"Look at this, Wang!" When Savin took out Atari's TV game console last year and compared it with the original Nintendo he made, Wang Zijun found that it was more than just a copycat.

In addition to the addition of a keyboard with typing and other functions, the biggest change is the operating crank of the game console. The Atari game grip looks like a box, a cuboid more than ten centimeters long, a few centimeters wide, and more than ten centimeters high. When playing games, this thing can only be held with both hands, and it can be controlled by knobs and buttons in the side ears, which is extremely inconvenient.

The crank handle of Wang Zijun's original Nintendo machine is not much different from that of later generations, with simple operation and comfortable feel.

It's not just the exterior design that's a matter of design, the size of the operating stick has been reduced by two-thirds, and the technology involved is not so simple.

Saven laughed, "We've been busy for a year with this handle. ”

In addition, Atari's game console can't change games, and all a dozen games are installed in the console like arcade machines, and if you want to change them, you must ask a professional technician to dismantle the board inside.

And this Nintendo first generation can replace the game card at any time and replace it with a new game you want to play. And with the latest chips, the game capacity has reached 4K, and the game colors have increased to 8.

"Our console is enough to beat all the similar products on the market today. This game controller, as well as interchangeable game cards and slots, has been patented in the United States. Saven said confidently, but he didn't dare to hold it up in front of Wang Zijun. If it weren't for Wang Zijun's suggestion, none of them thought of finding another way from the operating handle.

Even Atari, the largest game console manufacturer in the United States, has been eyeing the upgrade of the console console, and the thick and bulky control controller has not bothered to pay attention to it.

And Atari's research and development of consoles has just focused on the replacement of game content at this time. The reason for this is the Atari console last year, and after a year of release, many users have reported that they are tired of playing those games on the console and want to play something newer and more fun. It was the feedback from these users that led Atari to decide to develop a replaceable game card, which is still being studied and is estimated to be available next year.

In other words, Nintendo established the correct direction of research and development as early as possible because of Wang Zijun's suggestion. This Nintendo's original machine was made more than half a year earlier than the Atari 800 of the same kind. And the operating crank is two or three years more advanced than the Atari 800, which has not yet come out.

It's not difficult to get ahead of Atari with such results, and these people under Savin are all top students majoring in electronics. What's more, video games are still in the pioneering era, and Atari has been exploring the development of game consoles, and often takes detours. Wang Zijun directly drew a Xiaobawang learning machine in the nineties for Saven and them, and described its various functions, and determined the correct research direction early.

Don't look at this game development studio, there are only 9 people, but these 9 people are all scientific research and technical personnel. The R&D team of 9 people can already support a medium-sized scale in Silicon Valley, and the organized R&D team of other large companies to develop a project is only about 10 or 20 people.

"Hearing you say that, why do I think it's too cheap to sell for only $80?" Wang Zijun said with a smile.

"This is for market reasons, after all, Atari has too much of a share of the game market right now, and if we sell it too expensive, I'm afraid we won't be able to squeeze in," Savin said. ”

"How much does it cost us to have a game console like this?" Wang Zijun asked.

"It depends on where it's produced, and in fact, if you build a factory in Mexico, it costs about $40 plus shipping," Savin said. ”…,

"So expensive?" Although the profit is almost 100 percent, there is still a part of the profit margin left for the seller. Moreover, in Wang Zijun's heart, electronic products have always been ultra-high profits, so there must be a profit of several hundred percent.

"We have a much larger capacity and more vibrant colors than Atari, and to do that comes with a lot of costs," Savin said. Luckily, we used Motorola's chips, not Intel, and the performance was about the same, but the price difference was 10 times. ”

Wang Zijun thought about it for a while, the selling price of personal computers today is less than 500 US dollars, and the price of a game console is 80 US dollars, which is already considered high. But thinking about this high-end video game console, he gritted his teeth and said: "The price is only $100, the Stone Age TV game console seven years ago can be sold for $100, why can't our game console?" ”

Saven smiled bitterly: "It's so expensive, I'm afraid no one will buy it." ”

Wang Zijun said: "No, it's not expensive. Aren't the sales of Atari video game consoles on the market now not bad? Since Americans are willing to pay $65 for a game console that can't be replaced, then our console, the only game console in the world that can be replaced, sells for $100, I'm afraid no one is too high. ”

"Okay, you're an investor, you have the final say." Savin was apparently persuaded by Wang Zijun.

Wang Zijun said: "The factory is located in Taiwan. Hsinchu b. Platform. The national government of the bay is ready to turn it into a station. Government officials have already visited Silicon Valley last year, and construction is expected to start next year. There are both highly intelligent people and cheap labor, and the taxes will definitely be favorable, which is much more cost-effective than building a factory in Mexico. ”

Platform. Savin knew about the visit to Silicon Valley early last year, and was personally received by the president of Stanford University and the founder of Silicon Valley.

Saven said: "Then I'll bring people and game consoles over tomorrow, discuss with Mino, and get a few production lines of TV game consoles in the original arcade factory." ”

Wang Zijun said: "Then please leave it to the two of you, funds are not a problem, the money you earn from selling arcade machines is enough for you to spend." ”

"If things go well, we'll be able to land in the U.S. this summer," Savin said. Minoan is in charge of the desk. I will do the production of the factory in the United States. It's time for us, a game development studio, to upgrade to a game company. Well, the American branch of Nintendo Games. ”

Wang Zijun asked: "Atari now occupies a large market share, and in terms of sales, I am afraid we have to guard against them." ”

"Don't worry, king." Saven said disdainfully, "Nolan. Bushnell, who owns the largest game company in the United States, no longer has the passion he had when he started his business, and all he thinks about is how to make money. Through these two years of selling our arcade machines in the United States, I have dealt with Atari. Although they have a large market share, this is their weakness. As a game company, he focuses more on market development. In the development of game consoles, Atari has been slow since two years ago, and even a little unenterprising. Although they are still developing new products, their research direction has been conservative, and they only upgrade the original design. Of course, this may be due to competitors who are not being taken seriously by them at this stage. But if they continue like this, even without us, Atari will be surpassed by other companies. ”

"Then I'll be relieved." Wang Zijun didn't expect Atari to be like this.

Atari is huge, but it is actually a paper tiger, if there is no Wang Zijun, he will be eaten into scum by Nintendo in Japan in a few years.

Wang Zijun suddenly remembered a game and said, "Let's not take advantage of the past few months to develop a game." ”…,

Saven was surprised, "King, what do you have in mind?" ”

"It's nothing, it's a very simple game, well, let's call it Nintendo Cube." Wang Zijun talked about the rules and content of Tetris.

"Does anyone like this?" Saven was a little unsure.

Wang Zijun said: "Just try it." ”

Saven said: "Then try it, this game is not complicated to design anyway. ”

After talking about business, Wang Zijun took this first-generation machine and played with it, and by the way, he also gave it a name, called HG-100. HG is the English abbreviation of Wang Zijun, Nintendo, and the literal translation of the company's English name is directly "Heaven Games Company".

As for the real Nintendo, well, you can continue to sell cards, even if you enter the video game industry, it may be difficult to enter the American market, at most in Japan.

In the evening, Wang Zijun took nine people from the studio out to dinner, and then announced that all employees would take a three-day paid vacation, which attracted cheers.

The next day, Savin began to be busy getting a visa to go to Taiwan. Bay. Wang Zijun came to MITS in New Mexico.

"You're finally here, King." Henry. When Roberts saw Wang Zijun, he suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.

Wang Zijun asked with a smile: "What, you still want to sell your shares?" ”

"Yes, I don't want to go anymore." Roberts said.

Today, MITS is the world's largest personal computer company. And Roberts, who is at the helm of this company, how could he feel that he can't hold on, and wants to sell his shares?

In the end, although this name is big, it is a pity that the PC market is still in the development stage, and the cost is high, and the profit margin of component sales is extremely low. Over the years, MITS has sold 70,000 PCs and 30 million in total sales. But the real profit is less than two million dollars.

Historically, Roberts should have had the intention of selling the company the year before last because the company only sold goods and did not make money, but he was disheartened by Bill Gates's private sale of the basic system last year, and finally sold the company in crisis for $2 million. But now that the BASIC system is firmly in the hands of Wang Zijun, Bill Gates and Paul Allen naturally can't buy BASIC anymore, and Roberts' sale of the company has been delayed until now.

I'm not a management company owner!

Wang Zijun looked at the chubby middle-aged man in front of him and couldn't help sighing in his heart.

Wang Zijun also heard about the company, and asked people about it in private. The target of the inquiry was a few middle and senior managers who left the company last year, and they reported that they left because they were dissatisfied with Roberts.

The reason for this is simply because Roberts encountered various difficulties at work, so he became impatient, began to distrust his employees, and ran to find his childhood friend to take charge of the management of the company.

"You want to sell? Make a bid, I'll take it all. Wang Zijun said.

Roberts said, "$1 million." ”

Historically, Roberts sold the entire company for $2 million, and now he only has 40% of the shares. However, Wang Zijun still nodded, took out a check and filled it out, and said, "I hope you will stay for another month and do a good job this month." ”

"Absolutely!" Roberts looked at the check and suddenly felt a little embarrassed. But soon this guilt disappeared, he had been working hard for the company all day for the past few years, he was so bored, and he didn't make any money, and he deserved $1 million.

Mr. Wang found a lawyer and spent a whole day getting things done, and he spent $100 and is now in charge of MITS alone. The company has more than 200 employees, more than 20 suppliers and more than 40 sellers in the United States, with annual sales of tens of millions of dollars. Unfortunately, the annual profit is only two or three hundred thousand dollars.

Wang Zijun went to inspect the company and found that these employees no longer had the excitement and enthusiasm that they had just released their personal computers. …,

Wang Zijun looked at Roberts in the distance, speechless, what the is this, can manage the company like this.

Wang Zijun left the company, called Sawen, who had not yet set off, and said: "Sawen, you don't have to be so troublesome about the sales channel." Roberts has now sold all his shares to me, and he'll be out in a month's time. When it comes to selling game consoles, you can directly borrow the sales channels of MITS, 40 sellers, which is enough for you. ”

"What's the matter, Wang?" Saven was taken aback, thinking that it would not be Wang Zijun who saw that the MITS company was getting bigger and drove Roberts away.

Wang Zijun told the company's situation again and sighed: "Roberts is really a talent. A few years ago, the computer business went out of business, and now the personal computer business is like this. ”

Saven was silent for a while and said, "Wang, I think you should find a competent administrator. ”

Wang Zijun asked, "Do you have any good candidates?" ”

Saven said: "No, the few people I know are all in important positions in other large companies, and they have shares, they will not leave." ”

"Then I'll find out for myself." Wang Zijun said and hung up the phone.

Who to turn to?

Wang Zijun had a flash of inspiration in his mind, and suddenly thought of someone.

That was the president of Microsoft Corporation, Steve Brown. Ballmer.

It's just that Ballmer, who is young now, does he have what it takes to manage MITS?

*J