods.
Gradually, light seeped into the frame, revealing a figure emerging from the shadows—
"A movie ad?"
Ronald figured it must be a promo for some new blockbuster.
A man strode forward low-key, his head topped with a hat reminiscent of those worn by samurai in Japanese films or comics he'd seen.
The clothes he wore evoked the distinctive garb from old Hong Kong action flicks, fluttering dramatically in the wind for a convincingly atmospheric effect.
But the real hook was the slender sword hanging at his waist.
Unlike the bulky, broad Western blades, this sleek, elegant katana-like weapon gripped Ronald's attention all on its own.
- A legend scrawled in blood, the lone survivor at its close.
Suddenly, the camera whipped around, focusing on the man's opposite side.
"What the—!"
There loomed a creature of a form Ronald had never laid eyes on.
A dragon? No. It vaguely evoked the dragons of Western lore,
but it was far too serpentine, lacking wings entirely.
Two horns protruded from its head—or rather, one was snapped off—so maybe a horned serpent?
Yet it sported arms and legs like some dinosaur, ruling out snake.
Ronald felt a chill from the beast's gaze, as if it were glaring right at him through the screen.
It hit like the T-Rex bursting out in Jurassic Park a few years back at the theater.
But shockingly, this TV monster looked even more lifelike than that supposedly hyper-realistic dinosaur.
To the point where he half-wondered if such a beast actually existed.
- Behind the mask lurks a god; behind the blade's edge, the truth.
The screen shifted perspective again, capturing the man and beast locked in confrontation.
Ching.
The man finally drew his sword.
As if on cue, the creature's maw ignited with crimson flames.
- You are the last Soul Hunter.
With the final narration, the man and beast charged at each other, on the verge of clash—
"Whew..."
The ad curtain fell, and Ronald realized he'd been so immersed he'd forgotten to breathe.
'Hang on... so when's it coming out?'
Dead set on catching whatever this was in theaters, he snapped to and checked the screen for a release date.
But as if nothing had happened, a pierrot-masked figure now beamed innocently, burger in hand.
"Hahaha!!! Insane! These reactions are pouring in already?!"
Agaraki bellowed, oblivious to his subordinates' stares filling the office.
"Team Leader, GameStation Pro stock is completely wiped out. Should we tell the distributors to hold off on pre-orders for now...?"
"Nonsense! Pull in production lines from HQ right now and ramp up supply!"
"B-But that means dismantling lines and reinstalling them fresh, so the costs..."
Agaraki felt exasperated watching his flustered underling stumble over words.
"North America's branch just put in pre-orders for 2 million GameStation Pro units! Some piddly line-switch costs? You think that's the priority?"
"P-Pardon? 2 million units?!"
His subordinate's jaw-dropping shock finally satisfied Agaraki.
'Just 2 million. Who knows how many more from North America? Orders are exploding in Europe, even back home in Japan!'
The chaos since yesterday felt like a dream to Agaraki.
Phones rang off the hook from distributors and retailers alike. No time for breaks or going home—people swarmed him with questions.
'Is this really the game launching on our GameStation?'
'Team Leader, calls keep coming asking when that movie in the ad hits theaters.'
'The devs who ditched us for Seton last time are begging for a meeting!'
Incredible—a world where everyone talked only GameStation.
'All because of... Savior's new game ad.'
And it all stemmed from one single commercial.
A month ago, Agaraki recalled his meeting with Savior's CEO, Seon Woo-hyuk.
He'd met to discuss the launch of their contracted new title for GameStation.
If he had to pick the most shocking moment of his life, it'd be that encounter—brimming with astonishment.
"Congratulations. I hear GameStation sales just topped 20 million units."
"Haha, yeah. Finally catching a breather."
Seon Woo-hyuk toasting GameStation's 20-million milestone.
Trailing Seton's 'Neptune,' GameStation had surged in sales around half a year back.
Courtesy of Last Fantasy 7.
"Our new title, Last Fantasy 7, will launch exclusively on Uni's GameStation."
Console makers were usually the bosses, but even they had moments of submission.
Like Dragon Mission and Last Fantasy release windows.
These two, backed by ironclad fanbases selling millions on drop, were must-haves for any console maker.
And they famously picked platforms by one rule:
'Launch on whatever console's selling best.'
Historically Nendo's Famicon series, but Nendo's new hardware was fresh, sales still low.
Most figured Last Fantasy's sequel would hit Seton's Neptune.
But—
Last Fantasy dev Scanic dropped this bombshell right before launch, nixing Neptune and stunning everyone.
Post-announcement, the underdog GameStation skyrocketed, recently overtaking Neptune.
A monstrous snowball from one game.
"Truth is, we owe Savior. Devs love GameStation Pro."
"Who wouldn't? No constraints means adding all those cut features freely."
Agaraki hadn't forgotten how Seon Woo-hyuk's tweaks to GameStation Pro swayed Scanic.
"Our Savior title Soul Hunters is now in polishing and QA. Gold master in as little as two months."
Gold master.
Industry term for dev-complete, release-ready.
"Already? It's only been a year in production..."
"You must be itching for it, so we're rushing. But first, check this out—then we'll talk."
Seon Woo-hyuk smiled, firing up the meeting room's beam projector.
"What're we watching?"
"As you once told me, the future of games is 3D."
Agaraki nodded.
Consumers craved 3D worlds where characters moved as they commanded, not flat illustrations.
"Game ads must evolve too. No more static art—something like a movie..."
"Like a movie...?"
"It's time for cinematic trailers."
Words done, the screen lit up.
Agaraki could only gape in awe.
CG.
Computer graphics were revolutionizing Hollywood and culture at breakneck speed.
Agaraki had seen countless top-tier CG clips for GameStation dev, numb to most.
But this... this was beyond.
Graphics making Hollywood's best look laughable.
"I want this on TVs worldwide for consumers."
Post-trailer, Seon Woo-hyuk's words reached the dazed Agaraki, who could only nod.