By now, Takayuki had already changed his administrative and personal assistants many times.
This wasn't because the previous assistants had done a poor job. On the contrary, it was precisely because they performed so well while working alongside Takayuki that they grew rapidly. Once Takayuki felt they had built a solid foundation, he would arrange for them to move into different departments to continue learning.
If possible, Takayuki actually hoped that a female game producer might eventually emerge.
In his company, male producers were the majority. There were only a handful of female producers, and that included his wife, Takayuki Aya.
Sometimes, women possessed a kind of unique sensitivity of their own. Letting women take the lead in game development might bring about unexpected results.
Those former assistants had now become key pillars in their respective departments, genuinely contributing to the company's healthy and positive growth.
After confirming that Takayuki had no further tasks for her, Hiraga Reiko happily prepared to go try the games she had long been looking forward to.
Especially Final Fantasy XIII Versus, which had been announced countless times.
It was hailed as the most ambitious title in the Final Fantasy series, with an investment budget on par with Cyberpunk 2077—only with a shorter development cycle.
As for Takayuki himself, he returned to work once again.
He still had quite a few projects on his plate.
Among the upcoming releases were Grand Theft Auto V, Metal Gear Solid V, and Uncharted 4.
Both Metal Gear Solid V and Uncharted 4 marked the end of their respective series, with their stories finally reaching a conclusion.
Judging by the release schedule, Metal Gear Solid V would be the first to launch, likely around Halloween.
Then, over the following two years, several top-tier games would be released one after another, continuously dominating the gaming scene.
Micfo had previously been full of ambition, hoping to seize the moment before Gamestar Electronic Entertainment made its next big move and rake in a huge profit.
What they hadn't expected was that The Binding of Isaac would suddenly appear out of nowhere, completely disrupting their release plans and leaving them frustrated for quite some time.
Some reporters even deliberately interviewed Takayuki, trying to ask whether he had intentionally targeted Micfo.
Takayuki merely responded with a meaningful smile and gave no direct answer, leaving them to speculate on their own.
The journalists could only return and guess wildly among themselves, which at least kept plenty of media outlets busy. After all, wild speculation carried no responsibility, and imagining fierce corporate rivalry was exactly the kind of drama audiences loved.
As for the truth behind the scenes, the release of The Binding of Isaac really wasn't Takayuki deliberately trying to trip Micfo up.
He had simply felt that the timing was right. It could only be said that Micfo was unlucky to have collided with him.
But that was fine—there would be plenty more collisions in the future. If Micfo wanted to cultivate the gaming industry, they'd better be prepared to be chased down and beaten repeatedly.
After handling his routine work, Takayuki looked at the invitation resting on his desk.
This iteration of the Japanese government was genuinely sincere.
Back when Gamestar Electronic Entertainment was appointed to lead the Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, it had been a direct order from the Prime Minister's Office. No matter how dissatisfied certain factions were, they could only swallow it.
Now that the Japanese government had personally extended an invitation, Takayuki naturally intended to accept.
After all, this was an opening ceremony he himself was leading. Not attending would be rather disrespectful to the Olympics themselves.
Hmm. He should discuss it with Aya when he got home. With half a month left, it was time to prepare.
At this moment, there were exactly two weeks remaining until the Olympics.
…
Inside the main stadium of the Tokyo Olympics, many people had gone several days without sleep.
They were the hardest-working people of this Olympics.
It seemed no one was more exhausted than them.
Yet they enjoyed it.
Because they firmly believed they were about to create the greatest Olympic opening and closing ceremonies the world had ever seen.
Everything they did was in preparation for that moment.
They checked the props required for the opening ceremony again and again, ensuring that nothing would go wrong with their quality.
And of course, if something did go wrong, they had prepared all kinds of contingency plans.
"First, the host country—the very first to enter—will be Japan. We absolutely cannot mess this up. If anyone dares cause a problem with our entrance, I'll make sure you never survive in the entertainment industry again!"
An assistant executive director responsible for the Olympics repeatedly explained the key points of the opening ceremony to the performers.
Among them were several moderately well-known actors from the Japanese entertainment industry—people who could play leading roles in films and television dramas.
Yet now, they were being scolded and lectured like children, constantly warned and reminded to take this opening ceremony seriously.
Of course, they themselves were taking it very seriously. This was also a rare opportunity to present themselves to the entire world.
Some people had already started painting them a picture of future success.
As long as this performance succeeded, every actor involved in the Olympic opening ceremony would leave their mark on the international entertainment scene. Any future attempts to expand overseas would become much smoother.
As the world grew increasingly globalized, limiting oneself to domestic development alone was no longer enough. If given the chance to expand abroad, greater fame and profit were almost guaranteed.
So even without being scolded like children, they would still give it their all.
"Alright, everyone understands their tasks now, right? Then keep pushing yourselves—absolutely no mistakes during the opening ceremony. We must fully demonstrate Japan's craftsman spirit. This is our national confidence!"
Late into the night, the Olympic main stadium was still brightly lit, like an eternal torch that never went out, illuminating the entire venue.
Ono Sa, the general director of the Olympics, showed no sign of relaxing.
In contrast, many executives from other Olympic departments were sleeping soundly.
"Director, our side of the preparations is basically ready."
"Mm." Ono Sa nodded lightly. He was no longer young, and after more than half a year of intense preparation, the fatigue on him was impossible to hide.
Yet his eyes remained razor-sharp.
Hosting an Olympic opening and closing ceremony was also a milestone for him.
It would elevate his standing within the industry, so he treated it with utmost importance.
Perhaps even more seriously than Takayuki.
Even if Takayuki failed in organizing the Olympics, it wouldn't significantly affect his foundation in the gaming industry.
But Ono Sa would be affected. He treasured his reputation deeply—especially after pushing out the other two chief directors. As the sole decision-maker, he had also become the sole person responsible.
If he failed to deliver a successful opening and closing ceremony, he feared he might even feel compelled to commit seppuku.