After the meeting of Smash Bros Update there were many things that happened. First Zaboru asked team NIWA if it was possible for them to take more work. At the moment their only major projects were Suikoden 2 that would release in August and The Legend of Zelda Majora Mask that was planned for next year. Compared to other teams their schedule looked a bit lighter, so Zaboru wanted to see if they still had room to expand their workload.
What surprised him was the answer. It turned out Team NIWA was already very far into the development of Suikoden 2. Most of the core systems were finished and the remaining work was mainly polishing, balancing, and slight story adjustments. Because of that the leaders of Team NIWA said they were confident they could handle more responsibility. After a short internal discussion they told Zaboru that the team was ready to receive three additional tasks, though they suggested that one of those projects could be slightly longer so the team would have time to properly experiment with it.
Zaboru smiled when he heard this. It seemed that the workers of ZAGE had slowly become true workaholics in the best possible way. The energy inside the company was always high and the developers were eager to create new things. Because of that Zaboru had no problem handing them more projects. Even though Team NIWA specialized in JRPG development, Zaboru decided that some of the new assignments would not be JRPG at all. Giving them different genres would challenge their creativity.
First Zaboru decided to assign Team NIWA to develop two JRPG projects that he clearly remembered from his previous life. Both of them were considered excellent JRPG during the PlayStation 1 era. The titles were Valkyrie Profile and Vagrant Story.
In Zaboru's previous life Valkyrie Profile stood out because it was very different from the typical JRPG formula. Instead of a simple hero journey the story followed a Valkyrie who gathered the souls of fallen warriors before Ragnarok. Each character had their own tragic story and short narrative chapter, which made the world feel emotional and mature. The combat system was also unique for its time. Every party member was tied to a controller button, allowing players to chain attacks together in a very dynamic way. This made battles feel fast, strategic, and satisfying instead of the slower turn based combat common in many JRPGs at the time. The side scrolling exploration mixed with platform elements also gave the game a distinct identity compared to other RPGs on the PlayStation.
The second game Vagrant Story was also highly respected in his previous life because of its deep combat and dark storytelling. Unlike many JRPGs that focused on large parties, Vagrant Story centered around a single protagonist exploring a mysterious ruined city. The game used a complex weapon crafting system where players could customize blades, affinities, and damage types. Combat relied on timing chains and positioning which gave it a tactical feeling closer to a strategy RPG. On top of that the writing and atmosphere were far more mature than typical JRPGs, with political intrigue, betrayal, and a strong cinematic presentation. Many players in Zaboru's previous life considered it one of the most ambitious RPGs on the PlayStation.
Because of these qualities Zaboru believed both titles would be perfect projects for Team NIWA. One focused on emotional storytelling and experimental combat while the other emphasized deep systems and world building. If the team could successfully recreate and adapt these ideas it would greatly strengthen their ability to design future JRPG titles for ZAGE.
Zaboru then gave Team NIWA around eleven months to complete these projects so the games should be ready around March 2001.
Next the game that Zaboru decided to assign was Yu-Gi-OH GX. In this world Yu-Gi-Oh had already existed for quite some time and it was actually created under ZAGE itself. It first started as a game in ZGB before expanding into anime and finally a real card game that people could play in stores, schools, and tournaments. Because of that the franchise had already become extremely popular among young players and collectors. Card shops often held small competitions and many children spent their afternoons trading cards with their friends.
Even though the game had already evolved a lot, Zaboru personally still preferred the first generation style of Yu-Gi-Oh. In his opinion the early era of the card game felt simpler and more fun. The rules were easier to understand and the focus was more on clever plays instead of complicated combinations. That simplicity made the game feel very accessible for new players.
However Zaboru also understood that the franchise needed to continue evolving. Because of that he planned to introduce the GX era which would heavily focus on Fusion based gameplay. Fusion monsters would become a central mechanic and new card designs would be created to support that style of play. This would refresh the game and allow both old and new players to explore different strategies.
For the game itself Zaboru planned the story to follow a structure similar to the Yu-Gi-Oh GX anime from his previous life. The setting would revolve around a duel academy where young duelists trained to become the best. Players would slowly progress through the academy, challenge rivals, and unlock stronger cards as they improved their skills.
Because of the large amount of card designs and artwork needed for the project the development time would be longer than usual. Many new monsters, spell cards, and fusion creatures needed completely original illustrations. On top of that Zaboru also wanted the physical trading cards to be printed and distributed at the same time the game released so players could experience both the video game and the real card game together.
For that reason Zaboru scheduled around thirteen months of development time for the project. If everything went smoothly the game and the card set would both release around May 2001.
Next after Zaboru assigned all of these tasks he decided to take a rare five day leave from work because he wanted to spend proper time with his family. Moments like this were extremely unusual for him. Zaboru was known inside the company and even within his own household as someone who almost never stopped working. Most days he just work , work and more work.
Because of that decision the whole family was genuinely surprised. A workaholic like Zaboru suddenly taking five full days away from the office almost felt like a miracle. Even the staff at ZAGE Tower were shocked when they heard the news.
The reason was simple. During this period there were two important celebrations in the family. The first was the birthday of his daughter Arumi who was turning one year old. Even though she was still very young, Zaboru wanted to be there for the moment instead of hearing about it later while sitting in an office. The second celebration was Ayumi's birthday, and Zaboru felt that his wife deserved proper time together after constantly supporting him and the company.
Instead of staying at home the family decided to travel to Korea for a short holiday. The trip was not related to business at all, which made it even more refreshing for Zaboru. They visited parks, walked through busy shopping streets, and tried many different local foods. Zenshin was clearly excited to explore a new place while little Arumi simply enjoyed being carried around and surrounded by her family while observing the city.
For once Zaboru allowed himself to relax. He spent time playing with his children, talking with Ayumi, and enjoying simple moments without thinking about game development schedules or corporate strategy. Those five days passed quickly, but they reminded him that no matter how large ZAGE became, his family was still the most important part of his life.
After the holiday finished, Zaboru began planning a new project. This time it was not a game. He wanted to create a video call application, and not just a basic one but something truly reliable and easy to use. At the moment Microsoft already had a form of video communication software, but Zaboru felt it was still lacking in many areas. The connection was unstable, the interface was confusing for normal users, and the overall experience was far from smooth. Because of that Zaboru started preparing a plan to build a far superior version.
This project was mainly for ZAGE itself. In his previous life Zaboru had seen how powerful online meeting platforms like Zoom and Google Meet eventually became. They allowed people across the world to talk face to face instantly without needing to travel. For a company that operated in many countries this kind of technology would save enormous amounts of time and energy.
Zaboru was already thinking about the future of internet infrastructure. Sendou FTTH technology would definitely spread across the world sooner or later, and once fiber internet became common the global network speed would improve dramatically. When that moment arrived video communication would become far more practical for everyday work. Zaboru wanted ZAGE to be ready before that wave arrived.
There were many things that could easily be discussed through a video meeting instead of physical travel. Right now Zaboru often had to visit multiple countries within the span of a few months or weeks. One week he could be in the United States discussing development plans, then he would fly to England, return to Japan for internal reviews, then travel again to Korea and sometimes even Brazil to check distribution operations.
Even though he used private jets the travel still consumed a large amount of time and energy. Long flights, scheduling delays, and constant movement between time zones slowly became exhausting. Zaboru realized that if a stable video communication system existed many of those meetings could be handled online instead.
Because of that he decided this would become a long term project inside ZAGE. The goal was not simply to create a communication tool but to build a system that could support the entire company's global operations. If successful it would elevate the way ZAGE worked and connect all of its offices across the world in a much more efficient way.
Related to these plans, Zaboru also decided that ZAGE would expand its internal structure again this year. The company now managed several large online platforms, including YouTube, Gamehouse, and Z-Store, and each of these services was growing quickly. Because of their scale, Zaboru believed they could no longer be handled casually by existing teams.
To solve this, he planned to create dedicated teams responsible only for maintaining and developing these websites. The first groups would be established in both the United States and Japan, where most of the current traffic and infrastructure were located. Their responsibility would include server maintenance, feature development, moderation systems, and long‑term platform improvements.
Zaboru also believed that this structure would eventually expand to other regions as the platforms continued to grow. As ZAGE's global presence increased, additional teams would likely be formed in Europe, Korea, and other markets to support regional users more effectively.
At the same time, the recruitment process for ZAGE China was still ongoing. The hiring phase had taken longer than expected because Zaboru wanted to ensure the team was composed of highly capable developers and engineers. If everything continued according to schedule, the new branch would officially open in July.
Aside from this, the YouTube community was already growing quickly even though the platform had only been released a couple of months earlier. New videos appeared every day as more users discovered the website. Some uploaded simple recordings of gameplay, others shared funny moments with friends, and a few even experimented with small creative projects. Zaboru often spent a little time watching these clips whenever he had a free moment. It reminded him strongly of the early days of YouTube from his previous life. There were no advertisements, no complicated algorithms pushing certain content, and no corporate influence yet. It was simply a place where people shared things they enjoyed, and that sense of community made the platform feel alive.
Many of the most popular videos were related to games produced or supported by ZAGE. Players recorded their matches in Counter‑Strike, Warcraft 3, StarCraft, and other competitive titles. Some videos showed impressive strategies while others were simply funny moments between friends during chaotic matches. Zaboru found it interesting to see how players interacted with the games his company helped distribute.
ZAGE also created a second official channel called "EPIC." The purpose of this channel was to highlight the best community gameplay moments each week. Users could submit their clips, and the ZAGE media team would compile them into a weekly showcase video. These videos featured incredible plays, unexpected strategies, and sometimes hilarious mistakes.
Many of the featured clips came from competitive games such as Counter‑Strike, Warcraft 3, and StarCraft. Another surprisingly popular source of content was DoTa, which at the moment still existed as a custom map inside Warcraft 3. Even though it was technically just a ZAGE map modification, the map already had a growing player base and produced many exciting moments worth sharing.
The EPIC channel quickly became very popular among players. People enjoyed watching the weekly highlights and often tried to create their own impressive plays in hopes of appearing in the next video. Seeing this growth made Zaboru grin with satisfaction.
He even decided to add music that he remembered from his previous life. The track was "We Are Electric," the same song that had once been used in classic WoDoTa montage videos. Somehow the energy of the song matched perfectly with fast‑paced gameplay highlights. When it played over dramatic in‑game moments the entire montage felt far more exciting, and Zaboru could not help but feel amused seeing a small piece of his previous life return in this new world.
Then the game Gear Fight Dendoh released in March, and it quickly attracted attention from players. The game turned out to be genuinely good. It showcased a vibrant art style, energetic animations, and a very smooth beat‑em‑up system built around giant robots. Players controlled powerful mechanical units that could dash, punch, and unleash special attacks while fighting waves of enemy machines. The combat felt responsive and satisfying, which was exactly what fans of mecha action games wanted.
The story of Gear Fight Dendoh also helped the game stand out. In this world the franchise did not begin as an anime like it did in Zaboru's previous life. Instead it first appeared as a video game created by ZAGE which is this game. The story followed two young boys who accidentally discovered the powerful combat robot known as Dendoh. This mysterious machine was originally built as a defense weapon against hostile mechanical forces that threatened Earth.
As the story progressed, the two boys formed a unique bond with the robot and became its pilots. Because Dendoh required synchronization between two operators, cooperation and trust between the characters became a central theme of the narrative. Together they fought against powerful enemy machines sent by a mysterious organization that sought to conquer the planet using advanced robotics.
Throughout the campaign players gradually unlocked new abilities for Dendoh. Special attacks, combination strikes, and powerful finishing moves allowed the robot to evolve as the story progressed. Each boss battle felt larger and more dramatic, often involving massive enemy machines that pushed the player's skills to the limit.
The combination of exciting gameplay and a surprisingly engaging story made Gear Fight Dendoh a memorable release. Fans of mecha games appreciated the fast combat while story‑focused players enjoyed watching the relationship between the young pilots develop as they protected Earth.
Because of this strong reception the game received a solid score from ZEMITSU - FAMITSU magazine, earning an 8 out of 10 rating. Critics praised its action mechanics, presentation, and interesting story foundation, noting that the title had strong potential to grow into a larger franchise in the future.
Then in the next month, in early May, Zaboru began giving new tasks to two of his United States development teams, which were Team TEMPEST and Team Enigma. Both teams were some of the most reliable groups inside ZAGE Campus, and they had already completed several important projects in the past. Because of that Zaboru trusted them with two well known game franchises that required careful development.
First Zaboru assigned a task to Team Tempest. As this team specialized heavily in PC development, so Zaboru gave them a project that would fit perfectly with their experience. The game was Baldur Gate 2: Shadow Of Amn, which would serve as the sequel to Baldur Gate. The first Baldur Gate had already become a very beloved RPG in this world, especially among PC players who enjoyed deep storytelling and complex character progression.
Zaboru knew that fans of the first game would have high expectations for the sequel. Baldur Gate was known for its rich fantasy world, party based gameplay, and meaningful choices that influenced the story. Because of that he reminded Team Tempest that the sequel needed to feel larger, deeper, and more polished than the original game. The world should feel more alive, the companions should have stronger personalities, and the quests should allow players to approach problems in different ways.
Team Tempest was excited to receive the assignment. Zaboru scheduled the development carefully and expected the game to release around June 2001 if progress continued smoothly.
For Team Enigma, Zaboru prepared a different type of project. This team focused more on ZEPS 3 development, which meant console based games with cinematic presentation. Because of that he gave them the task of developing Tomb Raider 2.
The first Tomb Raider game had already made Lara Croft extremely popular in this world. Players loved the combination of exploration, puzzle solving, and action combat. Lara herself had also become a recognizable character thanks to her adventurous personality and fearless attitude while exploring dangerous ruins and ancient temples.
For Tomb Raider 2, Zaboru wanted the story and environments to expand beyond what players saw in the first game. New locations, larger levels, and more complex puzzles would help the sequel feel like a true evolution of the series. Team Enigma was asked to focus on smoother movement, improved combat encounters, and more cinematic moments during the adventure.
If development stayed on schedule, Zaboru planned for Tomb Raider 2 to release around May 2001. With both Baldur Gate 2 and Tomb Raider 2 in production, the ZAGE USA teams would once again deliver two major titles for the company.
As usual, every project assigned to a ZAGE team already came with a complete development folder prepared in advance. Inside it were detailed documents covering game design, character design, gameplay systems, and the full story outline. This had become the standard way ZAGE teams received their tasks. Because Zaboru personally handled the concept and planning stage beforehand, the teams could immediately move into development without spending time on the early planning phase.
Aside from this, Zaboru also took time to review the progress of Team Omni in England and Team Dynasty in Korea. Both teams were performing well, but what caught his attention the most was the rapid growth of Ragnarok, the MMORPG developed by Team Dynasty. On the Korean servers the game was already becoming something remarkable. Players were forming guilds, building friendships, and slowly creating a living in‑game economy where equipment, items, and rare materials were traded between players.
The community around Ragnarok was growing stronger each week. Markets inside the game had started to appear naturally, with certain cities becoming popular trading hubs where players gathered to buy and sell their equipment. Watching this development fascinated Zaboru because it reminded him of how powerful virtual economies could become when enough players participated.
Seeing this, Zaboru began thinking about a larger system that could support these kinds of online communities. He started planning an update for STEAM that would allow users to perform digital transactions more easily. One of his main ideas was to introduce a marketplace system inside STEAM where players could trade their in‑game items. Players would be able to list equipment, skins, or rare items on the platform, and other users could purchase them directly through the system.
At the moment the concept was still difficult to implement. The existing STEAM Wallet could already be used for purchasing ZAGE games, downloadable content, and even merchandise through the Z‑Store website. However, the system still had many limitations. The digital funds stored in the wallet could not yet be converted back into physical money, which meant it functioned only as a closed ecosystem within the platform.
Because of these complications, Zaboru understood that this would have to become a long‑term update rather than something that could be finished quickly. Financial regulations, security systems, and international payment rules all required careful planning. To prepare for this, he had already begun discussions with the ZAGE USA CTO, Gabe Newell, so that the infrastructure and design of the system could slowly be developed over time.
For team OMNI Zaboru are preparing them to receive the task of making the game NBA and Winning Eleven because this team will focus on making sports for ZAGE games.
And so that was how April and early May unfolded. As Zaboru reviewed everything that had happened during those weeks, he could not help but feel a bit amused. Outside the walls of ZAGE, the global tech industry had just experienced a major shock.
The WWW bubble had finally crashed.
To be continue
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