Sega's new console, DC, was unveiled at E3, and after the news was released, all eyes of the world were on Sony.

Mainly because this time Sega is really menacing, the performance of the entire game console, the displayed graphics, the expansive networking function, etc., are completely crushing the current PS.

On the second day of the DC console showcase, Sony Group's stock price plummeted.

Although it's not all because of the new game consoles, it may be a comprehensive effect, for example, due to the impact of the Asian financial crisis, coupled with the fact that the operation of North Missoni is not good enough, frequent thunderstorms, Sony is deeply indebted...... and so on, under the influence of these comprehensive factors, the stock price fell.

However, many good people often do not analyze so deeply, and it is impossible to see so comprehensively, people often grasp the most intuitive factors of the moment, so as to make a more crude judgment.

For example—

Sega's DC game console, while spreading the dream, also hit Sony's dream.

It is precisely because of the excellent functions of the DC machine that Sony's stock price has fallen.

At such times, Nobuyuki Idei of the Sony Group is simply a head two big.

Originally, the company was unstable, but this kind of thing was provoked, and more importantly-

This wave of Qing Zhiyuan's actions are too fast, according to his original plan, even after Pokeni acquires Sega, it will take a year and a half to develop before it is possible to make a new game console debut.

However, judging from the results, it still shows that their intelligence work is not enough, and there is no leakage of news from Sega's side, including the development of game consoles, what game consoles look like, and what important hardware manufacturers are cooperating......

None of this is known.

Although PS still occupies the main market share, and can even be described as a monopoly, both players and friends are actually waiting for Sony to respond.

Because Sega's DC is doing just too well.

It's so good that it's impossible to ignore its aura.

It was like another scorching sun that had suddenly appeared in the sky, and it was bigger, rounder and brighter than the one that had hung on it.

There is no other day, everyone understands this truth.

So Sony's response becomes crucial.

However, surprisingly, when Ken Kutaragi was interviewed by the media, he behaved extremely calmly.

"Although Sega said that it has very good R&D technology, and the performance of the DC machine at the electronics show is also quite good, but please don't ignore one point-

At present, the mainstream market is still dominated by PS.

Moreover, the key to the game console is whether there are enough good games on it, and how many excellent games there are, which is the most important thing.

Performance can only determine the basics, and what can really impress players is still the game software itself.

It's the work that counts.

What's more, our PS2 is already in development, and rest assured, the PS2 will definitely perform better in the future. ”

Although Ken Kutaragi only made a blank check, after this round of responses, Sony's stock price has temporarily stabilized.

……

But in fact, Kutaragi Ken panicked in his heart, the E3 electronics show has not completely ended, but the follow-up task of Sony is entrusted to the staff in the United States, and Kutaragi Ken hurried to the neon company headquarters.

Finding President Nobuyuki Idei, Ken Kutaragi told him what happened on E3 and what was reported in the media in the past two days.

In fact, it doesn't take long to describe that Nobuyoto Idei has already learned the relevant news, and all kinds of emails are flying all over the sky.

Don't have too many internal employees staring at Ken Kuta.

Many people said that Ken Kutaraki should be held accountable for who made him delay the development of PS2.

And there was no precaution at all, and he was caught off guard by Sega.

These are all Kutaragi Ken's pots.

However, Kutaragi Ken was bitter, and I immediately approached President Norio Oga, who told us not to rush to develop the next generation of game consoles.

Of course, there were times at the time, but the world is changing too fast.

At the level of the company, it is not a wise choice for a PS to be iterated and eliminated if it has not been served for enough time and has not made enough money.

Now it is equivalent to Sega to push Sony from the outside and have to deal with it.

"So what are you going to do now?" Nobuyuki Idei asked.

Kutaragi Ken was stunned for a moment, I was originally here to ask for your help, president, why did it become me to ask myself and answer myself, right?

However, Kutaragi Ken really thought about it a lot.

After all, he will be more familiar with the game console business, and Nobuyuki Idei is a global controller, and he may not be able to see so many details.

"My idea is to put the development of the PS2 on the agenda as soon as possible, even if it is to make a prototype first."

"Hmm." Nobuyuki Idei nodded, "How long will that take?" ”

"Hmm...... In fact, we have been working on design and research before, but we have not yet reached the level of concrete production, and if we want to make a prototype machine, I estimate that it will take at least half a year. ”

"Can you completely defeat DC on the console effect?" Nobuyuki Idei asked.

"Well...... "Kuta-Ratsuki Ken was a little stumped, "If you want to completely defeat it, you may need to iterate another generation of products." But it's guaranteed to work like they did. ”

This Nima ......

Nobuyuki Idei crossed his eyes, and he felt the urge to beat Ken Kutaragi to death.

Have you bothered to make the next generation of PS game consoles, and you can reach the level of DC?

In other words, Sony's advantages have not been brought into play, and they have been pressed to death?

How do you look at it, Sega also has a first-mover advantage for at least half a year.

It's a headache.

"It would take at least a little more than a year to design and develop an effect that surpasses the DC performance." Kutaragi Ken said cautiously.

After listening to this, Nobuyuki Idei couldn't help pinching his eyebrows with his hands, only to feel that his head hurt to death.

Since he took office, he has not heard good news.

Is it his own bad luck, or is Qing Zhiyuan coming for him?

Or both?

Chairman Norio Ohga saw this situation and gave up the position of CEO, right?

It's not hell anymore, it's even more terrifying than hell.

Nobuyuki Idei has a strong sense of crisis, and if he doesn't go on like this, he will have to roll off the CEO position in two more years.

It's uncomfortable, it's uncomfortable.

It's fucking uncomfortable!

It's so hateful, whether it's Qing Zhiyuan or Sega, or Sony Beimi's side, it's very disgusting.

Even Nobuyuki Idei was so disgusted that his heart churned, and he had an urge to want yue.

"Is there any way we can buy more than a year?" Nobuyuki Idei looked up and asked with cloudy, bloodshot eyes.

Time is really too important for him.

As long as there is time, Nobuyuki Idei feels that it is still possible.

"What do you mean?" Ken Kutaragi was startled by President Idei's sharp eyes.

"In a vacuum period of more than a year, no new products have entered the game console market, unless you can count on the emergence of new and excellent game consoles in Rentian, otherwise the market share will definitely be snatched up by Sega."

Kutaragi Ken said.

I think Sony's PS was like this back then.,Hit Ren Heaven and Sega by surprise.,When they're still using the old MD and SFC.,Sony's PS was born.,It's completely overwhelming.。

But now, it's the other way around.

"Kutaragi-san, did you know that there is a word called [expectation management]?" Nobuyuki Idei asked.

"Huh? Expectation management? Kutaragi Ken looked at him suspiciously.

"Have you heard the story of the wolf?"

"Uh-huh."

"The wolf doesn't have to come, but shouting that the wolf is coming can scare everyone away, which is expectation management." Nobuyuki Idei said, "We don't necessarily need to actually make a PS2.

It can be divided into two steps, the first step is that you continue to develop a PS2 that can beat DC.

However, this matter must be kept secret anyway, and everyone involved must sign a strict confidentiality agreement, so that the outside world cannot let the outside world know that our PS2 has not been designed.

And then what?

We do expectation management. ”

"Okay." Kutaragi Ken nodded a little stiffly, but what about the expectation management method?

"You go to Square Enix and ask them to make a promotional video for Final Fantasy 8, and of course, before you have to sign an exclusivity agreement with them on PS2 so that they can't backstab us and turn to DC.

Then, this promotional video, you can do as much as you can, even if it is beyond this era, beyond the Shenmue shown by DC, there is no problem.

Because who can say for sure what the future holds? Right? ”

"Huh?" Kutaragi's eyes widened, and his whole body was stunned.

This Nima ......

Isn't this just false propaganda?

But he quickly reacted, and his heart trembled.

"In other words, we can position the PS2 until two years from now, but before that, we have to release the news that the PS2 has more powerful performance, and use the Final Fantasy 8 promotional video for anticipation management, right?"

There is no need to take into account the operation of the actual machine to make videos, which means that the video effect can be completely perfect, exceeding the expectations of players.

This is where the wolf comes.

You can even be a fake wolf, the kind that is realistic enough to bluff people.

"yes, that's what it means." Nobuyuki Idei said with a smile.

"In this case, the PS2 will be released in 2 years, so why don't players wait two more years before getting a PS2, and have to buy a DC console with no future and only 2 years of life?"

"When the promotional video for Final Fantasy 8 came out, players were actually looking forward to the launch of PS2, and as for the future implementation, it is very reasonable that the game content deviates from the promotional video.

After all, everyone knows that CG seems to be stronger than the actual effect of the game, and this paragraph can't be completely said to be false propaganda.

As long as Square Enix applies the video to the game when the time comes. Ken Kutaragi concluded.

"Actually, it's okay even if it doesn't work on the actual game, the game has changed in the middle of the game, redesigns are common, and the bounce is nothing new in the history of the game.

However, as long as the players' confidence in Sony remains high, there is no problem. ”

This wolf is coming, and there are two very important premises:

The first is that Sony has a good reputation in the field of game consoles, and it has proved this with its strength, so the market is full of confidence in it.

PS2 Sony, for its part, can be aggressively promoted without developing a real machine, provided that players are convinced of Sony's technology.

The second is that players have a lot of confidence in Square Enix. This is also due to the good quality of Square Enix's game products over the years.

One after another, the credibility was beaten.

Only when these two large companies endorse each other with their own credibility can the so-called wolf effect be achieved.

"I've got it all right."

Kutaragi Ken took a deep breath, only to feel that the big stone that had been pressed on his chest suddenly disappeared, and there was a smile on his face.

"President Idei, you're amazing. I learned a lot again. ”

……

"What?! Isn't this false propaganda?! ”

The puzzle is given to Masashi Miyamoto.

Square Enix's president, Masashi Miyamoto, after hearing about Ken Kutaragi's plan, his first reaction was-

This man is absolutely insane.

Why is Sony so shameless?

"Isn't this ruining the credibility of Sony and Square Enix?" Masashi Miyamoto said with some difficulty, "If the PS2 comes out by then, and the in-game effect can't match the content shown in the video, we will be scolded to death by the players."

The same goes for you.

Who else is willing to buy Square Enix's games, and who is willing to buy Sony's consoles? ”

"Mr. Masashi Miyamoto, that's what you don't understand." Kutaragi Ken said with a smile, "It's called expectation management of players, so please don't use such strange words as [false propaganda], okay?" ”

Masashi Miyamoto stared at him with suspicion.

Who do you think you can fool?

"Who can say what the future holds?"

Ken Kutaragi persuaded him with great difficulty, "Even if we all know that it is impossible to achieve it now, how can we do it in another two years?"

As long as you can make it happen, who will say that you are doing false propaganda?

Technology is constantly evolving.

I'm sure the PS2 is definitely more powerful than what you're seeing in DC right now. ”

"Even if the PS2 was not released until 2001, when the PS2 appeared, even if players found that Sony's boast was exaggerated.

But it was already too late, because DC was dead before that. ”

"We've looked into how pokeni and Sega are working, and they're actually at the end of their power now, counting on DC to get a city back.

As long as the DC console fails, then the time will be when the player will fall to the PS2, and the pokeni and Sega will be in financial trouble.

There is no possibility of turning over in the future.

President Miyamoto, you know what I mean, right? ”

Sizzle......

Masashi Miyamoto took a deep breath.

I just felt that the man in front of me was simply too bad, like a poisonous snake.

However, in this way, after the fall of Pokeni and Sega, the market has become Sony's, and Square Enix can also take advantage of the trend to become Sony's largest third party, which is actually good news for them.

"So can Sony give us more preferential conditions?" Masashi Miyamoto asked.

"Give! Whatever conditions you want, just mention it, and I will definitely meet you. President Miyamoto! ”

Kutaragi Ken laughed.

……

After Kutaragi Ken left, Masashi Miyamoto sat alone in a chair, and the setting sun outside cast its light on the side of his body, illuminating half of his body golden.

On the other hand, it is in the shadows.

The shadow elongated and fell to the ground, like an eerie ghost with a strange smile.

Masashi Miyamoto's heart turned upside down.

On one side is Sony's demon whisper, and on the other side is Qing Zhiyuan's demon whisper.

One is to defeat DC, seize the market, and then arch Square Enix to the top.

The other recruited Square Enix to become the largest third party, and at the same time gave a lot of preferential conditions, plus Pokeni's unique martial arts......

Both sides seemed to have great temptation, putting him in a dilemma.

Masashi Miyamoto covered his face, only to feel a huge headache.

It seems that this time there is no way to be his sweetie.

He had to take sides, and that was what scared him the most.

The point is, until now, Masashi Miyamoto has not been able to make a judgment on who will win.

How can neither side be offended, and how can both sides take advantage of it?

Masashi Miyamoto's eyes widened, and the whole person was going crazy.

……

In short, in the case of a shiny surface, an undercurrent surges.

War is on the verge of breaking out.

In other words, the war has already begun.

It's just that the point of exchange of fire between the two sides is not on the surface.

By the way, by the way, the current point of fire has become Square Enix.

Masashi Miyamoto is the unlucky one.

……

However, these things are unpredictable, and they can only be continuously advanced through the power of time.

No one knows what the future holds.

But there are some things that can be determined, such as-

Pokeni's "Bug Master" will be released soon.

Sega released the console, but Pokeni's new game "Bug Master" is still released on PlayStation.

It's strange no matter how you look at it.

However, Qing Zhiyuan and Sony didn't break the matter, and everyone was still in a harmonious mood on the surface.

But everyone knows very well in their hearts.,I'm afraid the insect master will become pokeni's last game on PS and above.。

……

So on this day on July 31st, there were long queues at the doors of the major game sales points, and players came one after another, just to get a piece of the insect master, maybe more than one.

Because everyone subconsciously thinks that this will be the swan song of P Society on PS.

In fact, it is very historical.

Many years later, when I tell the next generation of children, I take out the CD of "Insect Master" and put it in front of the children, and see, this is the evidence that witnesses history.

Back in the day......

How interesting and meaningful it must be.

Just thinking about it makes my blood boil.

Anything,As long as it's out of print、Swan song contaminated with it, it immediately becomes a little different.,Just like Pokeni's Furuhara Tsubaki said he was going to retire.,That year's swan song "Your Name" sold quite hot.,Even once refreshed the ceiling of galgame.。

This time, the insect master more or less had a similar taste.

What's more, the insect master has indeed done quite well, and in the past month, the insect master's promotional videos and advertisements have been overwhelming.

Especially after being rendered by the E3 electronics show, players all over the world have remembered this word -

"Insect Master is developed by pokeni, the world's first 3D open big world game, and it is also a seamless connection of large maps."

This gimmick alone is worth getting started with by players.

……

In the evening, after buying three copies of the "Insect Master" CD in the game store, Furukawa Hirosawa rushed home with Junna Yukitake's hand.

Seeing the three game CDs he was holding in his hand, Junna Yukitake laughed a little strangely.

"Why do you buy so much at once?"

"Huh?"

Hiroshi Furukawa glanced down and explained with some embarrassment, "Well, I always have a hunch that the game "Insect Master" may become pokeni's last game on the PS platform. ”

Junna Yukitake was stunned for a moment and laughed, "It seems that you have a lot of confidence in Pokeni." ”

"Huh?" Furukawa Hirosawa asked suspiciously, "Why do you say that?" ”

Junna Yukitake said with a smile, "If DC doesn't win the console war, then pokeni will be in the arms of Sony." ”

Looking at her eyes that bent into a crescent moon when she smiled, Furukawa Hirozawa's heart was filled with sweetness.

"Oh, that's true."

Furukawa Ozer nodded, he didn't have confidence in Sega, he had confidence in Pokeni.

From the establishment of POKENI to the present, it has risen all the way and walked steadily.

There's nothing to worry about, that's how Hiroshi Furukawa judged Pokeni.

"But, even if that's the case, you don't need to buy that much, do you?" Junna Yukitake laughed, only thinking that this guy was silly and cute, "Do you support Pokeni or Sony?"

Any game you buy on PS is a contribution to Sony. ”

"Ah...... I didn't think much of it, it was just a personal preference. ”

Hiroshi Furukawa took out the disc one by one, "I bought three copies, the first one for my own play, and the other for my collection." After all, it is very historically commemorative. ”

"What about another copy?" Junna Yukitake asked with a smile.

"For missions."

"Huh?"

"It's to give the game disc Amway to people who don't know pokeni and haven't played this game."

"Oh. I see. ”

Junna Yukitake tapped her head and smiled even more happily.

"Sure enough, Hao Zejun is really an interesting person."

"Huh?"

This time it was Furukawa Hirosawa's turn to blush.

……

……

——————————————————————————————

There is another chapter in the afternoon

This story of expectation management is a real occurrence in history.

In 1999, just a few months after the DC went on sale, Sony also held a press conference to show off the technical details of the PS2 console.

The Final Fantasy 8 footage shown at the press conference made players start to think that DC was nothing more than that, and Sega was once again abandoned by players.

While the "savvy" gamers know that this is not the level that the PS2 can achieve, Sony is once again playing with what they do best.

But ordinary gamers don't care about this, in their eyes, the performance of the PS2 that has not yet been released will far exceed DC, so many players who originally planned to buy DC have been holding on to their coins and waiting.

This made Peter Moore, the president of Sega Mi Country, hate Sony with false propaganda at the time, and after DC was delisted, Sega fans hated Sony far more than Nintendo.

(End of chapter)