"Yokoi-kun, is this thing really as good as you say?"

"I don't see any difference between that and four buttons. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ”

"Yokoi-kun is too presumptuous, shouldn't the development department discuss it first?"

In the huge conference room, five or six men in suits and leather shoes said everything by word, and there was a little resentment in their tones. That's for sure, it's already off work, and some people are even having fun in the bar, but they are called back for a meeting, and no one can be happy.

Of course, these department heads didn't dare and couldn't complain to Yamauchi, so they all vented on Yokoi Junhei.

"I'm really sorry," Gunpei Yokoi immediately got up and bowed, but put the pot on his back without hesitation, "but this design is really very important to us." ”

Then he explained that for example, the connection point in the middle of the D-pad makes it easy for the gamer to slide his thumb in the desired direction, which can speed up the player's reaction and better experience the game. Or maybe it's technically fine, you can reduce the cost a bit, and port some of the more complex games to the handheld without compromising portability, etc.

For the former, the heads of various departments can still pick out the former, but for the latter, they have nothing to say, and everyone knows that the president is very strict about cost control.

"Since this D-pad is so simple, why didn't Yokoi-kun think of it before?" someone couldn't help but stab.

Yokoi Junhei was stunned, and then bent down and bowed again: "I'm very sorry, it's because of the simplicity that this kind of design often requires a whimsical movement to appear." ”

This is neither true nor true, but looking down the historical backstream, a small design like the D-pad is indeed a very simple thing, and it seems that anyone can design it. In reality, however, it's hard to say when such inventions and improvements would have influenced the history of the game if it weren't for a sudden burst of inspiration.

Otherwise, why didn't someone else invent the D-pad, but Yokoi Junhei, who had been developing the handheld? Why didn't the handheld machine be invented in the 80s, but when the FC was to be launched a few years later?

However, in the same way, from an objective point of view, without a certain amount of accumulation, it is impossible to invent this kind of "gadget" that can leave a mark in the history of games.

Otherwise, why didn't someone else invent the D-pad, but Yokoi Junhei, who had been developing the handheld? Why didn't the handheld machine be invented in the 80s, but when the FC was to be launched a few years later?

This is a matter of chance and necessity.

"Okay, I'm calling you here to discuss the idea of that son of the Kujo family, not whether the D-pad is useful!" Yamauchi knocked on the table at this time.

Now that the president had spoken, the department heads had no choice but to stop and start a formal discussion.

According to the information from the United States, although Atari confirmed that the 2600 model will be redesigned, it has not affected the overall sales. ”

"Some programmers and developers have left Atari, and there is news that Atari is already considering accepting third-party game development companies. ”

Several other electronics research and development companies in Silicon Valley don't seem to be doing well, and according to some insider rumors, some have axed console projects. ”

The supervisors spoke out one after another.

"So?" asked Yamauchi immediately, and swept away the two directors who were speechless, a little cowering and embarrassed.

After Li Xu contacted him, he had already handed over some of the relevant information to these supervisors, but now it seems that someone has not done his homework.

But this is not the time for accountability, so Yamauchi didn't say anything, just waiting for them to speak.

However, a few minutes passed, and the supervisors didn't know what to say.

Yamauchi's face sank, he was very coercive when he didn't smile, especially when he was young - Nintendo started by making dominoes and poker, and more or less had to deal with the Yakuzas.

Now that I'm old, I look kinder, but if I'm unhappy, I'm still very oppressive.

"President, I think the reason why the son of the Kujo family is showing favor is probably because he wants to diversify his investments and collect funds. In the end, it was Yokoi Junhei who spoke.

Yamauchi raised his eyebrows: "Say." ”

"After reading the relevant materials sent by the secretary in detail, I found something worth thinking about," said Yokoi immediately, "Kujou Yoshimi doesn't value the game industry that much, after all, he is also Edward Lee. ”

Yamauchi raised his eyebrows again, but didn't speak, so Yokoi Junhei continued: "He is nothing more than very talented in game production, snakes, bricks, space invaders, and Pac-Man are all quite classic games. Although he also admits that he just used his brain, and the programs are written by others, creativity is the key to game production!

Someone snorted lightly, probably thinking that he was boasting about himself, after all, Yokoi Gunpei was the head of the first development department and had launched many excellent toys for Nintendo.

But Yokoi didn't care: "However, it is clear that he did not spend too much energy on game production. ”

As he spoke, he looked at Yamauchi: "His father, Edward Lee, was a banker, a partner at Morgan Stanley, and a shareholder of Warner, which bought Atari. With this relationship, no matter what bad things happen to Atari, he can intervene. ”

But he didn't mean it. Yamauchi was thoughtful.

"Yes, he didn't mean that in the slightest. Yokoi nodded, "Although he used to have a studio that made games in San Francisco, he also hired someone to be in charge of operation and management, and it seems that he was just to come up with ideas, and he didn't bother to care about things after that." ”

Speaking of this, his tone was marked with obvious regret, as if he was regretting that the other party had wasted his great talent.

"Speaking of which, one thing suddenly occurred to me," one of the supervisors opened his mouth at this point, "I went to a party last night, and a few of them seemed to be the head of the first persuasion, and they mentioned that ...... Edward Lee, Jr. I paid special attention to the president's request, and according to them, Edward Lee Jr. seems to have made a fortune in the silver fluctuations on Wall Street a week ago. ”

"Oh?" Yamauchi Pu was a little surprised, and tapped his fingers on the table a few times before asking solemnly, "Are you sure those people are the section chiefs of the First Quanye Bank?"

The reason for this is that among the many banks that have close ties with the Kujo Chamber of Commerce, Daiichi Quanye is one of the closest.

The other party hesitated, but finally nodded: "I can be sure, president!"

Yamauchi took a deep breath, tapped his fingers on the table twice, and asked, "What do you think?"

Supervisors, you look at me, I look at you, fell silent again, but it was still Yokoi Junhei who spoke: "President, I think if there is a real thing, then little Edward? Lee really wants to cooperate with us, do you remember what he said? He had the idea of the D-pad for the handheld game he conceived. ”

Yamauchi Pu glanced at him and didn't speak, and Yokoi Junhei continued: "Generally speaking, people like him want to go back to inherit the family property, and if the situation is true, then it should be his American father who is paving the way for him." ”

"President, we still need to do more investigation, no matter how advantageous the D-pad is, it is impossible to use it for the game &watch that is already on sale. Another supervisor followed.

This is a euphemistic reminder, your old man is understandable that he called us over to discuss countermeasures, but he is also too anxious, this kind of thing cannot be figured out in a day or two.

"Okay, then that's the end of the meeting. Yamauchi said after thinking for a few minutes, then pointed to the right, "Yamaguchi, you take the design of the D-pad to the patent office tomorrow to see if it has been registered as a patent." If there is, and it's Edward Lee Jr., come back, and if not, you can contact Edward Lee Jr. on my behalf and tell him that we can help him patent the D-pad. ”

"Huh?" Yamaguchi was stunned when he was called, "But ...... However, the president, the design such as the D-pad...... It's patentable, right?"

"Find a way!" Yamauchi Pu immediately said sternly.

"Hello!" replied Yamaguchi with a reflexive nod.

The impromptu meeting was over, and Yamauchi Pu and everyone including Yokoi Gunpei left, and he closed his eyes and thought for a moment before getting up and leaving.

It's no wonder that he is suspicious, in RB's business circle, who doesn't know how insidious the female president of the Kujo Chamber of Commerce, who has nothing to do with the Chamber of Commerce except for her name.

One moment she was still talking and laughing with you, the next moment she kicked you out and turned her face and didn't recognize anyone, the last moment you looked like she had forced her into a corner, and the next moment she slapped you in the face, sneering and telling you that your advantage was nothing more than her arrangement.

Nintendo is just a small company, and if it's just Edward Jr. Li wants to make a fortune from them, it's okay to say, but if the female devil of the Kujo Chamber of Commerce is behind the scenes, and wants to take this opportunity to do something, maybe even catch up with Nintendo, Yamauchi Pu has no way at all.

How could this kind of game-changing design be so easily thrown out by that young man?

If Li Xu knew that he would make Yamauchi suspicious with a cross key, he would definitely not be able to cry or laugh, and when to show goodwill will make people have so many associations.

However, if he knew what Yokoi Junhei said about himself, he would definitely applaud and say, "You really speak to my heart."

In addition to making the physical game toy cube, he has run back and forth a few times, and when making video games, it is basically - put forward an idea and give it to the designer, and then wait for them to check it after they are finished, and release the game that meets the impression, and hit it back to redo if it doesn't meet the problem.

Because he is too lazy to spend his energy on it.